The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-06-25
MALE oRrHAN ASYLUM.
HEsT1se .aND AppREss

II ANNUAL HEEII Nc AND ADDRESS
The annual meeting OF. The Male Orphan
II Asylum was held last evening at the BrfEfa
EStreet Methodist church. There was not {;
large attendance, mriny being kept away by
the rain, which came up just at the hour o.
Injecting. 49, ~
Aftera prayer BY the Rev. Dr. Kepler, and
Music by the orphans, DR.. w. w. Parker
tpresideni) read his annual report:
4 ANNUAL REpcRr OF THE rREslDEsT. i
The annual report, of the Society was sub
United by the, President, DE-. W. w. Parker.
It begins with recital of the rapidity with
which the time has passed since the last an
Eniversary, and states further that that there
is now larger number of boys in the asy-
Hum than any year during its existence. Last
Eyear thirty boys were received into the asy.
lum. This is the largest number received In
one year. At the last anniversary thirty
EseYen boys were reported present, now there
are fifty-two. Fifteen have been put out du.
ring the year, and several Of these have been
adopted; and as far as heard from they are
all giving satisfaction, and are themselves
well pleased with their new hemes.
i. The health of the institution has been re.
Emarkabls good, during the year, and no case
Iof denth Or very serious illness Is reported,
lttough there was quite number OF very
ttsmaH boys in the ASYLUM. Heretofore very
l,few siiia11 children have been received, be.
cause some Of thctn 3soHh, require a nurse,
and to keepa baby twelve Ur fourteen months
old would also be very expensive. LAST year
several very small children were received
lone left to the care Of the Asylum by dying
iimother. Many of the children which have
\ to be dealt with have previously been sub
ljected to the worst influences, and If this
trainiiig continues until they are eight or ten
years old it is often difficult matter to cor
rect he bad habits fotfned.
During the year one infart, only five months
old, was received at the asylum. This child
had a sad history; 1t being adopted by q lady
who only conseiittd to do so with the under
standing that the mother ehould consent not
to know who had her child. The father was
a worthless drunkard, who had deserted his
wife. and while this report was being writ.
ten was IN tho city jail. The mother of the
| child had to tsork In a factory in Manchester
for her bread. She left her baby early In the
morning, and was away tin . at night. A
few weeks after the child had been put ut
the asylum 1t grew and fattened, and, though
some mothers may not believe it. in three
months after it was given up the mother
passed it on the street and exclaimed, ooh,
what beautiful chiIdr' not thinking it was
her 0wns Another boy WIS received last
year, four years old, uiider almo:t similar
circumstances. lie Was living with his
rcputed parents iii very bad neighbor-
hood: The woman left her husband and
| two children for parts unkuown.,, The
man was ktfoEn as a Baltimore loafer
| ts, l,, ,;,t,h 20
mcnt was to lie OIL the hillside in the
sun, and both white and colorcd people
were at Il loss to know how he got bread.
| When his wife left he did not know what to
do with the .wo children. The four-year-
old boy was taken in at the asylum. The
father agreed not TO Interfere with the boy
and indeed cottsctted not to know who had
him, as in the previous ease mentioned. A
widow who had girls and flo boys consented
to adopt the boy. The boy is now the be-
| loved aud pettcd son of loving family, and
their arms without the possibility Of recog-
ritfon. Cases mfght be multiplied showing
what good the Society is doing.
/ Abityt nine months ago two boys were
I brought to tie attention of the President,
I who, without care CT edtteatfon Of any Sort,
were running the streets day ana night. On
| yisitiMe the house about noon he found the
mother in bet. I'M a state of inebriation. One
| hoy was found in the street so dirty that ii
was necessary to handle him With care: the
other was in stable bard by. Before taking
charge of this boy the President th0ughC IL
brontr to see the gentleman who was tem-
porafT!t hsnhloying him. He learned froE,
| him that this yGt!tb was boy Of character; !;
and, said the gcntlemaB; would like To-
kaeb htni; but he is ignorant dr his letters,
and oiissitt td 40 to school" He then gave
an instance of the bHs's generosity, relating
how he had given two-tiinds Of q piece OF
cake TO his brother and sisters. SOME weeks
7 ag1 IL was necessary to send to the apothe-
cary SHOP. Gti q very dark night, abouta mile
from the asylum. The clerk expressed sur
| pressed surprise at three little boys coming
| to town so dark night, and inquired IL they
| were not afraid Of ghosts. One, boy Of
| twelve, replied that they were not afraid, and
| that there was no ghost ut the asylum but
the Holy Ghost, and the boys were not afraid
| Of him.
The present plan of the asylum is to give
the boys good plain education, except
Wte,, they are adopted, and TO put them to
so,,ie ussfljl trade. Heretofore there has
been difficulty III getting boys to trades,
| hut not SO much now, and less Ia expected
| hereafter:
| A. fife tarlur organ, globe, and some chart, i,
have becn purchased during the year, ana
improyeulents are being ftiade In eductioIiaI
.5t tonfaues. The superintendent uldcfstahas
vocal fiiiI4te, sind the boys take great interest
| in the singing. J.. ...,,p,, e,y,,-
| ~ ig
| a wears experience has proved the Wisssom
! NJ Iustjur it in Haryie, where we pave
fh,ea and half acres Of land. The yield OF
Tho saFiikti fsloife; cultivated by the boys when
not In school, paid more sfratI. sight per CENT
mon the investment. This year; since u pas
bpen we'll maiIured and thoroughly broken
I'm. il will i,e much greater. The boys take
great interest in the growing crops. For
fI,erIv, with our limited means, 1t was neces'
sary 10 walt until vegetables became eneaI
in the market before we could purchase
them. Now we have them as early as otners
During The mast year the Asylum mas Deei
: supplied with entirely new beds ana Dea
steads. ,oa,a.,
,nonI contributions of our citizens WITH ai'
from the City Council. The. amount thu
realized has been less than for several yesis
Some has also been received from tn
"southern Association for the Rehei
! Widows and Orphans of the souther
, States" ..4 h.a !. - -, -,
/ AS yet, nothing has been realized from I'd
! estate of DIR. William Barrett, but we ai
shortly expecting a large contribution lro'
a that source. "It is hoped that the though
, Iful liberaIity of this friend to our sharilap
e institutions may not he without effect nPo
I others who are blessed with wealth. 4ss
Ell, The payment Of i've dollars yearly GO eonst !
: ltutes membership in the Society and foi'
e in its management. =, !,