American poorhouses

[deminks]

I truly believe that you cannot know where you are going unless you know where you have been. One point of disagreement I have had with the Obama administration. I think he made a deal that he would not look back, no matter what. IMHO, that was a big mistake.

So, I try to bring up a little history now and then. Just so we know where we have all been. Here is a little history of poverty in America. Something that you won't find in the new Texas school textbooks, I'll wager.

http://www.poorhousestory.com/

This is an interesting site with genealogy as one of it's primary focuses. The history provided here is very interesting, with pages for poorhouses in the different states. Some interesting information on the history page:

http://www.poorhousestory.com/history.htm

(snip)

During the second quarter of the 19th century, as the industrial revolution had its effect on the United States, the importation of the factory system from England was followed almost immediately by the full scale adoption of what seemed to be an inherent component of that system -- the Poorhouse System. These poorhouses were built with great optimism. They promised to be a much more efficient and cheaper way to provide relief to paupers. And there was a fervent popular belief that housing such people in institutions would provide the opportunity to reform them and cure them of the bad habits and character defects that were assumed to be the cause of their poverty.

(snip)

By mid-century, people were beginning to question the success of the poorhouse movement. Investigations were launched to examine the conditions in poorhouses. They had proven to be much more expensive than had been anticipated. And they had not significantly reduced the numbers of the "unworthy poor" nor eliminated the need for "outdoor relief". ( This was public assistance given to those living outside the poorhouses. It was given somewhat grudgingly to those considered to be (perhaps!) more "worthy" poor --who might only briefly and temporarily require assistance to procure food or fuel or clothing when they fell on very short-term hard times.)

(snip)

By 1875, after the regulation of poorhouses in most states became the responsibility of the State Board of Charities, laws were passed prohibiting children from residing in poorhouses and removing mentally ill patients and others with special needs to more appropriate facilities.

The poorhouse population was even more narrowly defined during the twentieth century when social welfare legislation (Workman’s Compensation, Unemployment benefits and Social Security) began to provide a rudimentary “safety net” for people who would previously have been pauperized by such circumstances. Eventually the poorhouses evolved almost exclusively into nursing homes for dependent elderly people. But poorhouses left orphanages, general hospitals and mental hospitals -- for which they had provided the prototype -- as their heritage.

(end snip)

Two more sites of interest:

http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/200207/29_gundersond_poorfarm-m/evansreport.shtml

The American Poorfarm and Its Inmates, 1925



http://www.answers.com/topic/settlement-house-movement

Settlement House Movement (a progressive response to the poorhouses)

Points I want to make with all of this. 1. Conservatives have a very narrow definition of poverty - if you have some sort of roof over your head, you are not poor. That might include living under a bridge. 2. We have been there, done that, got the tee-shirt with the poor houses and privatization of the public welfare. It is time to move on to make the social programs stronger, not weaken them.

For what it is worth.

[w8liftinglady]

1. Thank you for sharing that k and r

[BobbyBoring]

10. According to the wackos

There "Are no poor in America" I actually read this in a comment in Liberty Digest. The poor eat very well they claim. Even the ones that live in the tent cities springing up across the country??

You can't fix a problem that 1/2 the populous doesn't think exists~

[Ruby the Liberal]

2. Thanks for the links! Here is another.

I just read this yesterday.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/29/the-poorhouse-aunt-winnie_n_802338.html?view=print

[deminks]

3. Thank you for posting that. An excellent read.

:thumbsup:

[patrice]

4. K&R

[leveymg]

5. Those who don't learn from history oft repeat its mistakes.

[dixiegrrrrl]

7. great pic. Where did you find it? who painted it?

and etc...

[jwirr]

6. Thank you. These articles are all good resources. The only thing

good about any of these was that inmates gardened. Community gardens would seem to be a much better solution today.

[postulater]

8. One of my ancestors emigrated from Ireland during the Great Starvation

arrived in NYC with a new wife and baby and within weeks was enlisted in the War With Mexico. He fought there and was granted land in Wisconsin when it was all over. Had 12 kids, 4 daughters died within two weeks of each other of scarlet fever.

Ended up with hepatitis from the war, he was put in Mendota State Mental Hospital in Madison, and later shipped back to the poorhouse in Black River Falls WI where he died.

Rough life.

But after 150 years a woman who was cataloging the headstones in the cemetery noticed he was a veteran and had the military come out and perform a proper military burial ceremony.

[dembotoz]

9. poorhouse show and idea of social responsiblitiy--i see more of a warsaw ghetto model

coming out the right wing these days.

A clue will be how they continue to handle illegal immagration.

[chervilant]

11. Sad...

I find it overwhelmingly sad that humanity has such a misanthropic perspective conflated with income and the 'status' assigned to those who successfully play the capitalism game. In other words, if you are sucessful at earning money and/or amassing wealth, you are granted the opportunity to denigrate anyone who isn't as fortunate successful. I think people readily believe and repeat this meme, because it assuages their feelings of guilt, since most of us are fully aware that in order for a few to amass wealth, a great many must live in poverty.

Ours is a hedonistic, narcissistic, and fearful species. I am beginning to doubt that enough of us are aware of the need to overcome these challenges, so that our species can survive what's coming. I am beginning to doubt that our species can survive our own hubris.

(BTW, why isn't anyone talking about Obama's perspective on Uncle Miltie, and disaster capitalism?)

[Stardust]

12. Same reason they're not talking about Obama considering appointing

William Daley (a senior executive of J.P. Morgan Chase) as his next chief of staff or to some other senior post at the White House.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704835504576060501135800260.html

:eyes: