A poorhouse or workhouse is a government-run facility for the support and housing of dependent or needy persons, typically run by a local government entity such as a county or municipality. A county is a Land area of Regional Government within a larger State. A municipality is an administrative entity composed of a clearly defined territory and its population and commonly denotes a City, Town, or Village, or

In Victorian times (for Britain see Poor Law and workhouse), poverty was seen as a dishonourable state caused by a lack of the moral virtue of industriousness (or industry as it was called). This article deals chiefly with the English Poor Laws covering England and Wales A workhouse, colloquially known as a spike was a place where people who were unable to support themselves could go to live and work Virtue ( Latin virtus; Greek) is moral Excellence. Personal virtues are characteristics valued as promoting individual As was depicted by Charles Dickens, a poorhouse could resemble a reformatory and house children, either with families or alone, or a penal labour regime to give the poor work at manual labour and subject them to physical punishment. Reformatory is a term that has had varied meanings within the penal system depending on the jurisdiction and the era Penal labour or penal servitude is a form of Unfree labour. The term may refer to two different notions labour as a form of punishment and labour as a form of occupation Corporal punishment is the deliberate infliction of pain intended to Punish a person or change his/her behavior For example, in Saratoga County, New York the 137 inmates of all ages and both sexes could be beaten. Saratoga County is a County located in the US state of New York.

The term is commonly applied to such a facility that houses the destitute elderly; institutions of this nature were widespread in the United States prior to the adoption of the Social Security program in the 1930s. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Social Security, in the United States currently refers to the federal Old-Age Survivors and Disability Insurance ( OASDI) program The 1930s were described as an abrupt shift to more radical and conservative lifestyles as countries were struggling to find a solution to the Great Depression. Facilities housing indigents who are not elderly are typically referred to as homeless shelters, or simply "shelters," in current usage. Homelessness is the condition and social category of people who lack housing because they cannot afford or are otherwise unable to maintain regular safe and adequate shelter

Often the poorhouse was situated on the grounds of a poor farm on which able-bodied residents were required to work; such farms were common in the United States in the 19th and early 20th centuries; it could even be part of the same economic complex as a prison farm and other penal or charitable public institutions. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A prison farm is a large Correctional facility where Hard labor convicts are put to economical use in a 'farm' (in the wide sense of a productive unit usually

Contents 1 Poor farm 2 See also 3 References 4 Further reading 5 External links

Poor farm

Poor farms were county or town-run residences where paupers (mainly elderly and disabled people) were supported at public expense. A county of the United States is a local level of government created as a subdivision of a state by the state government or by the federal or territorial government as a subdivision They were common in the United States beginning in the middle of the 19th century and declined in use after the Social Security Act took effect in 1935 with most disappearing completely by about 1950. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar Social Security, in the United States currently refers to the federal Old-Age Survivors and Disability Insurance ( OASDI) program Year 1935 ( MCMXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1950 ( MCML) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

Most were working farms that produced at least some of the produce, grain, and livestock they consumed. Residents were expected to provide labor to the extent that their health would allow, both in the fields and in providing housekeeping and care for other residents. Rules were strict and accommodations minimal.

Poor farms were the origin of the U. S. tradition of county governments (rather than cities, townships, or state or federal governments) providing social services for the needy within their borders. This tradition has continued and is in most cases codified in state law, although the financial costs of such care have been shifted in part to state and federal governments. Anne Sullivan, Helen Keller's teacher was raised in such a facility during the 19th century before leaving it at age 20 to become Helen Keller's teacher and later lifelong companion. Anne Sullivan Macy, born Johanna Mansfield Sullivan, ( April 14, 1866 &ndash October 20, 1936) was a Teacher best Helen Adams Keller (June 27 1880 – June 1 1968 was an American Author, Activist and lecturer The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar The novel The Miracle Worker and its 1957 TV play, 1959 Broadway play, and its 1962 film adaptation included harsh descriptions of the conditions therein. A novel (from Italian novella, Spanish novela, French nouvelle for "new" "news" or "short story The Miracle Worker is a cycle of 20th century dramatic works derived from Helen Keller 's Autobiography The Story of My Life The Miracle Worker is a 1962 American Biographical film directed by Arthur Penn.

See also

• Almshouse

References

• Illustrated History of Long Term Care

Further reading

• Rothman, David J. Almshouses are charitable Housing provided to enable people (typically elderly people who can no longer work to earn enough to pay , (editor). "The Almshouse Experience", in series Poverty U. S. A. : The Historical Record, 1971. ISBN 0405030924

External links

• Jack London's firsthand account of life and poorhouses in the 1902 East End of London
• Poorhouses in Scotland http://www.workhouses.org.uk/index.html?Scotland/Scotland.shtml

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