THE LATE MRS. SENIOR AND POOR ORPHANS.
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."]
Sin,—An Association has lately been founded, in memory of Mrs. Nassau Senior, for extending to children of a rather higher grade the system which Mrs. Senior so strongly advocated for pauper children, and which is already adopted by several of our Metro- politan Unions, namely, that of boarding them out in country homes, instead of massing them together in large schools. The children to whom it is now proposed to extend this system are among those who at present find their way into orphan asylums, or fail to find their way into them, owing to the difficulties be- longing to the system of election by votes, with its necessity for extensive canvassing.
The Association chooses candidates simply according to the merits of the cases, but it is severe in its observance of certain principles of selection. The children must be orphans in the strict sense of the word, having lost both parents ; they must not be in any sense paupers, or the children of paupers, and it must be shown that they have no relatives properly able to support them. It is for children thus situated, above all others, that it is a bless- ing to be transplanted into real homes, into the midst of a whole- some, happy family life ; or into those childless homes where their presence gives new life, and the blessing is as great to the foster- parents as it is to the children. In these cases, the money spent in paying for the children's board is the smallest part of the boon. Care in choosing fit homes, and in watching over the children when placed in them, is a much more important part of the work of the Association. It pledges itself especially to provide the most efficient attainable supervision,—by ladies living in the im- mediate neighbourhood of each home, who are bound to furnish to the Association every six weeks a report of each child's welfare and progress in education ; and by the occasional visits of an inspector appointed by the Association.
The Committee are now prepared to take charge of a few more children, and I would therefore invite the friends and supporters of unsuccessful candidates for admission to orphan asylums, or
those interested in other children whose cases may fulfil the con- ditions above mentioned, to make such cases known to one or other of the honorary secretaries.
The Committee consist of the following ladies and gentlemen :- The Right Hon. J. Stansfeld, M.P. ; Miss Octavia Hill ; Thomas Hughes, Esq., Q.C. ; W. Shaen, Esq., Treasurer ; Miss C. E. Stephen, 48 Cheyne Walk, Chelsea, S.W. ; and Miss Synnot, Clapham Common, S.W., Ilon. Secs.—I am, Sir, &c., C. E. STEPHEN, Hon. Sec.
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