"Yesterday afternoon he beat her over the head with a fire shovel." (Image by Lewis Hine.)
Parents in nineteenth-century New York City who had their hands full with their wild, waifish children sometimes requested assistance from the House of Refuge, which was the first juvenile reformatory in the country, with roots going back to 1816. The following brief notices from the Brooklyn Daily Eagle concern incorrigible children who did a stint at the institution.
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“Wayward Rose Herman” (March 1, 1898): “Thirteen year old Rose Herman of 131 Central avenue was committed to the House of Refuge this morning by Magistrate Worth in the Gates avenue court. Mrs. Mary Herman, the girl’s mother, appeared against her and told the magistrate that Rose sought disorderly companions, stayed out late at night and would not heed her mother’s good advice. Some time ago Rose was arrested on a similar complaint and was sent to the Training School. When she came out she continued her waywardness until her mother was forced to appeal to the Children’s Society. Agent Sauer took the girl away.
Rose is a pretty girl and tall for her age. She showed a defiant manner in court and though her mother’s eyes were filled with tears at the parting, the girl was not at all affected and scarcely noticed her mother.”
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“Sent Joseph to the House of Refuge” (May 11, 1895): “Joseph Hoffman of 179 Stuyvesant avenue is only 13 years old, but his mother cannot manage him. Yesterday afternoon he beat her over the head with a fire shovel and she had him arrested. In the Gates avenue police court this morning Judge Harriman committed Joseph to the Hose of Refuge.
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"Maria Delisso, an Italian girl 14 years old, was sent to the House of Refuge by Justice Walsh this morning on a charge of having been a disobedient and vicious child." (Image by Lewis Hine.)
“Maria Was a Bad Girl” (December 19, 1896): Maria Delisso, an Italian girl 14 years old, was sent to the House of Refuge by Justice Walsh this morning on a charge of having been a disobedient and vicious child. The complainant was the girl’s father, who lives at 821 Kent avenue. Maria left home last August, and for two months her father searched for her and finally found her at a low Italian resort on Mott street, New York. Nicolo Scardino, with whom she was living there, has been sent to the Elmira reformatory by authorities of New York City. Roundsman Vacbris of the headquarters squad arrested the girl in the Mott street house.”
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“Committed for a Year” (December 1, 1877): “Justice Elliott this morning committed John J. White, a lad aged 16 years, to the House of Refuge for one year, on the complaint of the mother who resides at No. 294 North Second street. She charged him with stealing her Bible valued at three dollars.”
