CLASSIFICATION OF GIRLS AND BOYS IN WORKHOUSES. IN Na paper read at the Central Poor Law Conference, December 6th, 1882, I gave the reasons why it is most undesirable that girls and boys who have been brought up in a pauper institution should return either to it or to the workhouse, and I showed what legal powers for avoiding it were possessed by Boards of Guardians. But as since then I have heard various opinions as to the age at which girls and boys are ordered to be placed in the adult wards of workhouses, I now give, for the convenience of those who do not possess a copy of the Orders of the Local Government Board, the entire Classification Order contained in the General Consolidated Order (Unions), 24th July, 1847 CLASSIFICATION OF THE PAUPERS. ART. 98. The paupers, so far as the workhouse admits thereof, shall be classed as follows: CLASS 1. Men infirm through age or any other cause. CLASS 2. Able-bodied men, and youths above the age of fifteen years. CLASS 3. Boys above the age of seven years, and under that of fifteen. CLASS 4. Women infirm through age or any other cause. CLASS 5. Able-bodied women, and girls above the age of fifteen years. CLASS 6. Girls above the age of seven years and under that o fifteen. CLASS 7. Children under seven years of age. To each class shall be assigned that ward, or separate building and yard which may be best fitted for the reception of such class, and each class of paupers shall remain therein, without communication with those of any other class. Art. 99. Provided, Firstly. That the Guardians shall from time to time, after consulting the Medical Officer, make such arrangements as they may deem necessary with regard to persons labouring under any disease of body or mind. Secondly. The Guardians shall, so far as circumstances will permit, further subdivide any of the classes enumerated in Art. 98, with reference to the moral character, or behaviour, or the previous habits of the inmates, or to such other grounds as may seem expedient. Thirdly.—That nothing in this order shall compel the Guardians to separate any married couple, being both paupers of the first and fourth classes respectively, provided the Guardians shall set apart for the exclusive use of every such couple a sleeping apartment separate from that of the other paupers. Fourthly. That any paupers of the fifth and sixth classes may be employed constantly or occasionally in any of the female sick wards, or in the care of infants, or as assistants in the household work; and the Master and Matron shall make such arrangements as may enable the paupers of the fifth and sixth classes to be employed in the household work, without communication with the paupers of the second and third classes. Fifthly. That any pauper of the fourth class, whom the Master may deem fit to perform any of the duties of a nurse or assistant to the Matron, may be so employed in the sick wards, or those of the fourth, fifth, sixth, or seventh classes; and any pauper of the first class, who may by the Master be deemed fit, may be placed in the ward of the third class, to aid in the management, and superintend the behaviour of the paupers of such class, or may be employed in the male sick ward. Sixthly. That the Guardians, for a special reason to be entered on their minutes, may place any boy or girl between the ages of ten and sixteen years, in a male or female ward respectively, different to that to which he or she properly belongs, unless the Commissioners shall otherwise direct. Seventhly. That the paupers of the seventh class may be placed in such of the wards appropriated to the female paupers as shall be deemed expedient, and the mothers of such paupers shall be permitted to have access to them at all reasonable times. Eighthly. That the Master (subject to any directions given or regulations made by the Guardians) shall allow the father or mother of any child in the same Workhouse, who may be desirous of seeing such child, to have an interview with such child at some one time in each day, in a room in the said Workhouse to be appointed for that purpose. And the Guardians shall make arrangements for permitting the members of the same family who may be in different Workhouses of the Union to have occasional interviews with each other, at such times and in such manner as may best suit the discipline of the several Workhouses. Ninthly. That casual poor wayfarers admitted by the Master or Matron shall be kept in a separate ward of the Workhouse. Art. 100. The Guardians shall not admit into the Workhouse or any ward of the same, or retain therein, a larger number or a different class of paupers than that heretofore or hereafter from time to time to be fixed by the Commissioners; and in case such number shall at any time be exceeded, the fact of such excess shall be forthwith reported to the Commissioners by the Clerk. Art. 101. No pauper of unsound mind, who may be dangerous or who may have been reported as such by the Medical Officer, or who may require habitual or frequent restraint, shall be detained in the Workhouse for any period exceeding fourteen days, and the Guardians shall cause the proper steps to be taken for the removal of every such pauper to some asylum or licensed house as soon as may be practicable. I have given the whole of the Classification Order, including what does not relate to the question, in order to show that nothing has been left out. It will be clear that, as I said in the paper referred to, fifteen is the age at which boys and girls are placed in the able-bodied wards, and that the numerous exceptions permitted practically destroy the rule. The custom varies in different places according to circumstances. There |