THE NEW YORK SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO CHILDREN






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The NY Society for Prevention of Cruelty To Children has a web site.
<a href="http://nyspcc.org/">http://nyspcc.org</a>

Click on "History", then "George Sims Archives"
They have case files from 1875 to the present, mainly for Manhattan 
residents. They will check their archives for a fee.


    The New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children 
was organized in January, 1875, and within five years ten other
societies followed, from Boston to San Francisco. As the movement 
grew, some societies originally intended for the protection of 
animals added the care of children to their purpose. In other cases 
"humane societies" were organized to cover both purposes. 

The total number of societies in the United States in 1900
for the protection of children, or children and animals, was 161. 
They were brought into close relations by the Humane Association 
(q.v.), which has included societies for the protection of 
children since 1887. As in the case of animals, their work is 
two-fold--the promotion of better legislation in their field and 
the diligent enforcement of existing laws. They also investigate 
cases of alleged cruelty or neglect, and present to the courts
such facts as they learn. The New York society exceptionally includes the
investigation of cases of destitution. By the work of the agents whom it
stations in all the magistrates' courts it has come to have a powerful
advisory influence on the commitment of destitute, neglected, and wayward
children in New York City, thus affecting the lives, on an average, of about
15,000 children. These societies in general are private corporations,
supported by subscriptions, although in New York, Philadelphia, and a few
other places, some aid has been given from public funds. In the State of
Indiana since 1889 boards of children's guardians have been organized by
law, which not only investigate cases of cruelty and neglect and secure the
punishment of the offenders, but also undertake subsequent oversight of the
children. The Colorado Humane Society was made by the Legislature of 1901 a
"State bureau of child and animal protection," with an appropriation of
$3000 per annum for two years; this, however, remains under private control,
though three State officers are made ex officio members of its board of
directors. Consult: Folks, The Care of Destitute, Neglected, and Delinquent
Children (New York, 1902).

Source:  The New International Encyclopaedia
Copyright:  1902, 1903, 1904, 1905
Publisher:  Dodd, Mead and company--New York
Volumes:  Total of 21 volumes
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Transcribed by Miriam Medina
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