How Orphan Trains Affect Our Lives, Today

     Have you ever read about Orphan Train Children?  Who knew that little children were scattered over a nation, by way of train, to provide homes?  If you've never heard of this system of placing children with families, you really should pick up some books about it and start reading.
     Charles Loring Brace, a young minister, had moved to New York City to continue his Seminary training.  Coming from a prominent Connecticutt family, he was completely shocked at what he discovered.  Thousands of homeless children roamed the streets, orphaned, abandoned, forgotten.

     Wanting to help, Charles formed the Children's Aid Society in 1853, in an effort to unite desperate, needy children with loving parents.  Farming families to the west, he felt, would provide the love and nurture that these children so desperately needed.  Eventually, through his efforts, more than 100,000 children were placed into homes by sending them on what became known as Orphan Trains.

     There are arguments for and against the system that was used for placing so many children.  Naturally, there were those who abused such a plan, taking into their homes only those whom they felt would work hard and provide free labor.  Having read a great deal on the subject, I'm also aware that there were cases of physical and sexual abuse.  However, there can be found many stories of loving, caring families who took their responsibilities to train a child and show love as the sacred position it should be.

     Depending on the account I am reading at the moment, I have mixed feelings.  On the one hand, there were actually vagrant children as young as five years old who were thrown into prison with adult criminals because they had nowhere to go, before the Orphan Train was established.  I cannot imagine the horrors that such a child would experience.  Charles Loring Brace knew there would be abuses, I'm sure.  Overall, though, I believe that he felt Good would prevail and the world, particularly for the forgotten children, would be a better place.

     As I understand it, the Orphan Train became the forerunner to the Fostering system we have, today.  Sadly, in both worlds, there are some who abuse the system.  But I hope I am correct in believing that many children do find loving and caring adults, with whom lasting relationships are developed.  No one should be without love and anyone who has or does abuse a child is, in my opinion, lower than the dirt and deserves every bit of punishment they receive, here and in the hereafter.

     Are you or do you know someone whose life was changed by the Orphan Trains?  I would so much like to meet and visit with you.  Perhaps you know someone and don't even realize it?  I think we would all be surprised to know our neighbors a little better.  Don't you?  Until the next time, keep a hug on.

Yaya

A Dying Man's Circus

     Do you like Trivia?  I really enjoy trivia and all the different angles it takes.  Did you know that there was once a man who, while spelunking, had a boulder fall on his leg and pin him in a cave for something like three weeks?  Its true.  While some few tried to rescue him (he refused to allow his leg to be removed to save his life), many others turned the event into a circus atmosphere and sold balloons, hot dogs and souvenirs.

     I have been looking for the book that tells about this.  It would prob'ly help if I knew the exact title, but all I can remember is that it is one of the many books of trivia that I own.  I believe it is also from the Old Farmer's Almanac collection of weird facts.  I am certain that it has found a secure place to tuck away inside my personal black-hole of confusion.  Hopefully, someday I will actually find the book again and share more of the story with you.  If, in the meantime, you happen to be one of those people who has seen or owns this book, I would dearly love it if you would email me with more information.  And thank you, in advance, if you will do that.

     I would like to say that I have come across the story of a man, Floyd Collins, whose telling sounds so similar that I think it must be one and the same.  But to be really honest, I wish I could find the book I first saw the story in because, as morbid as it may sound, I was far more intrigued by the way it was told in that book.

     To be sure, it is a very sad thing that happened and my heart goes out to this man, whenever I recall the event.  It must have been horrible for his family to know that he lay dying a slow, torturous death and there was nothing they could do to help him.  There is a place in my heart that hopes to meet him in the hereafter and give him a hug, just because my heart hurts so completely for him.

     Are there things you've heard that haunt you like this story haunts me?  I am drawn to trivia like the proverbial bee to honey.  I'd love to hear of trivia you know... it really does not have to be morbid... and I'm sure I'll be sharing more of my information with you, as well.

     Until the next time, keep a hug on.

Yaya

My Favorite Room In The House

In my house, there is a room where I spend lots of time. I love to write; articles, stories, poems, thoughts. This is a place where I can put in black and white the many feelings that make up who I am. This is where I can talk about home and family; where I can discuss the thrill that country life brings me.
Do you have a place like that? Somewhere that feels like it belongs in your heart? Actually, my entire home feels that way, but my office is where I spend most of my time. In truth, the room is small and 'Hugs' me with its closeness because I have it filled with tools, supplies and toys for the things I like to do. You know, the kinds of things that bring me joy, such as crafts, technology and books. I just don't think I could do it without all of these supplies, although I'm sure Peter Walsh would beg to differ. My system for accessing my tools may not be the best, but when I want to work magic with the many tools related to crafts, I burrow and search until I have found the item that will do the job I wish to do.

That's whey I have created Yaya's Home; so I would have the 'Virtual' space to expand my interests and my capabilities. In this, my 'Virtual Office,' space is unlimited and the only thing holding me back from the perfect system of organization is lack of knowledge. Fortunately, that is something that is being remedied, even as I type. In the past month, I have begun to learn some of the steps to building a blog and I will be learning much more in the days ahead, I'm sure. You are welcome to follow as I begin to apply ever-newer steps to building a 'Virtual' office and sharing with you my 'Home On The Internet.' I'm looking forward to each new level of education. You might also enjoy watching this site to see if I do, indeed, learn how to decorate and organize in this, my 'Virtual World.' Welcome to my world.