Page 14 - The Privilege of Caring

Institutions For Children
The Tobey Street Home Home was constructed in in 1863 and and served as as the Home Home for Children’s Friend until until 1926 Here children would be be educated and and trained until until the the the the age of of 12 when they were placed in in in private homes In the the the the 20th century reformers argued for for the the the the the removal of of children from institutions and their placement in family foster homes In 1913 at at the Rhode Island Child Welfare Conference this sentiment was articulated: “Modern charity believes in in using every possible means to to keep families together when this fails another home home should be be substituted A normal normal child child child needs a a a a a a a a a a a a a a normal normal family life The slogan ‘No Rhode Rhode Island Island home home home without without a a a a a a a a a a a a child child child child No No Rhode Rhode Island Island child child child child without without a a a a a a a a a a a a home’ explains the aim of child child placing work ”
In 1925 after managing a a a a a a a a a children’s home for 90 years the the the Board changed its name from the the the the Providence Children’s Children’s Friend Friend Society Society to the the the the Rhode Island Children’s Children’s Children’s Friend Friend Friend Society Society Society and and adopted a a a a a a new mission “In spite of the the the the the splendid record established by by the the the Providence Children’s Children’s Friend Friend Society Society the the the Board has felt for a a a a a a a a a a a a a long time that children in in in an an institution cannot by by served as as as adequately as as as through some other field of child child welfare work Again the the present building at at at Tobey Street is old and each year becomes a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a heavier expense slowly the the conviction was was driven home that there was was more to be be done in in in in in taking one’s part in in in in in a a a a a a a a a a a a a child child welfare program in in in in in a a a a a a a a a a a a a city or or state than the the giving of of even the the best of of care to a a a a a a a few children ”
Closing its home on on Tobey Street in in in in in 1926 the agency hired a a a a a a a staff trained in in in in in social work methods to undertake new directions in in in child welfare 13 The Tobey Street Home located in Federal Hill