The far more difficult problem of " what to do with the abandoned child,"' and " how to do it " had now to be directly solved.

Most of the children received, particularly during the first few years, were the victims of indolent or vicious habits. Experience taught that, to succeed in this work of reformation, constant occupation, pleasantly diversified, was essential, and space for play-grounds, out-door labor, and places wherein trades could be learned was required.

In the earliest reports of the Protectory we find, --

"Id the course office months, in the shoe department, where 'ii boys are employed, there has been expended the sum of J1737.12, including . machinery, material and instruction, with the result of 82107.2G products, which nets us a profit of 8460.14 and the machinery. In the tailoring department the training of the boys requires more time, and hence a less expeditious profit."

While the New York Catholic Protectory thus pursued its mission, each day's experience more fully proved the necessity of moving out of the city. Apart from the fact that it was impossible to secure sufficient accommodation in the heart of a great metropolis, the managers became daily more convinced that

the influence of the surroundings in a vast city like New York was against their work. The problem which then propounded itself was to secure " proper location elsewhere." In the minutes of one of the regular meetings held at this time the president said, --

"In view of the circumstances, and in firm conviction of the prosperity, if not the very existence, of our institution, depends upon the immediate erection of a building somewhere, eveiy exertion possible has been made by the E.\ecutive Committee to discover a suitable place for this pui-pose. We have visited all the islands in East River and fmmd in them all some fatal objections.