The Hungarian Freeds…..1904-1910

Albert, Ralph, and Rube (Rudolph), had been supplementing the family income with odd jobs since they were young boys, but now Fannie had to reorganize her life in order to make up the income lost with Sam’s death.  

Fannie tried to keep Sam’s tailor shop open, but the family was destitute, and Fannie could not pay the rent, so they were evicted.  Fannie found work as a seamstress at Brooks Brothers, a fine clothing store on Fifth Avenue.  She was paid by the number of pieces she produced, hand sewing the lining of men’s overcoats.

It is possible that she worked evenings, and the older boys cared for the little ones, or perhaps she had a friend or neighbor that helped out. The sister-in-law, Rose, listed in the 1900 Census may have helped Fannie cope at this time, but the children have not passed any anecdotal evidence of an aunt or other family member assisting the family.  Charles and Rose were old enough to attend school or work without her supervision, but managing to care for a newborn infant, a two year old, a five year old, and work full time must have finally brought Fannie to the breaking point.

She made the decision to send Louis and Nora to the Hebrew Orphan Asylum, on Amsterdam Avenue, in the Bronx, until she was able to provide a stable environment for all of them. Aunt Nora said that those were “the happiest years of my childhood”.  Louis did not share the enthusiasm.

In 1907, a social worker’s report mentions that Sam was living at the New York Infant Asylum, but I have no evidence yet to determine the length of his stay there.   

The 1910 Census lists Lou among the boys at the Orphanage.  No census survives for the girl’s dormitory.

The family was reunited only a few months later, as Lou was counted again as residing on East 119th St in the Bronx.  The family members living together were:  Fannie, Adolph, Rudolph, Charles, Rose, Lou, Nora and Samuel.  Max/Morris, now called Ralph, was working as a Musician out of the city, sending money home to help the family.  

During the years following Poppa Sam’s death, the family eked out a living, but Fannie’s delicious Hungarian cooking sustained them, and she ladled out her remarkable spirit, vigor, humor and optimism along with the paprikash. 

The Hebrew Orphan Asylum

During these years, the immigrant population of New York City had swollen to a high of 1.9 million souls. Tens of thousands survived in worse conditions than those from which they had fled.  Public health problems were rife, with Tuberculosis, Dysentery, Flu and Pneumonia claiming lives everyday.  

Jewish philanthropists created the Hebrew Orphan Asylum, an institutional model for the country.  The Asylum admitted orphans, half-orphans, and the children of families with both parents living, who were simply too destitute to care for them.  

The City of New York began to establish the concept of foster homes at that time, simply to accommodate the enormous numbers of children that were in desperate straits.  There were social welfare arguments for and against the foster home and the institutional approach to child care.  There was no in-between.  The concept of Aid to Dependent Children was far off in the future, so these children could not remain at home with their families.  

The population of the Hebrew Orphan Asylum at that particular time reached its highest census, 1,100 children.  It was structured on a quasi-military model, run by a group of “monitors”/guards (older children in residence) who were given full responsibility for discipline, with little oversight.  

The children slept on straw mattresses, which could be cleaned easily, as bed-wetting was common, and was severely punished.  One set of clothes, a nightshirt, and what the boys called “Canal Boats”, shoes that were not necessarily the right size.  At one point, the clothing had no pockets, because the children were not permitted to have anything of their own.   

There were benefits:  the children were fed and clothed, received an education in the institution’s classrooms, attended an in-house synagogue, there were opportunities to learn to play musical instruments and joining the famous Hebrew Orphan’s Band, there was an in-house hospital, and they engaged in sports at daily recess.  

Years later, it became known that abuses of all kinds (corporal punishment, sexual predation, verbal and emotional bullying) were perpetrated against the younger boys.  Oddly, none were ever reported on the girl’s side.