Miss Rye and the disposal of our pauper children / Rutherford Alcock.

  • Alcock, Rutherford, Sir, 1809-1897.
Date:
[1879]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Miss Rye and the disposal of our pauper children / Rutherford Alcock. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    brought to her by poor relatives, who have heard of the happy future which has been already secured to so many of their class, with a kindred race, on the other side of the Atlantic. Some 36 little girls, ranging from five to fifteen years of age, I had understood had been thus gathered under the sheltering roof of the Home, and were ready to embark, and I wished to see them before they left. I could not but feel that if Miss Rye was to carry her intentions out, she must be supported by those who do not care themselves to live with poor outcasts, and make voyages across the Atlantic, burdened with such an armful of helpless little ones ! The door was opened by a tidy, strong-looking girl, some fourteen or fifteen years old, who took my name with as much composure and ease as any well-trained housemaid, although I found she was one of the number now waiting to embark, and had been only a few weeks at the Home. I must not occupy your space by telling in any detail all I saw of the dormitory and sanitary arrangements—the admirable order and cleanliness and home-like look everywhere, in striking contrast to the cheerless and drilled look of workhouse children and arrangements—nor of the wholly unexpected work of the school-room, over which Miss Rye’s sister presides with equal energy and success. I can only say that I have never been so impressed in any institution with a sense of the “ motherly ” care with which the whole of these little girl-arabs had been so quickly broken in to harness, and brought under the controlling influence of cleanliness, order, and method. A week or two later, I saw them all take their departure from the station for Liverpool, looking bright and well, and as happy as if it were indeed but a “ herring pond ” they were going to cross on a summer’s day. Many friends, both Canadian and British, had come on the same errand, and to wish them “ God-speed.” Among the former was notably the Archdeacon of Niagara, in whose parish Miss Rye’s Canadian Home is situated. The testi- mony of one such witness, after many years of familiar acquaintance with her work, is of the most satisfactory kind, and may well supply the place of actual observation, for all who have not had the same opportunities of testing its character and value. I am. Sir, &c., Rutherford Alcock. St. George’s, Hanover Square, Bopd of Guardians have. sent one hundred little pauper girls to Canada during the last ten'years, under the charge of Miss Rye, and the accounts received have given great satisfaction to the Board. Sir Rutherford Alcock, who is a Member of the Board, has taken a deep personal interest in the subject.