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Posted
by Alia Ahmed
March 2, 2009 at 9:44 a.m.
The Rest of the Story.....
Paul Harvey was a masterful storyteller. One of the most inspiring yet heart-wrenching stories he ever told was about a little girl named Mary Ellen McCormack. In 1873 a janitor told a church worker, Etta Wheeler, about a little girl living in an apartment building in New York City who was being severely abused by her adoptive parents.
Mary Ellen was tied to the bed, beaten and struck with scissors by the parents. Etta Wheeler went to law enforcement to try to rescue the little girl from her life of horror but there was nothing can be done. Child abuse was not against the law at the time.
A few years earlier in New York City a man named Henry Bergh founded the SPCA, the Society for Prevention of Cruelty against Animals. Mr Bergh heard of little Mary Ellen's horrible plight and agreed to represent the little girl's interest in court. Although child abuse was not against the law, abuse and cruelty to animals was. Mr. Bergh had Mary Ellen brought into court on a stretcher. She was bruised and battered, she was disheveled and Mr. Bergh implored the judge that the little girl was indeed an animal. The judge agreed that it was a crime what was happening to Mary Ellen and other children like her. Mr. Bergh went on to found the SPCC, Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children, believed to be the first child protection agency in the world.
So now you know the rest of the story........................ that because of a law protecting animals from abuse, this little girl's life and countless other lives have been saved.
and 6 others
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Comments
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Logan72 (Alia Ahmed) says…
Here's an interesting link if you'd like to read more about the history of this case and read Mary Ellen's testimony in court.
http://www.fortunecity.com/meltingpot...
cybercme (Charles Edwards) says…
How is it that human life has so little value?
Hard story to read, Alia, but thanks for sharing it none the less.
Logan72 (Alia Ahmed) says…
Charles, thanks for your comments. It is a tragic story, but it had a happy ending for Mary Ellen who was placed in a loving home, got married and had two daughters plus raised an adoptive child. Mary Ellen died at age 92 in 1956. Thanks to Etta Wheeler and Henry Bergh refusing to take no for an answer, laws were passed to protect children in cases of abuse.
schula (anonymous) says…
Alia: Thanks for posting the story. I thought it was going to end up being about how the little girl overcame her rough start in life and became a famous person.
Logan72 (Alia Ahmed) says…
schula,
Mary Ellen didn't achieve fame but it is a success story that she was able to find happiness, get married and raise her children in a loving home, free of abuse instead of repeating the cycle of violence against her own children.
liggyon (David Lignell) says…
Wonderful story, Alia. Glad it ended on a good note. I haven't heard of Henry Bergh before, but he sounds like a strong individual, and one who was willing to take a risk to help someone less fortunate. Also loved hearing Paul Harvey on the radio growing up. At times we used to imitate his voice, which was very distinctive. Still, he also had a good story in the vein of O'Henry endings. Thanks for sharing.
femail (Linda Hanney) says…
Alia, Paul Harvey was timeless. His voice was always the same. Nice tribute.
grammaddy (anonymous) says…
I remember listening to Paul Harvey every day at lunchtime when my grandfather would come in from working in his garden. He truly was a master storyteller. He will be sorely missed.
liggyon (David Lignell) says…
Hey, grammaddy....
Sorely missed...what can we learn from that? We're in the midst of economic disaster. Who is the neo-Harvey to give us solice? Just a question. Think about it awhile before you reply.
schula (anonymous) says…
Whenever Billy Mayes comes on my TV, I either turn the channel or use the mute button. That guy is way too excited about the products he is hawking.
RalphGage (Ralph Gage) says…
My first job after KU was on the Salina Journal. Paul Harvey was famous in Salina for his earlier stint at radio station KSAL.
I remember listening to his program when he picked up a story I had written for the Journal. I thought that was so cool!
TacoBob (anonymous) says…
One of the few class acts out there. Definitely will be missed.
xbusguy (chris Ogle) says…
page 4
Logan72 (Alia Ahmed) says…
Ralph,
I didn't know you had been in Salina. My hometown, Logan, is only about 150 miles northwest of Salina, which is a hop and skip in western Kansas, eh? One of my dad's favorite media guys was Harold Ensley and his fishing show, though I'm not sure where he was from.
femail (Linda Hanney) says…
Harold Ensley, "Gone Fishn' Instead of Just a wishn'" I think I love to fish because of him. Ralph, extremely cool that Paul Harvey picked up one of your stories. Wonder if you could ever come up with the audio archive.
mom_of_three (anonymous) says…
I used to listen to Paul Harvey all the time when i was growing up. He had his noonish broadcasts, which were interesting, and then "The rest of the story.." There were some books with other "The rest of the story..." stories. yeah, he used to hawk products, but who didn't. and then there was
"Good Day"
grammaddy (anonymous) says…
liggyon- not sure he can be easily replaced. Any suggestions?