The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1890-07-27

Women's and Children's Home, an institution
which does an admirable work, will be found
At present it occupies fine brick structure, with
two wings and all the modern improvements at
tached. 1t was not always so finely housed. In
1868 necessity brought it into existence as
shelter for old aunties ''refugeeing," who
grew sick or tired out by the wayside, and for
little children who were fatherless or mother
less. 1t was then located over in Georgetown,
and sustained by voluntary contributors, but
Uncle Sam soon came to the rescue, and under
Gen. Howard's regime land was bought and
a temporary home built from material obtained
from abandoned Government barracks at the
close of the war. For twenty years two sisters,
Eliza and Jenny Heacock, members of the So
ciety of Friends have matronized and con-
Quoted the domestic affairs of this home most
satisfactorily and thousands of little children,
with many an old "auntie, have found shelter
and kindness unknown before under its roof.
Mrs. c. S. Pomeroy has been president of The
board of managers about as long, and now, after
various vicissitudes, the home receives its annual
appropriation from Congress and runs along
smoothly and satisfactorily as could be desired.
There are 120 children sheltered in it at pres
ent its full complement, and eight old wo-
men. No child is now admitted under three
years of age, and no child is put out into
others care under twelve, which insures the
rudiments of an education. The school con-
nected with it is under the management of the
District trustees Of public schools. There is also
a kindergarten attached. Babies picked up in
the streets were formerly sent to the home, but
are now, through a polite policeman, turned
over to the branch in the Minor Institution, To-
Gated in South Washington. If the old women
could also be put in a separate branch home it
would greatly benefit the children, for as it is
now the i'mammies manage to spoil the chill
hrap SiODal DettinpS.
A change is also desirable because old women
and young children require entirely differ
ent management; but to inaugurate this change
1t would be necessary for the ncorporatOrs to OBJ
tain new charter.
Five hundred and odd homes have been Sc
cured for children who have reached the age of
twelve. The children have been placed in
Northern States mostly. Some of these young
.sters, being incorrgbe, have run away from
their new friends and never been heard OF
again, but the majority have been satisfied.
Many of them have grown up into respectable
manhood and womanhood, but so far as heard
from no one has reached eminently dis
tingushed position. One of these bound-out
boys happened to be placed by mistake with
family in New y, York City well known in gam
bling circles. The boy was of religious turn
of mind, and his moral sense revolted at what
he saw, although he in other respects had
good home, as he himself said, and was kindly
treated. Still he away and returned to the
home. He has since been placed elsewhere
under different influences, where he is per-
fectly satisfied.
0How did you get away, Sam ?" asked Miss
Heacock on his return.
''Well, missus, she SEN me to get a beest'll
fo' breakfas', an jis' los my way, an nebber
went back no mo-, an here L is !"
''What do you do with the children during
vacation?" asked the reporter.
'Not much of anything out of the usual
way" said Miss Heacock, the matron. "These
children always have certain things to do.
While we have no workshops or trades, as we
~; Oh
these children can do that will fit them for the
duties they will be likely to perform in after
life. The boys scrub floors learn to wait at
table, and work in the garden with our man of
all work, and they also have to learn to patch
their clothes, sew on buttons and strings in the
Industrial School just the same as the girls.
The girls and boys both make beds in their dor
mtories and learn to take care of rooms under
and are taught cooking and housekeeping with
toys. They enjoy it very much. All these
duties come round in regular order, vacation or
not, for it is better 50. Then the children have
hours for play out of DOORS"
Looking out, about fifty children clothed in
the plainest demins, many of them barefooted,
but looking perfectly happy, were shouting and
playing games ON the green at the back of the
house. a swing holding four was contributing
its quota of enjoyment and both the boys and
girls looked and acted more like the original
specimen of colored humanity than any seen
for long time before by the reporter These
children are not as a rule anything but the
leavings of poor humanity at its worst, and are
happy in being rescued from life of ineVita-
BILE misery outside of this institution.
Miss Heacock resumed: "We make our
pleasures rewards for good conduct as much as
possible. Once week during the berry season
we let all the good boys and girls 60 berrying,
with some one along to look after them. A
picnic dinner is always carried along, and a
happier time no children ever have beside they
bring in berries enough for present use and for
canning We always have visit to the Capt.
tol, Museum, and other public places planned
to come in once during the year. Sometimes
they get other holidays besides the summer va
cation. Once in while church will invite
us to attend some festival service, like chill
dren's Sunday at Lincoln Mission. Such occa-
sions are greatly enjoyed. have never taken
them on the river, because that costs too much. -
Now, if there is any one anxious to do nice
thing for these children this is good oppor-
tunity to give them an excursion ride some day.
"The children always behave well as a rule
when we go out together. Indeed, the other
day had twenty of the boys with me on the
cable cars. On leaving them the conductor
said to me- 'Well, must say, madam, those
boys behaved remarkably we'll. | didn't ex-
pect it of them
"We often hear from the children we put out
with people, and l keep pile of their letters
They are to US interesting reading, for they show
us that this place is dear to them the only home
they have ever known. Last year one of these