The San Francisco call., 1897-04-16
PARENTS FEW AND
BABIES MANY
The Home Finding Society
Has a Surplus on
Hand.
This Is the First Time the
Tots Have Exceeded the
Demand.
Rev. II. w. Bray ton Is Out in Search
of Homes for His Tiny
Charges.
Do YOU want a baby?


II you do the Home-finding Society Of
California can accommodate you, tor it
has a surplus of twenty little tots on hand
who are crying for homes and mammas.
This IS rather an unusual state of affairs
for the society. 1t is really the first time
since the good people who support it de-
cided to incorporate as a life-saving organ
ization that they have found it incumbent
upon them to 60 out in search of ffoster-par-
ents for their tiny charges. Here tofOre the
surplus has been just the reverse-a sur
plus of applications for opportunities to
offer homes to little ones. Babies did not
come in last enough to supply the edeman
But the hard times have had their
effect. Parents who have found them
selves unable to secure employment
have been compelled TO GO to the super
intendent of the Home-fnding Society
and beg him to take their little ones and
give them over to kind-hearted people
who would promise to raise and educate
them. There have been sad and heart
rending scenes, but they we're necessary.
Then, too, there has been an unaccount-
able increase of foundlines, and many OF
these have fallen into the hands of the
society.
1--WE have found it necessary to 60 in
search of homes for.our little ones really
for the first time since we have been pur-
suing our charitable work, :" said Rev. III.
w. Brayto yesterday. DIR. Brayton is the
State superintendent of the society. "Our
theory is that homes with respectable
families are the only place to put the un-
fortunate tots" he continued. 1--WE do
not believe in 8 attempting to raise them in
institutions The latter are practically
prisons and the babies never thrive there.
Why. do you know, the mortality rate of
nf, Hra 4 hraa ~ ~, f1,,
ling asyIums is 81 per cent. Professor
Warner gives about these figures in his
book on charities. 1t is something awful
to consider. 1t is to offset this that We
organized, and that we are now out search.
ing for homes for the babies.
I'm order to carry on our work We have
adopted the temporary home theory. The
temporary home is an absolute necessity
in our work. We hope some day to see
not only one but several of these located
in various important parts of the State.
They need not be pretentious-an ordin-
ary dwelling suffices. We believe there
are people who, If they understood what
we are doing, would willingly donate the
use OF houses and lots to the society.
These homes will be presided over by
district superintendents and will be the ir
homes as well, so that they may come into
loving, vital contact with the children
and thus better adapt them to their per-
manent homes. One such temporary
place has been planned for Berkeley,
where a lot has been donated for the pur-
pose and some material already promised.
We provide for our children in the mean
time, temporarily, In existing institutions
or by boarding in private families.
"Our surplus of ba bies at present is of
such magnitude that we are all out in the
roles Of home-searchers. Do you know of
anybody who wants a baby? II you do
II nst fQfl han 70 COL of NfE h.
Mills building"
The officers of the State bosrd of man
ayers of the society are: Hon. II. V.
Morehouse, president; Rev. L. Delos
Mansfield, first vice president; S. B. Hun
kins, second vice-president: +. ]. Ham,
bly,, recording secretary; Rev H. w.
Brayton, financial secretary; S. B. Hun
kins, treasurer; F. ]. Hambiy. legal
counselor; &. K. Lamar. DID,, Mrs. B. r.
Cochrane, Miss Mary Beans. F. r. Shat
ter.
The list of honorary ce-prssidents is
as follows:
Rt. Rev. william F. Nichols, DID,; M NJ.
Gibson, d. D.; Rev. William RAIDER; W. A. Gard
ner, D-D; Bishop John p Newman: ID.
zie, Rev. John A. Cruzan, San Francisco; J. X.
Mclean, d. D.; Cam pbell Coyie, d. D.: Charles
W. Wendte, ID; Rev; c; II. Hobart; J. Sum
derland. DID,; w. G. Palmenteer, Oakland; I;
Peter Boil, Sacramento; Hon. l.. w. Elliott,
Stock; on; r. S. Cantine, ID Judge John
Reynolds; r. F. Maclaren, D. D.; James Bean,
Jose; Professor Walter Miller, MA, Stamford
University; Hon. A. NJ. Mccoy, Red Bluff;
Judge R. F; Crawford. Santa Rosa; George E.,
Goodman, Napa; Judge c. c. Bush, Redding /;
George McCormick, D. D., Salinas; Rev. /. b.
Wood Oakland: Rev. j. r. Walker. Fresno !;
Mrs. Governor Cocord, Judge William Web
Samuel Unsworth, President J. E. Stubbs. Ne
veda.