Poorhouse

Recently a friend complained to me about some unexpectedly high expenses that were threatening to send her “to the poorhouse.”

Today the term “poorhouse” has an almost nostalgic ring. It speaks of a kinder, gentler age when an effort was made to provide poor people with at least some form of housing.

What sort of places were poorhouses, actually? How were they operated? What needs did they serve? Why were they abandoned? Should we try to bring them back?

ROD BRITTEN

Pasadena