Buffalo Children's Aid Society

The Buffalo Children's Aid Society can be traced back to 1872 when then Young Men's Association of the Grace Methodist Church provided a Thanksgiving Dinner for 180 Newsboys and Bootblacks. William Pryor Letchworth is also credited for the Society's formation. Letchworth urged the need for boys who live and work on the streets. The Buffalo Children’s Aid Society was formed from these two events and the Society's official year of formation was in 1873 and it was incorporated in 1882.

The Buffalo Children's Aid Society was concerned with defending the rights of children to the opportunity to become responsible citizens, protecting them from abuse, neglect and exploitation, and providing care for those whose family were unable to do so.

The first thing the Children's Aid Society did was purchase a house at 29 Franklin Street and opened the Newsboys and Bootblacks Home. The Society was provided with a bequest to erect a new building in 1908.

The new large, fireproof building was erected on Delaware Avenue, north of Chippewa Street. The residence had seventy-five single rooms and three dormitories and was enabled to accommodate 100 children. The new Home was heated by steam and lit by electric. Board was paid by the boys on a sliding scale fee and boys under the age of fifteen were required to attend school.

Erie County later took over the house on Franklin Street and it was converted to the County Lodging House. In 1916, The Buffalo Children's Aid Society merged with the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children of Erie County.Buffalo and Erie County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children

The Buffalo Society was incorporated in 1876 and Erie County Society was incorporated in 1877. The two merged in 1879 to serve all children of Erie County. The primary goal of these Societies was for children to grow up to be health, happy and useful citizens.

Charity Organization Society

The Charity Organization Society was established in December 1877 and incorporated in November 1879. Establishment of the C.O.S. is credited to Reverend S. Hemphreys Gurteen. Reverend Gurteen worked in London, which was experiencing the same conditions and problems as Buffalo. Upon arrival he organized the Society and it was designed to be the hub of the wheel to assist with necessary provided services to individuals and families. The C.O.S. was the first city-wide charitable organization in the United States.

The C.O.S. was played a large role in establishing new health and welfare agencies in response to community needs. The C.O.S. became known as Family Service Society. The Society directed its attention to improve family life. The members of the Society believed that an individual citizen is responsible or irresponsible according to his experience in the family unit.

The C.O.S. was located 181 Franklin Street and the branch office was at the Fitch Institute 164 East Swan Street.

COS Establishments in Buffalo:  Provident Scheme - "Provident" looking forward; looking into the future.

1880:   Fitch Crèche, the first day nursery for working women was established on Swan Street.  The Fitch Institute was also established to accommodate provident and benevolent undertakings.  Much credit to Maria M. Love.

1881:  Established and maintained a provident wood-yard for twelve years

1881 - 1882:  The Coal Savings Fund was started to enable to buy fuel in small quantities at a low price.

1882:   Investigation of the housing of the poor and more effective supervision of crowded tenements

1883:  Fitch Provident Dispensary opened.

1885:  Labor bureaus formed to provide work for the unemployed.

1886:  Fitch Accident Hospital opened.  It was discontinued in 1901 due to emergency hospital built.

1888:  Involved in the Fresh Air Mission - to provide for children need country air - the first placements were in farmhouses and village homes near Buffalo.  Founders of Cradle Beach Camp.

1890:  Nursemaid Training School opened.

1892:  Penny Savings Fund started.

1895:  The  Provident Loan Company was established to provide a substitute of using pawnbrokers. The first municipal bath house was  also introduced.

1900:  Systemized probation system for young delinquents was created leading to the establishment of  Juvenile Court.

1903:  Six municipal playgrounds were erected.

1902 - 1905: Vigorous treatment of wife and family abandonment.  Legislation was passed making it a felony and extraditable.

1904-1910:  Campaign against TB - opening of Fitch TB Dispensary, systematic medical exams in the schools were established to check for defects, enforcement of child-labor laws, and legal aid to the poor was provided.

Children's Aid Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children of Erie County

The Children's Aid Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children of Erie County was established in 1915 by a merger between the Buffalo Children's Aid Society (organized in 1872, incorporated in 1876) and the Queen City Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Children (incorporated in 1879). The agency was located at 261-275 Delaware Avenue.

The purpose of the agency was to provide a clearing house for dependent and neglected children of Erie County and the types of work the agency involved itself with investigations and supervision of families, police and court work and temporary shelter for dependent and neglected children. The CAS-PCC was separated into three distinct departments.

Departments:

The Field Department comprised of worker specializing on delinquent fathers and mothers (a male worked with the fathers; and a female worked with the mothers. A graduate nurse was employed and specialized issues surrounding medical neglect. The agency also hired a male and a female Polish worker to work with the Polish population. For families outside of the city, one agent and two general family case workers were employed.

The Boys Department had two field workers specializing in boys over sixteen and managing the Thornton Club at 33 St. John's Place. The Thornton Club was a self-supporting, self-governing club of thirty working boys who were under the supervision of a young business man,. The society had no other financial responsibility of the Club with the exception of paying for the supervisor's board. Membership in the Club was secured by the applicant and admission was by the resident boys.

The Institutional Department was operated by The Children's Shelter of the CAS-PCC at 261 Delaware Avenue was a temporary detention home for children pending a social diagnosis. The congregate care building was erected in 1906; with additions made in 1916 and 1919. Admission was open to any child under the age of twenty-one, regardless of race or gender. Most children were from Erie County, but arrangements were made for children from other counties. Referrals were from superintendents of the poor, courts, ad voluntary application of the parent/guardian. Vesting hours were on Wednesdays from 3:00 pm until 5:00 pm and Sundays from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Education services were supervised by the City Board of Education.