The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1857-01-23
f"E THE tNnEiENLENT rEI~s |
The Charleston Orphan House.

r"E Tni: iNrErrNLENT rEL~s
The Charleston Orphan House.
Nr. 'tor:-1hcrc i. | venture TO say.
II" object in our '''ln""n city, more worthy
"t the n~t pride of It's c.lan. citizens. or
/ Of the admiration Of the visiting strauucr
than the nu!lc institution whose name
have above affixed. Daring my late some
what pr"tractcd stay in the city, met no
on" among all the objects Of uI"res; will,
: wh':'h 1t at'unds that 50 deeply inprc$>.
me. visited ii repeatedly, and, from the
lips of the benevolent gentleman who
prcSiics over its Board of Management,
(llon. II. \. DcSauS>ur".) and Il pamplc,
report OF the last anniversary proceedings,
which he kindly gave me. learned spmcwha,
of its history and workings. That history
to me is full Of interest, aml to many Of
your readers would t"ul;lcss be likewise
even though ncaGrrlv rccird.
In the Year 1890 Mr. John hubrrtson. 4
merchant Of Charleston, and Il ,ucnl,.r of
the City Council, first conrcivcd the i,Ir, of
the establishment "t an asylum for the ,lcs-
,tutc orphans Of the city, and. hv his cxcr-
tons, on the lS'h Oci"bcr Of the same wear.
All ordinance WAS passed !"r III immediate
establishment. An eligible b!lil,iu. WAS Il,
once rented, and about one hundred chill
drcn very soon collected and domicilcd.
On the 18th May, 1871, George Washinr-
ton, then Pr>rn, Of the United States,
whilst on Il Southern tour. visited the iu>l;-
tuition, cxprc>Sc,l his great satisfaction at
seeing such provision made. AMI Icvnn;lv
invoked the blessing, ii Heaven n,,pn !,
. and lis litll: Inmates Well may the ven
cradle father now Watching with such pa
, rental solic!tulc over its welfare, Justly cx-
claim, "That prayer has been graciouslv
heard and all>wercd"'
On the ath November, 1892, the corner
stone of the present magnificent building,
on Calhoun street, between King and ST.
Philips streets, WAS laid. by Hon. John
Ilng"r, then Mayor of Challcson With
the funds derived from various and liberal
! individual donations and hcpuc>t<, collcc-
tions on occasions Of charity sermons il,
the several city congregations, proceeds of
public concerts, exhibitions. &C., Masonic
! bencvnlenccs, jury fees, Legislators pay
and numerous other brnctactions, the work
| went speedily on, and OH the 18th October,
lI94, with appropriate religious services
and amid public r'iocing<, The cdtice was
pronounced coml!cicd, aud one hundred
and fifteen clllrcn p laced us Il brood be-
meath the maternal wing under its protcc-
! ting roof.
! Very extensive repairs and improvements
have since been made upon the building and
| the grounds belonging to it. The Orphan
! House, as it now is, is built in the Italian
style; 23G feet long by rs wide; five sto-
/ rics high; above the roof of the central
portion Of the building rises the hclircv,
constructed for the city alarm bell, and is
LAG feet in height From the top OF this
may he commanded a magnificent view of
the entire city and harbor. In the base
| rncnt story are dining-rOoms, 2 playrooms,
l store-room, pantry, 3 chambers, kitchen,
laundry, engine-room, and plunge-baths.
! In the second story are schoolrooms, sew
ing department, officers apartments, and
chambers for advanced boys and girls. In
the third story are, rooms for Commission
ers, assembly room, library, dormitories,
wasll-roo.ns, DC. The fourth story contains
dormitories, chambers for nurses and wash
rooms. And in the fifth are the hospitals,
convalescent rooms, apothecary's office,
quarantine apartment, lazaretto, bath looms,
prisons, DC, Ec. The whole bullJug is
warmed by steam, and the cooking, wash
ing and drying are all done by the same
agency. There are in the entire building
226 doors and 2os windows. These items
gathered at random, will probably serve to
convey some idea of the extent and capaci-
ty of the cIfce. 1t is as beautiful, or even
more SO, as it is capacious.
The object ofthe institution, as declared in
the ordinance of the City Council estab-
fishing it, is For the purpose Of support
ing and educating poor orphan children,
and of those poor distressed and disabied
parents who are unable TO support and edu-
cate them" The best teachers are employ
ed, and no child Whose capacity will admit
of it, leaves the establishment without a
frst.rate English education. l attended
the school exercises, on ono occasion, and l
have no hesitation in saying that the Or
phan House schools surpass anything of
the kind have evsr seen.
The closing exercises of the evening
were particularly beautiful and impressive.
After il.ss usual afternoon. recitations, the
diffsrehktSchoolss assembled in one large
roomy numbering. as Mr.. DeSaussure as.
sured me, two hundred aud sevehty-fve
pupils, male and female, joined in religious
services. A, beautiful by,in was sung.