The Dependent Child 189 



Professor Devine reaches the following con- 

 clusion, — "It is the large institution under pri- 

 vate or religious auspices, managed by a self- 

 perpetuating or appointed board, but sup- 

 ported by state or municipal appropria- 

 tions, which is most diflScult to keep human 

 and educational. To keep within reasonable 

 bounds as to size, or within reasonable bounds 

 as to its subtle influence on state and municipal 

 affairs. The subsidy or contract system con- 

 tinually grows by wtiat it feeds on. It repre- 

 sents an unsound principle of divorcing control 

 from support. One body directs the affairs of 

 the institution; another pays the bills. The 

 result is a division of responsibility and the 

 neglect of the child. ^' 



There are times when it is difficult to avoid 

 placing children in institutions, but in such cases 

 the stay should be as short as possible, and, as 

 the cottage plan does away with some of the 

 evils, it should be the one of choice. The 

 old congregate system, where children are 

 housed in large dormitories, should be aban- 

 doned. The inmates too often lose all individ- 



