Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-12-23
w. C. T. U. COLUMN.
REPORT OF ". GU. DEPARTMENT
OF Securing Homes for Homeless Children
for Year Ending September rs. 1895.

The object of the department of seeur-
ing homes for homeless children, is, first:
To extend helping hand to every needy
| child in the State; second, TO secure when
possible home in a private family for
every homeless child. So far as I know
it is the only child saving organization in
Maine which does not maintain. or is not
seeking to found an institution uf some
sort, our aim being the development in
the State of Maine of the family plan
| of caring for dependent children, which
| means the substitution of home life for
| institutional life so far as it is possible.
We do not compete, but cooperate with
| existing institutions, and we seek to reach
the child who does not come within the
scope of any institution by providing as
| many boarding homes to be used b is train
| ing homes as our funds will admit.
| During the year ending September 25,
| 1895, private homes have been secured for
thirty children. All these homes will
become permanent if the children prove
satisfactory OF twenty six children
placed In private homes during the year
| ending September 25, 1891, one came
back and was this year placed in another
home in which he is doing we'll. OF the
children placed out in the year ending
| September, 1913, three have come back.
| One was placed in another home and is
now the pet of the family; the other two
are still in need of homes l mention
these facts to show that there will always
be small percentage of children re-
turned for replacement, aud the depart
ment should hold itself in readiness TO re-
ceive such. 1t would be superhuman
wisdom that could always select the right
child for the right place. and the elias
ITCHY of the placing out system, which
gives to the child more than one oppor
tunity of finding happy and congenial
home Is one of its advantages
Five children have been cared for tenn
porarily in private homes during the year;
one Of the five has had most careful
training for nearly year and is now
ready and waiting for a permanent home
Another will be cared for without expense
to the society until the right permanent
home shall open. Still another, boy
diseased physically and morally, was care
fully tended for months by member of
the union.
Eleven children have been boarded by
the department during the year. This
does not include the children who have
been boarded for few days while trans
fers are being made, but children who
have been cared for for months while
waiting for homes. At present the de-
partment Is boarding and clothing three
children entirely, and paying in part the
board of three others. Of the children
who have passed through the hands of
the State superintendent during the year,
twenty three have needed to be clothed,
either wholly or partially.
Five children have been sent to the In.
dustrial school. These cases were care
, fully investigated by local superintend-
ents, and 1t was deemed wiser to send
these particular children to the industrial
school than to private homes
, One child has been placed in the Port
land orphan asylum and two sent to the
temporary home of Portland. Our union
sent sick child to the Maine General
Hospital Three other children have
been helped in special ways. Fifty three
children have been directly benefited dur
ing the year by this department of work
In addition to this, the unions all over
the State have done much In the way of
? clothing ana feeding needy children in
their own peighborhood. Much good
work has been done that cannot be
recorded here; 500 letters have been re-
ctived and 1905 written by the State
G superintendent; 800 letters have teen
written by an assistant, making total I
1905 letters sent out by this department
during the year.
The Woman's Christian Temperance
, Union department of securing homes is
bound by no fixed rules, it is working
along advanced lines, and l trust that
more and more in the future it will seek
out after this other child, the one whom
all other or organizations reject. s, ,
HARRIET A LEAVITT,
State Superintendent.