Christmas Festival At Washtenaw County Poor House

Tlie usual (Jhristmas visit was made to our Poor House on the afternooD ut' the duy. After brief retigious oxeroises, the articles prepared lv the ladias al 8t. Luke's Cliurch, YpsiInnii, wpi'e rlistnbuted irum :v lighted trrf. and packages of rarious eatables, furnished froni 8t. Andrew's Chutoh, Ann Arbor, were deliberad. The supply of presenta and provisión w:is ampie tor (lic 160 iumatea. The muiine treta furnishefl in their department; witli tliis exoeption anü about 10 invalida, nll were assembied. A l&rge number of visitora were presonl bom Ann Arborand Ypsilanti. It i a pleasure to meet etrangero at the ( ounty IIhumi, to heat tbeir eommeudations of the oleaiilinesa and order prevailing under the management of Btr. and Mre. Van Hijx-r. All who desire that our poor sliould lie proper!; provided tor, must ateo expresa their gratitude to the Mr. lletherington and Miss Walker in charge of the naane, and to the Hospital Steward. 'Diese faithful guardiaus are doing the beat andera system universal ly acknowledged by thoee spwinJly informed as f uil of diflioulties iiml disoouragementt. Look at the Poor House ayatem under its best aspect - 151) paupers- say HO insaue well ciad, fed and protectod, but uo treatment for cure and no employment - idiots, an annoyance to all about them, and nothing to elévate thera as even an idiot raay be iraproved- tlie siok, with no suitable hospital - the aged, so mingled with others as to torbid the quiet and comfort they need - tlie idle and vicious, and no employment to stiniulate them, aud induce them to relieve the couuty ot their charge. An article by H. W. Lord, Esij., of Pontiac, in a late Detroit paper shows a more excellent way. It will appeiir in the forthconiing report of the State commissioners for penal and pauper institutions. Classirication is the watoh word of reform, and this means enlarging tlie system that now gives us the Deaf and Dumb, the Blind, the Insane Asylums, and the school at Coldwater. We want a State Idiot School, Hospital, Oíd Persons' Kefuge, ampie Insane Asylum accommodations, and Work Houses. Where is the interest that at oue time seemed to gather round a Hospital in this city ? Whence should come the special interest in that enterprise ? Said a venerable physician, once a Regent, to the writer, " Sir, I am so convinced of the importauce of a Hospital to that Medical School, and so persuaded that it will sooner or later suffer for want of it, that il' the Professors will get up a meeting, although I now rarely go from home, I will atteud, and urge the project, and, if necessary, I will go with some of my medical friends and cali on your .citizeriB." Aud the other day at the Hospital I was told, ' We have had as many as thirty-five in this house at a time."