The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-10-25
Report of Managers of Female Orphan


Asylum
In all charitable institutions for children it
Will be found that large per centage of in.
mates are the offspring of vicious parents. This
fact at first impresses the mind with disgust
rather than pity. Maturer reflection, however,
suggests and urges the necessity of retraint and
care.
There are few who are not glad to relieve dis
tress. To feed the hungry and clothe the max.
ed is pleasure to almost every one. But how
much larger and nobler is that charity which is
ready to break the spell.of inherited vice and
lift the unfortunate from impending degrade
tion and wickedness, into pure and wholesome
moral atmosphere.
While we are forced to believe in the trans
mission of evil tendencies and vicious habits
from parent to child, we also hold that educa-
ton and Christian training may be SO success
full that no mark of hereditary guilt shall ever
appear. Separated from the parent stem, the
wild olive grated in shall partake of the root
and fairness of the good olive tree.
The story of 1.-THE Pakes Family in the
state of New York, which philanthropist "a
moral scientist he might be called) has brought
to light. is very striking. He has most perse-
veringly traced back for more than hundred
years the history of this family. 1t confirms
the opinion generally held as to hereditary de-
fects, both mental and bodily. From one stock
| upwards of three hundred descendants lived
| and d ed in sin! From the root upward, branch
| after branch bore unsightly and poisonous fruit!
| Strange that no strong hand was thrust out to
| grasp the sinful mother and compel her TO see
| the beauty of purity and goodness! Strange
| these no
| were not caught in some net Of Christian love,
! thus breaking the awful succession! Let us do
| what we can to restrain these inherited propen-
| sites. Our own experience has not been with
| out witness to the care and watchfulness need
| ed in this direction.
| Your money does not provide food, clothing
| and shelter only. 1t would do but half its work
| in our hands did it not help to educate and
| train to provide homes of responsibility, often
| of culture and refinement.
If it were possible, we should be glad to give
a minute detail of our doings through the last
twelve months. Every line would be full of in
terest.
To keep the machinery in such condition that
there hall be the least possible friction, gives
abundant care and labor to those employed in
Its management. We trust the asylum has not
suffered from lack of effort or wisdom on our
part.
The present number in 81. During the wear
we have received 5; we have found homes for
adoption or otherwise for 49, three have been
disease in the children or change of mind in
those who have taken them. This last reason
Is by no means acceptable to US, bnt beyond our
control. Our doors will always stand open to
those who are unhappy, for sufficient reasons
in their new abOdes and desire to return,
If child born into family is an evert of
intense importance, so also is the providing of
homes to the destitute, to us their guardians most
momentous. Doubts, misgvings and fears are
mixed with our anticipatons of good How
can it be otherwise if our work is conscien-
tiously done? On the other hand, the success
and happiness we are permitted to see. repays
hundred fold.
A very pleasing incident connected with our
asylum occurred few months since. A per-
son from another state, with letters of rec
ommeDdatlon, came to us and asked from the
home which had sheltered her in her childhood,
little girl for adoption. She selected and took
to do, we should be glad to quote the letter
sent by the new parents, after little Cora
was fairly domestlcat0d in their home. 1t was
an epistle full of gratitude and satisfaction.
In the month OF December lasta light form
OF measles followed by scarletina, prevailed
through the asylum and continued into the
sprDg Great praise is due to our matrons for
their self-sacrifcing care. Miss johnson was
obliged to leave for little time on account of
illness and fatigue. Mrs. Laughton, assistant |
matron, stood in the gap and showed, through |
all the trying scenes, her usual ability. All the
trouble, very wearing and of long continuance,
we counted as nothing compared to the death |
OF little Florence Cooley. Born of consump.
tive parents, always very delicate she had not |
the strength to rally from the disease which |
had Frustrated her. She was four years of age |
and had been with us two years. Her last |
words were from little hymn she often saug |
IN her clear, sweet voice, with the others:
mForbid ye not the children,
But let them to me come" |
We are under great obligations to our physi |
Asnx nu Co.
been valuable and unremitting. |
Within the year five of our larger girls have |
attended the public schoosl The smaer,ones |
are taught every morning in the house by |
competent teacher |
On entering our 10th year we heartily thank |
our Heavenly Father for all Hssfavors to us
and ours. We bless Him that He has put it |
into the hearts of so many to be thoughtful and |
kind to our children and generous to our inst |
tuition. They ask no acknowledgment from us, |
but how can we refrain from expressing graft |
tude?
Last year we received from the state the sum |
OF $1,000 as compensation for the care of SOL |
diers children. OF these we have at this time |
ten.
We take pleasure of speaking of our indebt-
ednes to the publishers of the christian Mir
ror," "Daily PRESS "Wide Awake" and |
Eastern Argus for the free insertion of adj |
delivered during the summer; to Capt Chase Of |
the Charles Houghton, for pleasure excursion |
to the islands; to Mr.. Leach, for ride out to
Deering and back in the horse cars, with lib |
eral donation of fruit; to Mr. Charles f. Libby,
for very nice psrlor swing: to Messrs. S. S. |
Rich & Co., for receipted bill of 500. This is
not the first time we have been aided by this
firm 10 DR.. Bray, for professional services;
to Mr.. Colby, for school books, meats, vegeta-
bles and fruit; to Mr.. Thurlow of Deering, for
meats and vegetables; to Mrs. Spring, for fruit,
molasses and sugar; to the Flower Mission and
to many others, who have sent delcacles to the
sick; to tradesmen VINO have made reductions
on our bills; to all who have remembered and
helped us. we offer the wish that they too may
be remembered and helped by Him who accepts
in Chrst's name the humblest gift to His poor
SARAH S. S. MCCoBB.
Female Orphan Asylum of Portland in account Nth
vary Barrett, Treasurer from Oct. 1, 1876 to
Oct. 1, 1877, as Jo!lo,os:
DIR.