The Portland daily press., 1876-10-20
FEMALE ORPHAN ASYLUM.
The Annual Report Of the Managers.
The following is the annual report of tn

The following is the annual report of the
managers of the Female Orphan Asylum:
To give the details of our everyday life, sum-
| ming up our monthly records and stating other
| information important and useful to us. would
doubtless fail wholly to interest others An
| annual report is almost repetition OF the pre-
| cedlng year. To the managers themselves,
however, the regular routine work is full VI IN
terest. 1t cannot be expected OF those who are
not in continual communication with our lam
| lily, that the coming in or one child and the De-
| parture of another, should seem of consequence.
10 US, all that pertains to the inmates, mas
| weight
| On the threshold of another year we lift up
| our hearts in; gratitude to the Heavenly Father
who has kept our household untouched by
death.
1t has been different with our Board of Man
| ayers From our side has been taken one as
sociated with US for years, always ready to bear
| her share in our labors, and showing special
| interest in the pleasures and comforts of the
| children. The name of Mrs. A K. Shurtleff
| will long be held by US in loving remembrance.
We have at this time thrty-nne little girls
| at the Asylum, between the ages of two and
| fifteen years. Eighteen have been received
during the year, ten placed out for adoption or
service, four have been brought back to us on
| account of disease or other cause.
Standing in the place of mothers to these
otherwise fcrlorn and frendless children, we
entreat those who take away our little girls to
| be very patient and kind to them All acuuaint-
ed with youth know that to be head-strong,
wilful, disebedient and nntruthful, is not a
strange thing. So much the more need that
watchfuluess, pity and love should abound.
Who knows that our blessed Lords loving
hands were not laid upon the heads of just such
children as these?
We believe ours compare we'll with the same
number Of children, gathered from any other
hon Il haar,
homeless, perhaps vicious, they are not now
necessarily degraded.
Five of our number came from the Alms
House, another, received three years ago, when
only fourteen months old. has just been adopt
ed
From year to year we have been glad to take
these poor children from the city, because we
believe our Asylum. with its we'll ordered house
hold, school, family prayers, attendance at
church, companiopship of other children, and
the constant oversight of matroDs and friends,
better for the building of a good character than
the best regulated Aims House.
In the state of New York it has been found
advisable (for their physical and moral good
perhaps1 to save them from future paaperism,
to remove these little ones into charitable iusti
tutons. similar to cur own, where a weekly
sum is paid for board. Is not this example
worthy of Imitation?
We are frequently asked to take infants into
our family. This we would gladly do if our
means were sufficient The extra expense of
nursing, washing, food, &c, has compelled us
to turn away all such applicants, our little Dali
sy excepted. The heartlessness and oftentmes
the wickedness of those who board these little
waits, If generally known, would shock the
most Indifferent. Death usually comes to their
rescue. Alas That life, SO precious to some,
should be considered worthless to others.
We beg those who have hitherto helped US,
to continue and even increase their subscrip-
tions. The yearly subscription is two dollars
New mHmbarS most wac0mn
To those who are SETTLING their house in Or
der" making final disposition of their prop
erty, we are bold in asking liberal requests
"Be merciful after thy power; if thou hast
thy diligence gladly to give of that little; for
SO gatherest thou thyself good reward in the
day of necessity" 'In His name" all your
charity shall be remembered, and bring its own
sweet reward.
A generous sum was given as last year from
the funds of the state (the same to Bangor, as
compensation for the care of soldiers children
Thls accession to our means was most Oppor-
tune and received with gladness. We have
at present thirteen girls (seven received dur
ing the year whose fathers were IN the army
With the exception of three quite severe cases
OF pneumonia last winter, we have been saved
from sickness 1t is right in this place to make
favorable mention of the unwearied care and
tender nursing of the assistant matron, Mrs.
Leighton. She has been with US several years.
Miss Elizabeth L. johnson has filled the place
of matron for one month only.
The managers have been greatly relieved by
two committees, who have been unspariug in
time and labor and have each served two years.
fhe committee on work. Mrs. Farmer and Miss
Steele) buys all the materials for clothing and
gives directions in regard to making up. &C.
The other Mrs. Charles E. Jose and Mrs
Thom) examines references connected with re-
celvipg and placing out children; also carries
Oh all necessary correspondence.
When so many are good to US, it is hard to
partcularze. We are very grateful for the
kindness of DR.. Perley, who has given his pro-
fessionaI services for the year, and proved him
self by his many favors the childran's friend.
We tender our thanks to the publishers of the
portland PRESS the christian Mirror
'The Wide Awake" and to the portland
Argus" for the free insertion of advertise
ments; to the friends who have given us fruit,
vegetables, (Mr. Thurlow of Deerng often and
most acceptably remembers u.s. ice cream for
the 4th of July, turkeys and chickens for
Thanksgiving and Christmas, Ice which comes
to US year after year, and large supply of
gifts fer the Christmas tree. We desire to
testify our appreciation of tue favor shown us
by tradesmen in deducting from the just
amount of their bills, and we should seem
ungrateful, indeed, if we failed to acknowledge
the attention and kindness of the High street
church, who in their picnics and other festivi-
ties have treated our children as their own,
Finally, while receiving most gratefully good
ceeds and good wishes, we add this one more
desire, that when you daily ask Our Father for
daily bread, you will bear in mind, and pray
for, the prosperity of our beloved Orphan
SARAH S. S. McCoBB.
The following is the report of the treasurer,
Mary E. Barrett, from Sept. 80, 1875 to Sept.
30, 1876: