Hello, Because my grandmother was reportedly "a foundling" on the streets of Boston in 1889 and was reportedly "in State care" until her adoption in 1892, and then went back into "State care" in 1899,.. I have decided to learn more about .."children without parents" in MA in that time period. One of the books on the subject which I found in my local Library was Peter Holloran's book, "Boston's Wayward Children" ("Social Services for Homeless Children, 1830-1930"). It seems to be a 1989 book published in Boston, MA. I have only read 2 chapters so far, and do not have time to offer a review of the book. But, I'd like to recommend it for anyone wanting to know how "homeless children" were "dealt with" .. from .. not as the sub-title suggests .. but from 1630 to 1930. ("documentary" or "thesis" on the subject) In the 1600's, it was the responsibility of every family within a Town to take care of "people in need" (young or old or sick or disabled). This went into the 1700's. But, after the Revolutionary War, and especially when people started "heading West," it was discovered that the "old system" (based on English ways of doing things) was no longer working. But, it took until 1830 .. for "organized Homes" to come into being. But, when "organized Homes" for "wayward children" were being operated, they were not always .. run smoothly or run well, and "stuff happened." At one point they decided that girls should not be in the same Homes with boys. >From book: "Despite some efforts to safeguard their young charges, the BFA had some problems with "immoral" and "deranged" girls. They were sent aaway in disgrace to have their bastard babies at the State Infirmary in Tewksbury or committed to the State Lunatic Asylum in Worcester." Reading this book is not easy. To think of what children went through .. right here in Boston .. is not easy to stomach. In regards to my grandmother, this book offered me the definition of "the Out-Door Poor." In 1892, the MA "Overseers of the Poor" .. Dept. of the Out-Door Poor .. gave permission for 3-year-old Mary Anna Clark DEXTER to be adopted. ... This book tells me that the "Out-Door Poor" were poor people who were living at home .. and needed assistance while still living in their homes. I haven't figured this out yet .. in my grandmother's situation, but it could provide a clue to her mystery. Have a good day. Keep WARM. And, if you have elderly friends, neighbors, or family-members, please check to see whether they are maintaining their homes at a temperature over 65 or 70 degrees. And, please, if babies or toddlers are brought outside .. please cover their faces with a scarf. I saw a woman over the weekend with a year-old baby in a back-pack on her back while she was jogging. The baby was in a snow-suit but his or her face was not covered at all. :o( Betty (near Lowell, MA) "There are two lasting bequests we can give our children; one is roots, the other is wings." Hodding Carter, Jr.

Thanks for posting this, I have pre-ordered it on half.com. I am a DSS social worker in Weymouth and my mom was a DPW/DSS social worker in Boston in the 50's. Still dealing with wayward children but they are better treated now, God willing! Eileen Velez, Hyde Park, MA BBFFRRPP wrote: >Hello, > >Because my grandmother was reportedly "a foundling" on the streets of Boston >in 1889 and was reportedly "in State care" until her adoption in 1892, and >then went back into "State care" in 1899,.. I have decided to learn more >about .."children without parents" in MA in that time period. > >One of the books on the subject which I found in my local Library was Peter >Holloran's book, "Boston's Wayward Children" ("Social Services for Homeless >Children, 1830-1930"). It seems to be a 1989 book published in Boston, >MA. > >I have only read 2 chapters so far, and do not have time to offer a review >of the book. But, I'd like to recommend it for anyone wanting to know how >"homeless children" were "dealt with" .. from .. not as the sub-title >suggests .. but from 1630 to 1930. ("documentary" or "thesis" on the >subject) In the 1600's, it was the responsibility of every family >within a Town to take care of "people in need" (young or old or sick or >disabled). This went into the 1700's. But, after the Revolutionary War, >and especially when people started "heading West," it was discovered that >the "old system" (based on English ways of doing things) was no longer >working. But, it took until 1830 .. for "organized Homes" to come into >being. > >But, when "organized Homes" for "wayward children" were being operated, they >were not always .. run smoothly or run well, and "stuff happened." At one >point they decided that girls should not be in the same Homes with boys. >>From book: "Despite some efforts to safeguard their young charges, the BFA >had some problems with "immoral" and "deranged" girls. They were sent >aaway in disgrace to have their bastard babies at the State Infirmary in >Tewksbury or committed to the State Lunatic Asylum in Worcester." > >Reading this book is not easy. To think of what children went through .. >right here in Boston .. is not easy to stomach. > >In regards to my grandmother, this book offered me the definition of "the >Out-Door Poor." In 1892, the MA "Overseers of the Poor" .. Dept. of the >Out-Door Poor .. gave permission for 3-year-old Mary Anna Clark DEXTER to be >adopted. ... This book tells me that the "Out-Door Poor" were poor >people who were living at home .. and needed assistance while still living >in their homes. I haven't figured this out yet .. in my grandmother's >situation, but it could provide a clue to her mystery. > >Have a good day. Keep WARM. And, if you have elderly friends, >neighbors, or family-members, please check to see whether they are >maintaining their homes at a temperature over 65 or 70 degrees. And, >please, if babies or toddlers are brought outside .. please cover their >faces with a scarf. I saw a woman over the weekend with a year-old baby >in a back-pack on her back while she was jogging. The baby was in a >snow-suit but his or her face was not covered at all. :o( > >Betty (near Lowell, MA) > > >"There are two lasting bequests we can give our children; >one is roots, the other is wings." > >Hodding Carter, Jr. > > > >==== BOSTON Mailing List ==== >Visit Boston's Historic Neighborhoods: >http://www.ci.boston.ma.us/neighborhoods/ > >============================== >To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: >http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 > > > > >