children receiving their food in the school; and the school hours being
from seven in the morning till seven at night, there is little
opportunity for the commission of crime.

The experience acquired in these schools, and the connection which most
of the managers had with the criminal courts of the city, led to the
opening of a fourth institution--the Child's Asylum. Acting from day to
day as judges, these gentlemen had occasionally cases brought before
them which gave them extreme pain. Children--nay, infants--were brought
up on criminal charges: the facts alleged against them were
incontestably proved; and yet, in a moral sense, they could scarcely be
held _guilty_, because, in truth, they did not know that they had done
wrong.

There were, however, great practical difficulties in the way, which
could only be got over indirectly. The magistrate could adjourn the
case, directing the child to be cared for in the mean time, and inquiry
could be made as to his family and relations, as to his character, and
the prospect of his doing better in future; and he could either be
restored to his relations, or boarded in the house of refuge, or with a
family, and placed at one or other of the industrial schools; the charge
of crime still remaining against him, to be made use of at once if he
deserted school and returned to evil courses.

The great advantage sought here was to avoid stamping the child for life
with the character of a convicted felon before he deserved it. Once thus
brand a child in this country, and it is all but impossible for him
ever, by future good conduct, to efface the mask. How careful ought the
law and those who administer it to be, not rashly to impress this
stigma on the neglected child!

The Child's Asylum was opened on the 4th of December, 1846; and as a
proof of the efficiency of the industrial schools in checking juvenile
vagrancy and delinquency, it may be noticed that nearly a week elapsed
before a child was brought to the asylum. When a child is apprehended by
the police for begging, or other misdemeanor, he is conveyed to this
institution, and his case is investigated; for which purpose the
committee meets daily. If the child be of destitute parents, he is sent
to one of the industrial schools; if the child of a worthless, but not
needy, parent, efforts are made to induce the parent to fulfil his duty,
and exercise his authority in restraining the evil habits of the child,
by sending him to