Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-02-02
The "Iuoms for De.u,u,e chlIdren.o

Enc "tOme TOT DeAutute Ohtiurens
Again we call the attention of our read
ers to the "Home for Destitute Children"
at Burlington. There are many appeals
made TO us from the different charitable
organizations in our large cities for the re-
lief Of The poor and suffering, which surely
should not be, as they are not, UNDECIDED,
But we think for many reasons our own
"Home' for destitute and orphan children
should have our frat, especial and unre-
hitting care ard aid. Perhaps in no bet
ter way can the present condition and need
of this institution be given than in the
words of the corresponding secretary in her
annual report, from which We take the fol-
lowing;-
although the year just closing has been,
in some respects, the most trying through
which the Home has passed, we would
gratefully acknowledge the merces with
which it has been crowned.
1--WE cannot report, as we had hoped TO
do, that the Home is free from debt and
ready 10 enter upon the larger work wait
ing TO be done. The financial condition Of
the country, the depression in business and
consequent ibso VI tAlD lOl ulNub lbl many
has seriously affected all charitable institu-
lions, and the Home has not been exempt.
While our income has been less, the de-
mand for assistance has largely increased.
Within the past four months there have
been more than twenty applications for adj
mission which we have been obliged to re-
fuse for lack orfunds. We haye now about
eighty children to feed, clothe aud Instruct.
The unavoidable expense Of such family
is not trfling, and we have felt that we
could not assume greater responsibility.
Yet the question is sometimes presented in
another aspect, and to this we ask the
thoughtful attention of our friends.
"Can wrought we-dare we,-assume
the responsibility OF refusing 10 feed the
hungry, clothc the naked, and each the ig-
norant who come 10 our very doors! Who
will save them, if we do not liom the mis-
cry and vice which dog their steps, and
threaten their lives with ruin?
"To one branch of the work, a very i'm
portani branch, as it seems to us, we would
call special attention. During the year we
have had repeated applications TO receive
infants. We have had a small number
(niue in alD under our care, but owing to
the great expense incident to the work,
comparatively little has been done in this
direction. Still it is Il work which needs
and ought to be dOuc, aud one the Home
seems called upon to do. A single instance
will serve to show how impossible it is for
the Home to ignore or refuse these con-
slant calls. Two children--ono thirteen
months and the other less than a week old
were left motherless. The father, poor
man, a day laborer had no way OF caring
for them. He had no friends TO help him,
and what could be done with the children
There seemed no place but the Home.
Should we refuse utterly to help in such
case? The many instances which have
come to our notice prove not only that there
is imperative need of some place where
helpless, homeless infants can be taken
and properly cared for, but that the Home
is expected TO lie such place. Whether ii
shall answer these expectations is for its
friends to say.
"There have keen lhirty-nine admissions
during the year. Fifteen children have
been provided with good homes, three
have died, and several have been returned
TO relatives or friends. Cheering reports
from many of the former inmates of the
Home encourage our hearts and make us
look forward hopefully into the future"
Surely no one whose heart beats ia SYM
pathy for The destitute and orphan children
of our own Stale, will turn deaf ear TO the
appeals made by this Institution. All do
nations of money or chidren's clothing
can be left with Mrs. c. i. Thompson,
manager for Windham county, or at the
store of {. f. Thompson & Co.