, 1861-07-25

During the late election canvass, our attention
was called to the annual report Of the Managers
of the Oregon and Washington Orphan Asy
lnn; but such was the demand upon our col
umns at the time, that we could spare neither
the time nor the space for an adequate notice Of
this excellent and mcrtorious institution. Now
/ that the election has taken place, We can again
find time to devote to other matters Of public
interest, foremost among which stand works
Of charity like that at present under coIsidera-
ton.
The report is dated Vancouver, W. T.. May
Goth, 1861. ot the origin aud design Of the
Asylum, the Managers say:
| In 1855 the Sisters Of Charity arrived in this
! place, and IN accordance with the benevolent
character Of their vocation. proceeded at once TO
the discharge OF such duties Of charity as pre-
sented themselves Among their first objects Of
charity were orphan children, thrown homeless
upon the world and asking for bread shelter and
education. II is needless to say that the Sisters
cheeTfully undertook the care Of such orphan
children, supporting them as best they might,
giving their exertion to such means Of obtaining
! the necessary resources as were before them.
These. however, were extremely crcumScribed.
There were no provisions made for their school
and residence on their arrival They had no
money, and everything was to be done. Small
and temporary additions TO the original mission
buildings were the first improvements made, and
for these, debts were incurred. The primary
objects Of the Sisters Of Charity are to relieve
the wants Of the poor, To succor the distressed,
to provide for the orphans to attend to the sick,
etc. The vocation Of teaching is secondary en-.
tircly, hut i indispensable to them here. as 1t
not only enables them TO support themselves.
| but gives them, only, however, after svlEdenial,
labor and care. something to bestOw upon the
orphans and other objects Of charity While
| the remainder Of the community are ahOring for
themselves, the entire fruits Of the industry Oi
the Sisters, whether gained by labor in the school.
room, or by sewing or housework. are devoted
to others. Bountful as has been the public, the
contributions to the orphans from public sour.
ces have never cquallcd the amounts derived
from the earnings and labors Of the SiSt n.
10 Among the early and constant friends
Of the orphans have always been numbered the
military. Their contributions have formed the
main support Of the institution from the com
mencement. Notwithstanding all this. the in.
| come from oil sources was insufficient. The
increasing number Of orphans, and the additional
necessity thus fel: for augmented means, caused
the friends Of the Orphan Asylum to organize
themselves on the 9th of March, 1860, into an
association "to' provide means Of support and
education for 'he orphans Of Oregon and Wash.
ingtOn errit,, y, at the Orphan Asylum Of the
Sisters Of Charity, at Vancouver, W. T., and to
promote the general interests Of that insttu
tion."
The design was TO establish branches every.
where throughout the Territory and adjoining
State, and to make thorough annual canvass
Of the public charity throughout the country.
II forms no part Of their plan to assume any pc.
Ion mi AcT-
is in the hands Of the Sisters Of Charity for the
benefit Of orphans, and to them belongs the con-
troll Of the establishment il is
believed that the public is prepared fully to dis.
charge the duty Of the support Of these little
ones, who from their destitute situation, demaI d,
both as right and a charity, food, shelter aud
education at the hands Of the community.
There is no evadng this duty. In
the Orphan Asylum at Vancouver, which we
have taken under our patronage, there is no in.
quiry made as tn the creed of the parents Of the
child. II the child DC an orphan and unprovided
for, Il is received as proper object Of charity.
In addition TO the supply of every physical want
J tnnstercd by the most tender hands, the means
Of elementary education are furnished the chill.
dren, and the female children are taught sewing
and household work according to their capability.
II is needless to say that their moral education
is carefully attended to, and that both by pre-
cept and example they are taught the practice
Of virtue.
The operations Of the Association for the year
are thus stated:
The Sisters had purchased before the orgaDi.
zation Of this Association u house and lois on
Che bill This building, at an expense uf 1000,
the Sisters have converted into an Asylum Tor
the male orphans On the lower floor are the
sciIoOlrOom, parlor, retectory, Kitchens etc. The
aafnf A Aoor and attic ara uratl v.utilak.1 and
capacious dormitories. The building Is healthly
and pleasantly stu ted, and is surrounded with
ample grounds for the use Of the children. Sis
ters residing here devote themselves exclusively
TO the charge Of the boys.
Since the Sisters have had charge Of the or.
phans, but one death has occurred among them,
that Of an interesting child named Mary Saun-
ders, who died on the 4th Of July, 1860.
There are now at the asylum twenty orphan
and seni-orphan girls, Of whom eight have been
received since the organization Of the ASsocin-
. ton. There are also tive orphan girls there fer
whose support their friends are responsible.
At the boys asylum there are sixteen orphan
and seini-Orphan boys, besides live whose sup
/. port is furnished from private sources.
There are, including as members Of the As
socation oil who have paid an amount equal to
the fee Of membership, 265 members. There
arc also Al subscribers who have paid nothing.
Many persons have paid smaller sums, which
have been considered as donations.
There are four life members, who have con.
stituted themselves such by the payment of $50
J each. They are Gen. W. s. Harney, Rt. Rev.
Bishop Blanchpt, Rev. Mr.. Ross, and Rev. Mr..
J. b. A. BrouiIlet.
The Board Of Managers have entered into an
extensive correspondence, through the Secretary
and TIE surer, inviting aid all through the Stale
, Of Oregon and Territory Of Washington. in the
I r i "A.