This episode explores the history of the orphanage—how it emerged, why it flourished for centuries, and ultimately why it collapsed as a model of child care. We begin by examining how societies cared for orphaned children before orphanages existed, then trace the rise of influential orphanages during the Byzantine Empire, the Renaissance, and the Industrial Revolution. Finally, we explore the social, political, and scientific forces that led to the decline of the orphanage and examine the systems that replaced it. The Schedo from the episode is “This cod last, eye em missing two, fore, ever moar it lust’ keeps gow wing bend? knot in store. The coast sez, “fun las’ thing” den dozen, den Score tea moar eye check, mi, phonne still sing same ep, more.. Ad brake know, chanse know; no term soars mi braine’s inn, a transe, eye, pray, bat tree dye, shore.” If you solve it, put it in the comment section below. Music Credits Piano & Harpsichord: Margarita Denenburg "O Gladsome Light" — Yana Lowry, Tracy Huening, Trey Lewis & Mike Huening (Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church, Raleigh, NC) Vivaldi – Winter and J.S. Bach – Cello Suite performed by Lud and Schlatts Musical Emporium, conducted by Philip Milman. Reference Materials General History of Orphanages Crenson – Building the Invisible Orphanage Hacsi – Second Home Holt – Home Away from Home Reef – Alone in the World Hulsey – The Sun Won't Come Out Tomorrow McKenzie – Rethinking Orphanages for the 21st Century Workhouses & Child Labor Crowther – The Workhouse System Humphries – Childhood and Child Labour in the British Industrial Revolution Brown – A Memoir of Robert Blincoe Berry – "Occupational Distribution of Foundling Apprentices" Renaissance Florence Gavitt – Charity and Children in Renaissance Florence Testa – An Art Lover's Guide to Florence Sinclair – Review of Charity and Children in Renaissance Florence Byzantine Child Welfare Miller – The Orphans of Byzantium Bernard – Writing and Reading Byzantine Secular Poetry Marciniak – Teaching Lucian in Middle Byzantium Marciniak – "A Pious Mouse and a Deadly Cat" Soviet Orphans Stone – Growing Up Soviet? And Now My Soul Is Hardened Silence Was Salvation American Orphanages Murray – The Charleston Orphan House Ramey – Child Care in Black and White Bogen – The Luckiest Orphans Polster – Inside Looking Out Fuchs – Abandoned Children Music & Orphanages Gjerdingen – Child Composers in the Old Conservatories (2020) Busser – De "Pelléas" aux "Indes galantes"... Chaplin – My Autobiography Historical Articles Philippides – "The Fall of Constantinople" Kendrick – "The Origins of Residential Child Care Services in Scotland" Foster Care Research Major Studies Pecora et al. – What Works in Foster Care? (2009) Casey Family Programs – Texas Foster Care Alumni Study (2013) Zeanah et al. – "Alternatives for Abandoned Children" (2017) Outcomes Gypen et al. – "Outcomes of Children Who Grew Up in Foster Care" McKenzie – "Orphanage Alumni" (1997) Dworsky et al. – "Homelessness During the Transition to Adulthood" (2013) Hook & Courtney – "Does Education Pay for Youth Formerly in Foster Care?" (2014) Okpych & Courtney – "Longitudinal Analyses of Educational Outcomes" (2019) Cusick et al. – Crime During the Transition to Adulthood (2010) Crawford et al. – "Risk of Serious Criminal Involvement…" (2018) McMahon & Fields – "Criminal Conduct Subgroups…" (2015) Organizational Reports SOS Children's Villages – 70 Years of Impact (2019) Milton Hershey School – Brown & Gold Report 2020 Hilliard – Testimony: Aging Out of Foster Care (2014) Davi – "Children Are Languishing in Foster Care…" (2026)
