The Portland daily press., 1895-01-07
A HELPING HAND.
What Department of the W. c. t. U. of
Maine Is Doing for the Homeless Chill
dren of the State.

The Maine Woman's Christian Temper
ance Union have had in operation for
some time a department for securing
homes for homeless children. 1t is
most interesting and useful work, in
which there should be general interest
in this state. Miss Harriet A. Leavitt of
this city, who has charge of this depart
ment, gives to the PRESS the following
interesting statement in regard to the
work:
In 1891, the Woman's Christian Tenn
perance Union opened new department
of work in Maine, that of securing homes
for homeless children. The object of
this department is to extend a helping
hand to every needy child in the state,
and to secure when possible, home in
some private family for every homeless
child. Our work differs radically from
other child caring organizations in the
state, in that we have no home spelled
with a capital H, but we give our whole
strength to the carrying out of the fam
lily plan, or the finding of the cosy home
with the little for every homeless
child. We seek not to compete. but to
cooperate with existing institutions.
This department during the year end
ed Septem Der, 1894. placed 20 children
| ip permanent private homes Twelve
have been placed temporarily in free
private homes. Eighteen have been
| placed in institutions within the state
some for good reasons as permanent in
mates; others only temporarily. Sue
| caCSfi11 bOSDjt01 Treatment has hpan
cured for three children, and one child
| has been sent from remote town to the
deaf mute school in Portland. A least
| so children have been permanently ben
| Gifted, and many others temporarily as
sisted by the existence of this depart
ment.
One-third of the children placed in
permanent homes were taken from aims
| houses, for Maine still allows her de-
| pendent children to become inmates of
| such institutions. An expert on this
| subject in a recent review, writes: 1t
| is not necessary at this time 10 desert be
| all the consequences of compelling chill
| dren to live in pauper atmosphere, with
Predetermined adults as playmates and
| nurses, and for teachers, physical and
| moral WRECKS who have squandered
! their su distance in riotous living. For
| that wretched system 10 one now stands
an apologist. We all agree that it was
and is, and always must be, bad, I'M
| Cuallhedly bad.
AS far as possible, the superintendent
| of this department will gladly assist oy-
erseers of the pOOl and seleCtmen in pro-
viding suitable homes for the children
| thrown upon their towns.
"In addition TO removing children from
almshouses, we have prevented many
from entering such institutions. More
! than one letter like the following has
received a helpful answer: The baby is
a bright little fellow, and the older sis
ter dear little girl. These little chill
! dren are homeless, and when | think
how the mother lived and died for 9th
| ers, | feel that some door will open, if
only for her sake, For her children.
Please remember these little motherless
children, and do all you can to find a
| home for them.
"This work has been started by the
| Woman's Christian Temperance Union,
! but it concerns every individual in
Maine. and we need your help. Our
| want column is like that OF every other
child-caring institution. We need
| friends, money, homes. Has not some
reader of this article a home to offer
some homeless child, or something t.
contribute to this work?
Money contributed to this DEPART
ment will not 20 into the general fund
Of the Womans Christian Temperance
Union, but will be devoted exclusively
to this work"
Miss Leavitt, whose address is No. ~
Congress street, this city, invites cores
pondence from all who would wish to
know more of this work.
Miss NJ. Riley rendered reception tc
number of her friends at her home on
Munioy Hill last Thursday evening,
At Belfast fire partially destroyed the
egg cooler establishment of Charles W.