On this page
-
Text (1)
-
188 WORKHOUSE VISITING SOCIETY.
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
-
-
Transcript
-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
The It Is Objects Proposed Of The At Thi...
not a single ease of return in drunkenness was _observed . It is hopedpartly through the influence of this master , to obtain
admis-, sion for visitors into other metropolitan workhouses during the "winter . Another master on coming into office and finding visiting
partly established , requested to have a visitor appointed to every ward , especially in that for the sick , stating that the nurse there
( the best they could select for the office ) could not be trusted , and what could the matron do in _lier one daily visit ?
Looking at the fears which have been expressed , they may be said to be imaginarythe objections having arisen in almost every
, case from masters who have been long in authority , and who would reject assistance or improvement of any kind . But can this be
considered as testimony against our plans ? I can now recall about six cases where they were earnestly desired and advocated by the
chaplains and some of the guardians , but where the opposition was clearly traceable to the masters , who were uneducated men , and of
course jealous of their own despotic power . In no instance that I have heard of have the plans of our society been tried and failed ,
and surely a failure alone ought to be considered a condemnation . Vague fears of . " interference" are all that can be urged against a
trial , besides the objection sometimes made _Tby guardians , that persons would be induced to enter the workhouse if more attractions
were offered . But surely it must be evident that one chief aim of our society is to prevent the young from ever entering- the house
after they leave the schools , or becoming burdens upon the parish ; and by endeavoring to reform the older girls , enable them to maintain
a position out of doors . I would now ask whether a local society formed here would not
be likely to promote this object , _esxDecially with regard to tlie schools ? A definite plan for this part of our work has been given elsewhere
during this meeting , and I said that it was already begun in one of our large cities . Surely a system of encouragement and protection
might save many of these poor children from becoming future burdens , either in the workhouse or the prison . We are bold to say
that these plans , if not worthy of consideration on moral and iritual groundsare so for economical reasons , and we would
earnestl sp y invite ladies , to come forward and assist these poor little ones . "We have been told that it is not wise for us to enter into abuses
and grievances with a view to remedy them , and that it is not our province to bring them to light . I hardly know how we can
establish the need of improvement unless imperfections are shown to exist ; but I am at the same time thoroughly convinced that it will
never do to allow a system of inspection to be carried on by unauthorised and injudiciously selected persons , wlio would act wholly
independently of the guardians . Such a course has never been advocated . To do any good we must be well chosen and sanctioned .
And then I would ask , whose interest it can be to suffer those
systems of cheating * aixd deception which are . carried on more or less
188 Workhouse Visiting Society.
188 WORKHOUSE VISITING SOCIETY .
-
-
Citation
-
English Woman’s Journal (1858-1864), Nov. 1, 1859, page 186, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ewj/issues/ewj_01111859/page/42/
-