REPORT OF THE VISITING AGENT. life, and should be placed where they can enjoy large freedom without the danger of falling into bad company. I have yet to find a single instance where a boy placed out in a city, or large village, has remained with his master during the term of his indenture; but have found many cases where the full term has been faithfully served in the country. With girls the result is different; but for them the farm on the hill-side or in the valley, where they are made equals in the family, is better than being brought up in cities and villages, where they are usually made servants. EXPENSES AND COLLECTIONS. The expenses of the Visiting Agency, from October 1, 1867, to October 1, 1868, are as follows: When making my report last year, I had in my care, $1,200 00 465 02 27 00 14 25 $1,706 27 $1,369 70 2,373 64 $3,743 34 From this amount, there has been paid to children, fifteen hundred and eighteen dollars seven cents, ($1,518.07,) and into the State treasury, four hundred and eighty-seven dollars thirty-six cents, ($187.36,) leaving seventeen hundred and thirty-seven dollars ninety-one cents, ($1,737.91,) which is in savings banks, with more than a year's interest to be added to some of the accounts. The amount paid into the State treasury was bounty money, recovered of masters whose boys had enlisted and died leaving no heirs. The total amount of collections made on account of the children, in the two years' existence of the Agency, is fifty-nine hundred and fifty-one dollars and eighty-seven cents, ($5,951.87,) which is nearly three thousand dollars ($3,000) more than the whole expense of this department. In reporting the amount collected last year, one hundred dollars ($100) which was paid to the State through the General Agent of your Board, was omitted, but is included in the statement above. The expense of the Visiting Agency of a single institution at New York, is over four thousand dollars ($4,000) yearly; and from that institution no more children annually go into families than from the State Primary School and Almshouse at Monson. I am indebted to the Boston and Albany, the Connecticut River, New Haven and Northampton, Vermont and Massachusetts, Worcester and Nashua, and New London Northern Railroad Corporations for free passes over their roads. I am also indebted for many kindnesses, in the way of conveyance and accommodation, to families I have visited. CONCLUSION. The whole number of visits made to children during the year is six hundred and twenty-four, (624;) number of visits made to families while in search of homes for children, five hundred and forty, (540;) number of places found for children, eightythree, (83;) number of children transferred from one family to another, twenty-six, (26;) number of letters written, nine hundred, (900;) number received, nine hundred and five, (905;) number of miles travelled, twelve thousand five hundred and fifty-seven, (12,557.) In the monthly reports made to your Board, the real work of the Agency has been more particularly given. Your Agent has in his possession the written history of nearly seven hundred of these children, and the whereabouts of many others is also known to him. By personal acquaintance, visitation and correspondence, he is kept constantly informed of their condition. The practice of presenting a little story-book or Testament to each of the children visited has been continued the past year, at an expense to your Agent of about eighty dollars, ($80.) REPORT OF THE VISITING AGENT. Whatever of good the Agency may have accomplished, whatever wrongs it may have corrected, whatever of cheer and comfort it may have carried to the orphan and friendless, to your Board belongs the credit. Your Agent has given nearly his whole time and his entire heart and thought to the interests of these wards of the State. It has been his privilege to bring together brothers and sisters long separated, and, in some instances, forgotten by each other; to restore to parents their long-lost children; to be as a father to the fatherless and a friend to the friendless; to rejoice with them in their joy, to sympathize with them in their sorrows; to be their counsellor and help in misfortune; to visit them when sick or in prison, and to follow some of them to the portals of the tomb. The more he has done for them, the more there has seemed for him to do. Every mail brings the request of some child or master; every day brings new responsibilities, new anxiety, and this anxiety is always urgent, "It says, Go, pilgrim, on thy march; be more Friend to the friendless than thou wast before." I am under many obligations to your Secretary, Mr. Sanborn, for advice and assistance; and for your kindness and confidence, gentlemen, I am sincerely grateful. G. M. FISK, Visiting Agent. PALMER, October 1, 1868. |