The Portland daily press., 1889-05-09
THE TEMPORARY HOME.
Annual Reports and Election Of
Officers.

Inc annual meeting Oh tne temporary
Home for Women and Children was held
yesterday afternoon. A number Of visitors
went out in the Bradley's Corner horse cars.
All present expressed themselves as more
than pleased at the appearance of the home
which does great credit to its founders and
supporters. The secretary, Miss FL. L. Fox,
reported as follows:
Though ''the circle of seasons" has been
seven times completed since we began the
work Of the Temporary Home for Women
and Children, we have nothing new to offer
to its untlring and ever hopeful workers. but
make our most earnest appeal to those who
know little Of US except through these year
ly statements Of facts.
The young girl sent to us by her mother for
safety from the civil surroundings oil her
home, the baby needing the care which its
sick mother cannot give, Is gladly left with
us for a small sum by its father, and the
poor young girls whom the police matron
brings to our refuge where they are helped
to resist their many temptations are all strong
witnesses Of the need of our labors.
Following the fortunes OF our inmates we
find much to encourage and reward us for
our cares and solicitudes. The deserted, the
f0rl0rn. the helpless and weak, trembling on
the verge Of Utter ruin, may now be found In
good homes earning their own self-respect
how much helping hand can do when
stretched out at the right moment.
Children have gone from us to be
adopted or received into good
homes with their mothers, where right di-
recti0n Is given to lives that otherwise might
become pests in the community. The little
waif who last year was piteously left TO per-
ish with cold or find his home in a work
house. has been taken from our nursery into
the hearts and home Of family where it
would have been blessing to have been
born.
Thanks to the skill and watchfulness of
our kind physicians the health Of our various
inmates has been good during the year. Five
times the angel Of live has brought us new
objects Of care, while the angel Of death has
not crossed our threshold. We feel this re-
port may be partially retrospective Begin
ming in few small and inconvenient room S,
we struggled on in the hope of a better
dwelling and now we have real home for
all to whom no other door opens. Temporal
ry as 1t must generally be for its inmates,
still 1t has the home element which they all
need. We believe the family relation TO be
God-implanted,. therefore elevating. and
through this belief we never separate mother
In an atmosphere OF purity and comfort, we
hope this same atmosphere will prove to
the little one an antidote to any in
herited dsprayity. In fact, we find a large
proportion OF our inmates susceptible to the
good home influences around them, ana If
after they leave us some may fall by the way
let us rejoice In being able to do so much and
save so many, with an assurance that with
all some good seed has been sown that must
bear fruit.
The generous gift of the land, added to
contributions from different parts Of the
State, enabled us to build our present house,
and we had the great satisfaction of entering
1t free Of debt. Under the care Of our de-
voted matron and her equally devoted assist
ants, Its bedrooms, nurseries, living-room
and other apartments necessary for such an
institution, are made TO serve the highest
purposes OF our work. Our resources for the
support OF the Home are from annual sub
scriptions -and the sum allowed us by the
State. which are inadequate to the amount
OF good we wish to and could accomplish.
We earnestly appeal to the mother-heart of
our whole State, as well as all interested and
busy in the cause Of humanity, TO give us the
material aid we do so much need. Strong
wills accomplish much, but money is
the central force. II 1t were In our power
we would take into our home every
reader OF this report; then they would real
ize In its comfort, purity, and quiet restful-
ness how much this home is needed and how
much has been done with the funds given
us. We urge everybody near and distant to
see for themselves the result of our work,
feeling sure they will then be convinced we
ought to be lifted above the poverty with
which we are now contending.
Our sincere thanks are rendered to the
many friends who have in various ways re-
membered us, with the hope that all who
possibly can will double their gifts the COM
ing year.