694

LAWS OF MARYLAND.

Chapter 426.

AN ACT to repeal section one of chapter sixty-
four of the acts of eighteen hundred and eighty,
entitled "An act to authorize the Nursery and
Child's Hospital, of Baltimore city, to bind out
and control the destitute children under its
care," and to re-enact the same with amend-
ments.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General As-
sembly of Maryland, That the Nursery and Child's
Hospital, of Baltimore city, a corporation duly

Repealed and
re-enacted.

incorporated under the laws of this state, be and
it is hereby authorized and empowered to receive
into its care, custody and control all such found-
lings, orphans and other destitute children un-
der the age of four years as shall be committed
by instruments of writing, under the hand of
the party so committing to its keeping, by the
father, mother, guardian or others having the
right of disposition, or by any orphans' court
or justice of the peace of this state, if of the
class of children whom such court or justice
could lawfully bind out as apprentices, which
commitment to the said Nursery and Child's
Hospital, of Baltimore city, such orphans' court
and justice of the peace are empowered to
make; and the said Nursery and Child's Hos-
pital, of Baltimore city, is further authorized
to retain under its care, charge and restraint,
each of such foundlings and infant children so
committed to its keeping until he or she shall
have attained the full age of fourteen years,
or for any shorter period, and at or before said
age to bind out any and every one of the said
foundlings and infants for a term of time not
exceeding the age of twenty-one years if the
child be a male, or eighteen years if the child be
a female, as an apprentice to learn any trade or
business suitable to the sex of such child or
to learn to be useful in housewifery, or to
place them out for adoption, or as inmates
with any families or persons, or transfer them
to the custody, charge, care and training of
any corporate or other home asylum or other