The Portland daily press., 1888-05-10

s1772os
The bank account shows S4S5.15 balance
on deposit. The society owns also the land
and building in Deering, occupied as Home
and one eighth of the house situated at No.
rs Danforth street in Portland. The treas
urer calls attention to the fact that for the
first time in our history we began the year
in debt. 1t Is true we have small amount
OF money on deposit, from which we can bor-
row temporarily what is needed, but we are
sure it is the desire of all that the fund may
be left for greater emergencies. 1t may
cause some surprise to learn that these ex-
penses have been less in nearly every depart
ment the last year than for several years pre-
vious-S1, ,772.03 last year against S2,24S95
the year before. The bills for medical sup
plies and carriages have been $500 less than
in 1887, showing that we have had much less
serious illness. While this is very favora-
BILE showing, it will not do to depend upon
having another year with expenses more
than S40O below the average and your treas
urer would urge once more that special eff.
fort should be made to obtain more annual
subscribers to take the place of those who
have dropped from the list. With the excep-
tion OF Bangor, where we have very active
worker, the towns outside OF Portland send
less and less every year and it is to our own
citizens that we must look for our support.
There are many who have not been called
upon who no doubt would be willing to help
if they were asked Shall they not be given
the opportunity?
The following is an abstract of the Secre-
tary's report:
sECRETARY's REPORT.
1t has been said crime is the product of
defective character under given temptations
and the defective character has often an an
cestral basis" In some cases which have
come under their care the managers of the
Temporary Home for Women and Children
have found it too late to eradicate hereditary
yippc shall w hQaQucQ dicQnn0infmQntc
have come, class all unfortunates who Seek
our home and aid as beings without a spark
of true womanhood? Our report for the
year 1SS7-S varies little from the preceding
to us as they do to all who are determined to
aid those who need kindly hand or encour-
aging word. Our work is so broad and en-
braces so many different points of interest
that the satisfaction OF to-day's efforts may
be entirely at variance with the duties of
tomorrow. 1t is only by summing up the
many little items that gain can be discov-
ered-yet we can see the advance OF our
labors, in the influence we gain over our own
inmates, the increasing approval Of the pub
lie opinion of the entire State.
Our wish is to help those who are irreso-
Lutte from the weight of fearful burden
which has been brought upon them, either
by their own work, will or SORROWS cast upon
their lives by the wrong doing OF others. We
do not give charity in the common accepta-
tion of that word, but we open the door of
our Home to shelter the mother and her lit
tie family of deserted children because the
father prefers his selfish love Of passion
which so often has brutalized the tender
manhood of his heart, or to the young girl
who has often promised herself ito be good
but stronger will than hers has led her into
the path of sin; and also to the young
daughter of toll who asks shelter for few
days until she can find another place where
in she can still earn respectable living.
With thanks to all who have in any way
contributed to our needs during the past
year, we urge their continued interest in our
cause, and may we not hope they will induce
their friends to become donors also? III
each of our old subscribers would but send
us one new oneD The appeal to you sisters,
mothers and daughters to remember we ask
not aid for the vicious, the intentional sim
ners, but those whose very weakness is cry
for help.
During the year we have had one birth and
one death in the Home. We have given
shelter to thirty women and twenty-three
children. The ages of the women ranged
from thirty-two years to fifteen; those of the
chrildren from three weeks to three or four
years. The good health of the family is
largely owing to the vigilant skill of our
physician aided by the matron. The adop-
tion of three children has proved all we could
wish il we may judge from birds-eye-yiew
into their new homes.
In concluding our report we feel permitted
to ask our friends In addition to material aid
for the sympathy that encourages us to carry
on work demanding much personal labor
and thought. Each case coming before us
varies in its needs, requiring strict inyesti-
cation. conscientious action, and the exeacise
Of. that charity we ask of the public. Let us
insist in trying to make the world better.
HARRIET l.. Fox,
Secretary.