Orphanages as we know them today appeared to have emerged in Europe during the 16th century, although records are only limited. Much more information is available from the 17th century. Our images of orphanages, however, were fixed by the Dicksoinian Englisg images of the 19th century. Information from the 20th century is much more varied. Children at many prphanages were well cared for and fed. An American reader rembers a strict routine, but being well fed and clothed. She and the otherorphans went to the local school. Accounts from some orphanages, however, detail abuses of varying degree. Many developed countries in the late 20th century closed down orphanages and persued alternative ways of caring for abandoned or nedy children without institutionalizing them. Many third-world countries, however, do stil maintain orphanages for needy children. Clothing and uniform policies at these institutions have varied widely. We are collecting information on orphanages in different countries.

Figure 2.--This Australian boy wears some of the army surplus uniforms worn at some Austrlian orphanages.

Australia

Most Australian states no longer have orphanages. Children in need of care are fostered with families that have been carefully selected as nurturing foster-parents. Older homeless children (teenagers) are encouraged to develop self-reliance and independent living skills, rather than be placed into care. It has been found that they do better as adults than children who have been institutionalised. Because of litigation, and accusations of child abuse, churches and charitable groups are no longer willing to run children's homes as they once did. During the 1960s however, children were often looked after in orphanages. Their clothing was usually second - hand donations from church groups. For instance, Salvation Army orphans often wore army surplus clothes. They looked quite neat, as they were well washed and ironed.

Belgium

Much of World War I on the western front was fought in Belgium. There was terible devestatin and thousands of orphabed children. Photographs of Belgian orphanages during World War I show the boys mostly wearing smocks.

Canada

HBC has little information on Candian orphanages. We do note one Catholic orphange in Montreal where the boys wwee dressed in white smocks. This is interesting because unlike France, French Candian boys do not seem to have commonly worn smocks. I'm not sure how boys were dressed in English Canadian orphanages.

England

The literature on English orphanages and work houses is legion. Of course most of our concept of nglish orphanges comes to us from the bleak descrioptions Charles Dickens provides in Oliver Twist. As bad as conditions were in 19th century English institutions, it should be remembered that these were some of the first attempts to deal with the problems of poverty. The Victorians viewd these efforts as Christian charity. Other strongly held Victorian values resulted in the creation of institutions that were in fact as bleak as Dickens described. Many Victorians saw poverty as a lack of effort and a result of a flawed character. Others felt that it was more charitable not to intervene and that Government action would simply foster a debter class that would create even more indigents. Boys in English orphanges usually wore short pants and kneesocks. Corduroy was a popular choice.

France

It is unclear to me how clothes worn by orphans reflected clothes worn by other children. It is likely that French orphans probably was similar to that of families with moderate means. In France this meant that uniforms were common. Many orphanages appeared to have used smocks, in some cases similar to those worn by French school boys. Smocks seemed to have been used by many schools as they were a useful garment to protect clothes and reduce laundry.

Germany

In connection with World War I, one often thinks of Belgian and French orphanages. The last years of the Wae and the years immediately following World War I were terribly difficult in Germany. Large numbers of German civilains died of starvation. (This was one factor in undermining civivilan morale in World War I and a reason that the NAZIs attempted to avoid rationing in the early years of World War II, efforts which led to the plundering of occupied countries.) Unlike World War I efforts to feed Belgium, because of the War there was little interest in humanitarian assistance to Germany, even after the War. Many fathers were killed in the War and mothers had trouble feeding their children. Unemployment was rife and fathers that did return could not find jobs. Thus large numbers of children were put in orphanages at least temprarilty because their parents could not feed them. One boy who spent 1916-18 in an orphanage with his brother recalls the meger food. His family was not allowed to supplement the food or even give a few coins. Such donations had to be turned over to the orphange. He did not mention the clothing at the orphanage. We note a German orphanage, probably during the NAZI era.

Greece

The first governor of Greece, Ioannis Kapodistrias, founded the first orphanage in Greece for the children that were orphaned during the independence war. The orphanage was founded in 1828 in Poros island and it was soon transfered to Aegina island. It hosted 600 children. Orphanages came to play an even more important role on the 20th century, especially following World War I and II.

Italy

We have no detailed information about orphanages in Italy. We suspect that most orphanages in Italy were founded and supported by the Catholic Church. We are not sure to what extent the state was involved. One might think that the Fascist Government in the 1920s-40s might have given some attention to orphans. There must have been a serious problems with orohaned and disxplaced children in Italy after World War II. We have no details on the situation at this time. Hopefully our Italian readers will provide us some information about orphanages in Italy. We do know that an Irish priest, John Patrick Carroll-Abbing (1912-2001), founded Boys' Towns of Italy inspired by Edward Joseph Flanagan (1886-1948) in the United States. Father Carroll-Abbing founded the first Italian Boys' Town at Civitavecchia (near Rome) in 1945. It was followed by eight additional Boys' Towns during 1946-1955.

(The) Netherlands

Recoirds of Dutch orphanages date to the 16th century. We know this because the Dutch Nationaal Archief holds a variety of sources which are of interest in genealogical research. They hold archives of Dutch orphanages dating from the 16th to the 19th centuries,

New Zealand

HBC does not yet have information on New Zealand orphanages. A HBC reader has, however, provided us information on his experiences at a church run home for children of broken homes.

Poland

HBC has no information on actual Polish orphanages, but some information is available on a Soviet orphanage for Polish children. The Polish Home in Zagorsk (which had since reverted to its traditional name, Sergeyev Posad) was like an oasis in a desert and I have extremely happy memories from that period of my childhood, even though the quantities of food, including American food, as opposed to quality, were insufficient. For example, when on picnics we were instructed to hide our Whitbread sandwiches from Soviet children.

Russia

While orphanages have disappeared in most of Western Europe and America, large numbers of children in Russia are being cared for in orphanges. Most are spartan uninviting places with poorly paid and trained staff. For the children with disabilities, conditions are even worse and the institutions do not provide even the barest minimal standards of care.

United States

HBC know little about orphanges in America. Orphans in the 18th century seem most likely to be talen care of the local community, especially other family members. Early apprenticeship in families, with or without formal indenture contracts, was the traditional means of dealing with poor orphaned children. Orphanages seem to have become the primarily way of caring for indigent children from the mid-19th century to the mid-20th century. Religious groups olayed a major role in American orphanages through a mixture of Christain charity and a fear that children would be converted at orophanages run bybother religious groups.