The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1878-05-02
Lend TO the LORD,
And Extend Help to the orphans,
Which Amounts to the Same
Thing.
A Short Description of the Home
Set Apart for the Homeless
Little Ones.
Together With an Allus;on to the
PrUenade Concert to Take
Place to Night.

q IflenOleSS little ones, Tor the dement, OF which
: the promenade concert is to be given at OBJ
/ Fellows Hail this evening, is a charity which
is deserving of the most extended liberality
on the part OF the citizens Of Leavenworth
and. indeed, OF the entire State. In one sens
Of the word 1t is charity; in another il i,
not. 1t is a guaranteed right which this in
stItution has when il seeks support, and peo
pie should not give for its maintenance Al
they would give to a wandering mendicani
or a street beggar. II is supported wholly
by the generosity OF those who See
1T to give, as the State, apart
from the donation OF $50 which
was expended in the erection of the
present structure, has given nothing. The in.
stitution was organized and Incorporated as 9
private, charitable institution for the city and
county of Leavenworth In 1856. Five acres OF
ground, upon which were temporary build
iugs, were purchased at q cost of g, $50; this
outlay, as well as the sum necessary for its
support. was met by the citizens of Leaven-
worth. The necessity for a new building be-
coming apparent, the board of trustees, both
in 1871 and 1874, made application to the State
Legislature for aid, receiving, subject, howev.
er, to
THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS,
$3.50, which has been expended i'm the cree
ton Of a large, commodious, handsome and
Substantial building.
First-A change OF name from the Leaven-
worth Protestant Asylum TO that of the Kan
sas Orphan and Home for Friendiess Chill
drsn.
Second-That its doors be open for the re-
ception OF children from all parts of the state
upon the same terms which heretofore gov.
erned il as a local institution.
HOW IT Is SUPPORTED.
The institution is supported entirely by
voluntary contributions, the larger part Of
which comes, of course, from this city. The
matron, Mrs. Jessie Hodgkinson, made q
short trip out upon the Kansas Pacific rail-
road some time ago, and met with very fat
tering success in soliciting aid for the insiitu-
ton, the ladies OF Topeka, salina and inter-
mediate points responding most generously.
The ladies of North Topeka propose 10 furnish
oae OF the rooms in the asylum 10 be used for
the purpose of an infirmary, and the ladies
of South Topeka propose doing Vie same.
Very few who have been approached have
refused TO extend what aid they could toward
the maintenance of the institution.
THE BUILDING IisELF
is three-story structure, two full stories |
and "A mansard roof, wi h a large basement, |
and contains seventeen rooms. The lower, |
or first floor is most comfortably furnished, |
and the entire building is As well finished rs
the majority OF the residences Of the city. |
The first floor contains the reception room, |
the apartment in which the trustees hold |
their meetings, the nursery, dining room, |
battery and kitchen; the second floor COM |
rises the bed rooms and bath room, while |
the third story is at present unfinished, and |
is used by the children sometimes a |
play room. The building is situated on |
Broadway, south of Pennsylvania Avenue, |
and is at the extreme southern limits of the |
city. From the cupola a magnificent view |
can be obtained Of the town and surrounding |
country.
How THINGS ARE MANAGED.
The matron of the institution, Mrs. Jessie |
Hodgkinson, is "A pleasant faced, middle aged /
English woman, kind and motherly, whose |
heart and soul is in the work, and who looks
as carefully after the condition of the little
waits under her care as thong they were her
own. she has occupied the Iosi;ion of ma
tron for something over two years. She SUI
perintends the institution and, with the ex-
ception of help obtained to do the more
heayy work, attends To the numerous and re-
spOE>lpie management alOne.
There at present nine children I'm the ssy.
lum, varying in age from eighteen months
to twelve or fourteen Years, five or six having
been provided with good homes a short time
ago. Children are coming and going all the
time, so that tn. re is rarely ever one period
when there are a large number in the institu-
tion. During the past year thirty-i little
ones have been provided with
homes. The rules governing the
adoption by parties of children are very
strict, and good care Is taken that they fall
into proper hands. One OF the provisions in
the agreement of adoption is that the person
adopting a child must send 1t to school at
least three months during every year. The
largest number in the institution at any one
time was fifteen. The little ones are sub
jected To q bath every night, but during the
day they are allowed 20 frolic and play to
their hearts content in the large and grassy
lawn i'm front of the building. The food is
substantial and wholesome, and there is no
stint in regard TO quantity. II may astonIsh
one in regard TO the matter of the expenses Of
the institution, which is run upon the strictly
economical principle, yet without even Dor.
dering on sringiness. The expenses for the
past year, including the matron's salary,
were only about s7i0 which is, in itself, one
OF the highest praises which can be put upon
it, |,