Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-10-19
HOME FOR DESTITUTE CHILDREN.
Work of the Past Year as shown by the
RcpOrt of the President.

Below is an abstract of the report of Mrs.
ii. y. +. Torrcy, president of the Home for
Destitute Children, presented at the annual
meeting of the corporation of the home:
I'm the review of the condition of the
Home during the seven months which elapsed
from the beginning of our year to the time
of the fire. there is much to awaken regret
1t never was in 50 fine n condition rs it wa,
that first day of May when it was burned to
the ground. Wehad been making expensive
repairs. the basement had been thoroughly
remodeed, everything old and outworn that
could have been the cause of sickness in the
house had been removed, a new cook room.
ladies dining room. and one fer the use of
the kindergarten had been arranged. and
many things above and below added for the
comfort and convenience of the assistants
and the children. Tie last nail had been
driven just the week before. One very eff
cient committee on repairs bad for some
months given their time and personal super
vision to the work. All to he swept away
in two or three short hours
during the winter there was some sick
ness among the children. many cases Of
whooping cough and several of fever. our
new hospital rooms over the laundry were
brought into use. and il was necessary to Sc
cure the services of trained nurse for sev-
| eral weeks. All the children recovered and
| their health has been excellent during the
summer.
Our schools We're continued through the
winter months. and we were intending to
inaugurate a new Department. which we
have long felt the need of, j. e., the kinder
garten.
During the summer no school has been
kept: We have had no room for it, and it
l,.,+ I
be done this winter. This was happily solved
by sending all over the age of six years to
the Adams school. not half mile away
We very much hope that thi, step will prove
to be very great benefit to the children
We intend to have an infant school combin-
ing some features of the primary and kinder
SaltCn for our little ones this winter
After the fire we found il absolutely
| necessary to reduce our members. We call
ed upon all those having children boarding
| in the house to take them away if possible
and we made vigorous efforts 10 find homes
for such as we could send out with any as
| surance that they would do we'll In this way
we have reduced our numbers to such de
gree that it has been possible to accommo-
date those left to Us. The babies with their
nurses We're established in the spring in the
| rooms over the laundry. originally intended
for a hospital. They have been very
comfortable there all sumner, but as
we have found homes for all
whom we have with us and us we shall need
| these rooms if there should be any sickness
during the winter. we have Judged it best to
suspend the baby department until such
time as we shall be able to provide new
| quarters for it.
AT the time of the fire there were Il
children in the Home. We received during
the year up to May l. "a The whole mum
Der during the year was ID. We bad found
! homes for 30 children and have returned to
parents or guardians -. The Sunday
school was sustained during the year under
the auspices of the y. VI. &. A. teachers
| coming from the city every Sunday after
noon. There We're the usual festivities at
| Thanksgiving and Christmas and the chill
dren were kindly remembered by their
| friends heup oId elsewhere Our staff
of physicians have continued their
| gratuitouS services to us. and the uncommon
amount of sickness during the winter in
| VOWED no small amount of labor and time
| ON their part. We offer them our heart felt
| thanks. We desire to acknowledge the many
| ilndncsSes shown us. and the interest ex
| pressed in the Home in this time of our mis-
| fortune. offers of assistance. and gifts of
| HIIHN' tibOHlllS anu supplies came 10 lis
from our own city and from many towns in
the state. large sum more than $500.
was raised and given us to reimburse those
| of our assistants who by their srlf-sacritic-
ing efforts to save the children. had lost much
of their own clothing and property. We feel
very grateful for all this help and sympathy.
| We have needed ii. and we ,ha need it in the
future. Our means for rebuilding. consisting
| of the insurance money (which was PROMPT
| ~ paid us III full by the companies repre-
Nentcd and what other funds we may he
able to apply TO this purpose will not he
sufficient to pun up such buildings aS we de
sire tor the future home. We hope some of
lis friends will be willing to help lis in this
direction. The Home will he rebuilt on the
cottage or family plan We find that in
nearly all institutions recently founded, or
where new buildings have been erected. this
system has been introduced and is held to
be the best There are manifest advantages
in such IA plan. The different department.,
are separated from each other. the danger
from fire is diminished. and some of the
necessary evils of the Institutional life are
| lessencd
"Unly one building will he erected thi,
year, the plans for which are already deter
mined upon and in the hands Of the builder.
This is the boys and girls dolmitory. which
we hope will he completed and ready foruse
10y next summer. This will he Il double
building, the boys to bc accommodated at
one end and the girls at the other: but these
| two-stolY wings Will he connected bv IA one
story building containing the common
| kitchen and dining room. As we build we
desire to have everything done for use and
Notwithstanding for mere oImanlenta-
| ton, the best construction the best and sat
est arrangements for heating, lighting and
ventilation. To do this needs. as | have
said, more money than We have | need not
say that any sums, large or small, which
may he given Us to apply to building
fund will he very thankfully received and
made good use Of -
| Gates VIII NOt Close November l.
| WORLDS FAIR GROUND, CHICAGO. Oct.
l2.-The special committee recently an
pointed to consider the question of keeping
the fair open after this month has practi-
cally decided in favor OF doing so as long as