The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-10-15
Published by Request.]
A South Carolina Charity.

The House of Rest, Charleston, was
founded by three ladies of Charleston, in
1874, for all women and young children,
irrespective of creed, who cannot be re-
ceived and surrounded by good influences
elsewhere.
1t receives applicants from other
places, if there is room, and the friends
of each one thus admitted pay one hum
dred dollars year towards their support.
1t receives little girls and young chill
dren, whose mothers come to Charleston
from all parts of the State to earn their
bread in the cotton factory or otherwise
from home, and also the waif and the
children of sick parents.
1t is q hon- for the orphans and half
orphans inadmissible at the "Charleston
Orphan House," because their parents,
who in some cases were unnaturalized
foreigners, had not resided in the city a
year.
1t is literally House of Rest for the
stranger seeking employment, for the
convalescent discharged from the hospit-
al, and for the aged needing care.
And it is the only reformatory in the
South for the sinner.
At present there are twenty mine in
mates, including twenty.three children
p6or thir voaro of 1uo
Each inmate is required to do what.
ever she can.
The children receive training in house.
hold work and sewing, common school
education, and are expected to be fitted
for household positions.
The founders are devoted to the work.
One of them, who is at the head of the
house, makes it her home from choice, so
as to be able to give all her time to it.
And another one, who is the secretary
and treasurer, regularly leaves her home
to spend the greater part of each day at
the house, engaged in its work.
Would that the work would "come
home to mems business and bosoms."
To the stranger and traveller it ap.
peals so strongly to common humanity,
as to cause wonder why it is not nobly
sustained in its native State, despite of
"burjed hopes and enervated energies"
And to Southern chivalry' it appeals
through the ladies whose faith founded
and through fiery trials sustains it.
The people of South Carolina are
generous, and will surely maintain it
with their offerings. All South Carroll.
mans can help it in many acceptable
ways.
As the trimmings of the rich would
feed the poor" so the waste of the mill,
market, farm, garden and store in the
State would support this accessible char
ity. 1t has probably never occurred to
the possessors of gardens and farms how
highly donations of fruit and vegetables
would be appreciated by the members of
this large, vigorous family, who, like "the
birds, without barns or storehouse, are
fed" And when it is known will they
not often be glad to send it the apparent
ly unavoidable waste of the earth's in
crease?
The pound of provisions q month
which a number of friends each con.
tribute, the kind friends constant country
offerings of whatever is relished in her
own household, and the dollar a month
which has regularly been sent for years
by an unknown friend, prove the value
to it of systematic giving.
The mites of the poor are acceptable
to it, for, as one has said, "who bestows
himself with his aims feeds three-him-
self, his hungry neighbor, and me-"
The children, too, can assist in this
labor of love, as is shown by the pleas
antly remembered gifts Of the families
of children or of children's societies,
such as the country children's walnut
meats, or the June bugs Christmas
Offering.
The work only needs 10 be known to
be appreciated, and South Carolina
friends will then remember it in their in
creasing prosperity with offerings and
good works and by visits to it of regard
and sympathy. And their children,
through gifts to the House children will
maintain an interest in it that will insure
its perpetuity.
1t was founded in the belief that be.
cause it was work meeting pressing
wants in the daily lives of the poor, it
would be supported by the people.
During the past year sixty worthy ap-
plicants were obliged to be refused ad-
mittance, from want of room. Shall the
work be enlarged as designed and de.
manded?
Seven thousand seven hundred dollars
are needed to pay the seventy.two hun
dred dollars debt and suitably repair and
furnish the two buildings, so that one Of
them need no longer be rented, but oc.
cupied by the over. crowded inmates and
the waiting applicants, and the long
needed in6rmary be provided.
Duly impressed with the need and
value of the work, "a lady offers to be
one of twenty FIVE contributors of one
hundred dollars each to pay the mort
gage on the building now necessarily
rented, and "a gentleman living on a
clerks salary" has offered to be one of a
hundred to subscribe ten dollars q year
towards its support"
Seventeen hundred and eighty two
dollars are needed for the purchase and
introduction of the steam machinery
manufactured by B. Eastwood, of Pater-
son, N. j., into its laundry, which, at
present paying its expenses, could then,
the work being done by the inmates,
have its capacity for work increased at
reduced prices, 80 as to largely defray
the expenses of the house2 The in
mates would thus maintain themselves
by the labor of their hands, and, if un.
skilled workers, be trained until they
become successful in laundry work. Can
this sum be moro worthily bestowed than
by thus teaching young girls and women
of the unfortunate poor to earn their
bread by necessary work? And can a
more practical way be devised of helping
the destitute to help themselves?
References in Charleston concerning
the work can be made, by permission,
to Rev. w. B. Howe, DID,, Rev. G. S.