The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-06-07
Male Orphan Asylum.
THIRTY. SEVENTH ANNUAL MEETING-Iy'
E9TING kxFECIsys-yJp pCrTON OF Oppfc


EsTING hxfICIsEs-ELECrION OF OFFICERS.
The thirty seventh annual meeting Of the
Richmond Male Orphan Society was held at
the First Presbyterian church (Rey. DR..
Preston's) at 5 O'Clock Sunday afternoon.
Besides the children under the care Of this
Association (about ffiy.iour), there were
about an equal number OF girls from the
Richmond Humane Association. They were
all attentive and eager listeners 10 the va
rous exercises. There were but few citi-
Zens unconnected with the institutions pre-
sent. The fame OF the orator, apart from
the cause for which he spoke, should have
drawn a full house.
| The exercises were commenced By the
boys singing the coronation hymn,
| "Ali hail The power of Jesus name"
followed by prayer by Rev. T. L. Preston.
ID. d.
The president Dr. w. w. Parker then
read the annual report OF the Board OF
Managers, which we publish in full.
Ladies and Gentlemen OF the Richmond
Male Orpban Society,-At our last anniver-
sary there were in the asylum 52 boys; re-
ceiyed during the year, IA. OF these 3
died; put out to homes, Z; ran away, 2;
leaving to-day in the asylum 81. There
are now quite number OF applications for
| 5Oint ltaHl uigtUt IHu ulDSt ut"
serving, but our limited means forbid us 10
90 beyond the present number. III any
gentleman or lady IN the city will subscribe
ninety dollars this year, he may select from
these applicants any boy, and we will
board. clothe, and educate him for this
sum annually. In many cases this would
lie money wisely spent by persons
blessed with wealth. The fact is, TO take
ole poor but bright orphan boy and give
him fair education and proper moral train
| ing is worth to him thousands OF silver and
gold. The after.lfe OF such a boy would
probably make ample returns TO his bene-
factor There was more sickness in the
ylum last year than since 1873. Mea-
sles attacked all the unprotected, but
none died. Or the three deaths that occur
red, two were from typhoid-feyer and one
from consumption. One OF these boys was
in wretcbed health when received, and lived
but few months.
Our cigar factory is still in successful
operation, under the efficient management
OF Mr.. Gill, the superintendent. He thinks
the morals Of the boys have been greatly
improved by this industry. They are more
cheerful and contented. Several boys in
| The factory will complete their appreD-
tceship the present year, and will re-
| fleet credit on the asylum. Ii sometimes
| happens that boys who voluntarily
bind themselves when fifteen years old to
remain in The asylum till they are twenty.
provided we will learn them trade, under
good master, forget their VOWS ana obli-
| cations, and after learning enough TO make
| four or five dollars a week run away to
some ntigbbOring city, where we have no
authority over them. We had sad exam
. lx;a l.ta IA har1 10 II.
cate anything good OF a boy who thus, in
the first step OF life, violates his most sacred
| honor.
Bows are sometimes stolen from the asy-
| lum By reentIng mothers. A sad case came
| to nv know ledge since our last meeting. 4
very bad boy was sent to the asylum some
years ago by his mother. Under the disci-
| pine OF the asy lum he soon became good
and Manageable boy. The improvement in
| his conduct was radical, and he gave Us no
| trouble for about two years, when his
mother and grandmother got nervous on
account Of his prolonged absence, and fail
| ing TO get him upon application, got him
| of clandestinely and sent him 10 the
country. While attending this grandmother
few months ago she told me on her dying
bed and with tears In her eyes that she was
very sorry she ever enilced her grandson
away, and that since he got out OF the asy-
| lum he had cowhided his mother (ber daugh-
teri and boxed her own jaws while i'll in
bed Becoming terror at home, he had,
at the time of which | write, been driven
| from the city by superior authority. This
case made an impression on me from the
fact that | was present at this boys birth
and be was named after me. Several analo-
oouS cases have occurred, but none quite so
| bad as this.
Since excursions and pic.ncs have be-
come so popular, and are also so well con-
Quoted, it might, think, be well if all the
orphan asyums in the city, male and fe-
male, would unite and send the boys and
girls togetl er for a day Into the woods and
fields. IL j. hard Cor a man 10 realize how
much children OF the city enjoy such recrc-
alton. Many OF these children, too, are
nearly related TO each other.
| Iwoud be pleased il our Catholic friends,
who have paid 20 much attention 10 these
| and kindred benevolent institutions, and
who conduct them with 30 much success,
would Join us on such occasion, 9ccOmpa-
MED by all their teachers and managers. lt
| is highly Important that the utmost harmony
and concord should exist among all the
people in a community, and 1t would he
well 10 break down prejudice as early in life
as possible. "We are all in the same boat"
As one interested i'm these institutions for
thirty years past, would expect from snch
combined excursion to derive both plea
| sure and profit. Railroad and steamboat
companies would doubtless make their terms
very accommodating under the crcum-
| stances.
Some weeks ago the Board OF Mana
| gers appointed q committee to consider and
| h, oh fn m
! or more new buildings better suited than
| those now occupied. They are Of wood
| Qiable to burn), roughly built, and not
designed originally for their present uses.
We are trying by rigid economy to save a
little money so as TO put up one plain brick
building as soon as possible, others to be
added as we may be able. II has been
thought by some that there might be in our
city sympathy in this movement, and that
some generous citizen might aid US in the
undertaking. 1t is useless to say that such
aid would be highly appreciated by the
| Board.
The asylum has been lately supplied With
new bed and bedding, and the appointment
| lately OF an assistant matron has enabled Us,
we think, to improve the management. The
teachers have faithfully discharged their
duties during the past year, and seem in
teresed in their work. DIR. E. j. Mosely
has continued his professional services
graiuitously, for which we thank him on
behalf Of the Board.
By the report Of the treasurer il will be
seen that "a. .681. .65 was expended Ia sup
port OF the asylum the past year.
The girls then sang piece entitled
"Praise the Lord"
Rev. A. w. weddell then delivered the
annual address. He began by saying that
he had prepared an address for adults, but,