Mr. CAMERON (Durham, Houghton-le-Spring)
said that when they considered the large
number of children in charge of the State,
they could not but feel that it was most
desirable that such methods should be used
as would save the children from becoming
paupers in the future. He believed that if
the guardians were urged to do their duty
and wise methods were employed, the bulk
of the children could be made into useful
citizens, and be restored to industrial
and normal life. Nearly twenty years of
his life had been spent in connection with
pauper children, as chairman of a large
union in the North, and he believed, the
best work of his life was that which he
did as chairman of the schools with that
union. The first method they adopted was
that of separating the children from the
adult paupers; they built schools and
engaged separate managers and teachers.
Then they endeavoured to improve the
physique of the children, who were stolid
and dull, having the stamp of the
workhouse child upon them. Gymnastic
exercises were introduced, and in an
industrial school the boys were taught
tailoring, shoemaking and other trades.
But the best thing they did was to send
the children to the public elementary
school, giving them a variety of dress
so that they should not be marked among
the other pupils. The children improved
in health and energy; their manner
altered, and in a year or two they were
like ordinary working men's children.
One difficulty which they had to tackle
was that of dealing with the girls when
they left the workhouse. Many of them
were taken by relations, who had been
quite content to allow the State to
bring them up but who wished to use them
for their own purposes when they were
able to earn money. Many of the girls,
especially in large towns, were in great
danger, and some became immoral. It was
found that the best thing for the girls'
welfare was to send them to Canada, and
some hundreds had been sent out. He
would like to ask the right hon.
Gentleman how far the Local Government
Board were now dealing with the question
of emigration. With regard to the
boarding out, it was necessary to know
the character of the parents and the
homes, and to be sure that the children
would be treated as they should be.
In large towns boarding out was not the
best system, although it might be in
villages where everybody was known.
By using such methods as he had
described, by taking an interest in the
children and by keeping in touch with
them by correspondence after they had
gone out into the world, he believed
the guardians could do good work for
the community and for the future.
