The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-12-05
Where Orphans Are Cared for
by Noble Christians.
FROM VERY SMALL BEGINNINGS.
Twenty five Little Ones Now There
Scope OF the Work to BE Widened
"A High School.

are the Martha and Mary's Orphans home
and the school which is TO be conducted
under the same management, although
separate institution. The work was in
augurated and has been carried on by Rev.
L. Iollefsen, pastor of the First Norwegian
Lutheran church at Tacoma. What he
has done and what he hopes to accomplish
he tells IN the following letter addressed
to the Observation-Disclosures:
Many OF the friends of the Martha and Mary's
Orphans homo have asked me to give al ac-
count OF the progress OF this institution. have
not yet been able to publish report OF the work.
l have also taken care to lay this difficult work
more before God in prayer and not make much
display of it before men. trust In the Lord
only for the support OF this charitable under
taking. He uses us, who are willing, only as
instruments in His almighty hands to care for
the helpless little ones and in doing all other
work OF charity and love.
The only way in which / at present can please
the friends OF the home In Seattle is through
the Posr-lNTELLIGENcER to give a short account
OF the work that is accomplished, and give few
pointers to the work before us. I hope other
papers throughout the state will give room to q
part or the whole of this report in their col
unns. II must be remembered that the Martha
aud Mary's Orphans home is intended to ad-
init children from all over the state.
Land for the orphans home was secured dur
ing the first part OF the year 1890 Eight acres
were donated, and forty acres of improved land
were bought for $4,000. 1t is situated at the
head OF Dogfsh bay, kitsap county, WASH, aud
near the postotiice of Paulsbo. Forty dollars
given by dying Sunday school teacher was the
fund had to start with. After making my in
tentions known to friends on the Coast and in
the East. was able TO make the first payment
on the land. Friends in Seattle and Tacoma
nave been especially interested. Nearly twenty
acres OF the farm are now cleared and about 500
fruit trees and threefourths of an acre of straw
berries have been planted, and a large vegetable
garden has yielded a good product this year.
The soil is rich. The stock consists OF one
horse and four cows. The home is situated
near the water front and commands beautiful
view OF the surrounding country and bay. II is
aquiet country place well suited for this work
OF charity. The distance from Seattle 10 twenty
four miles and from Tacoma thirty-iye.
Poulsbo has daily mail and two daily steamers,
The first building was commenced in Febru-
ary 1891, and was dedicated May 50. the same
year, the total cost being $500 My original
plan was to build for 5000, and make room for
fifty or sixty children, but the hard times pre-
vented this and l was glad to get room for
twenty-five children with their attendants. Tho
Orphans homo opened On May so, 1891, with
eight children, and on May 30. 1892, it had
twenty five inmates. Besides these we had to
refuse admission to large number of appli-
cants on account of not having room for them.
1t is hard to do it. Ny heart yearns to do moro
good for the little homeless ones AS soon as il
pleases the Lord to furnish me with the neces.
sary means shall improve the present building
and put up an addition large enough to accom-
modate twenty-five children more.
The children have caused us much JOY aud
encouragement in this otherwise difficult work.
They have behaved we'll and improved very
much both mentally and bodily. We have been
spared from all diseases worth mentioning. Our
rural resort has proved health resort to many
OF the feeble children from the cities. In eight
cen months since the home opened we have
cared for twenty seven children from the fol-
lowing places:
Tacoma. IS; Seattle, 9: Ballard, 1; Fir, skagit
county, 8: Clinton, Island county, 81 age, from
Ii months TO II years
Our youngest baby ia a IA months old girl
from the White Shield home at Tacoma Some
OF the ladies in charge OF that institution have
urged us 10 receive the unfortunate children of
that institution into our home Most of the
children aredepending altogether on the charity
OF the home Their relatives not able to
contribute anything to their support, except &C.
casionaily few articles OF clothing From
few we receive from s. TO s. per month for each
child. We have no fund to draw from. Our
only income is chance gifts from parties inter-
ested.
Our help in the home consists OF one suparin-
tendent or house father, one matron one nurse
and one kitchen girl. They are all pious and
conscientious workers. who are doing this ex-
traordiuary work for a small salary lay much
stress on having devout persons i'll this work. /
Use my spare moments to superintend the insti.
tuition without any remuneration for my time.
The bookkeeping is done almost gratis. What
legal advice we need is also given to US gratis;
In this way our expenses for salary are compar-
atfvely very small.
One OF our greatest drawbacks has been the
insufficient common school in the neighbor-
hood on which We SO far had to depend. The
children are generally badly neglected when
they come here, and they need able schooliug to
bring them TO the level where they ought to be
at that age. The religious training is given in
the home. The boys are instructed in practical
farming. This winter carpenter and shoe re-
pairing shop is fitted up for the boys, where
they can receive some manual training. The
girls have for the last year received regular les
sons in sewing and fancy work, and some OF
them have made very encouraging progress.
We lay much stress on the practical education,
for the reason that the home is supposed to
bring up the children till they are able to care
for themselves. The home cares for them till
the age OF Is years.
Our need for a better common school will be
met by the preparatory OF the high school
which Intend to establish in connection with
the Orphans home The two institutions are TO
be separate as 70 funds Each is to exist on its
own merits. But they viii both be under the
same supervision, and Will supplement each
other in the work TO help the neglected and
homeless children this Coast. The high
school shall enable poor parents in the country
aud small villages to give good and practical
education TO their children at very low rates
Our iruit and vegetable garden will assist us in
giving the board III low figures and our friends We
hope will enable Us 10 give FREQ school to the
most needy The Orphans home children will
have free admittsace to the school. The pupils
in the high school will be- initiated in different
trades the carpenter. painter and shoemaker
trade, and in experimental gardening and fruit
raising.
Steps towards the erection OF this institution
have been taken. Eight acres, almost cleared,
are set aside for the purpose. The excavation
for the basement is ready; some stones for the
foundation are on the place; some lumber 10
donated by the Port Gamble Mill Company and
some cash Is on hand. The cost Of the first wing
OF the proposed building Will come to about
$4,000
De7g LRtherste Aissf0Rdr, religious monthly
journal, has been published in connection with
the Orphans home work since May this year. Ii
circu!ates at present IL goo copies. Ia this
work am grestly assisted by a very dear friend
Rev r. 1angjerd, Of Portland, Or, and by my
brother, Rex. ;. K. TOllefsen, OF Port Townsend,
The object OF the paper is % encourage Christ
ians u lay more stress on charity and home mis-
sion.
The Orphans home and the proposed high
school and the paper are personal undertakings
under tho auspices OF the United Norwegian
Lutheran church OF America Until now the