The San Francisco call., 1897-06-17
TO AIO THE CHILDREN,
Twenty Third Annual Meeting
of the Boys and Girls
Society.
F.ourishing Condition Of the Institu-
tion-E ection of a Board of
Trustees.

For the twenty-third time the support
ers of the Boys and Girls Aid Society
met in annual meeting on Tuesday after
noon at the home of the society, corner of
Baker and Grove streets. In the absence
of Senator Perkins, president, 6. c. Bige-
low, vice. president took the chair.
Reports were submitted by the superin-
tendent, treasurer, visiting agent and
physician, showing a year of unusual
activity. The daily average numb of
children in the two homes OF the society
has been 135. and at the present time there
are 80 boys and Is girls. The superin-
tendent reported that there is q percepti.
bic increase in the demand for children to
go to the country, and more children are
being satisfactorily placed in good homes.
The discipline has been good, and of the
517 children committed by the courts not
one has proved so incorrigible as TO pe re-
turned for final sentence. The children
are freely trusted. On Sundays and holi-
days those who have homes in the City
are allowed 10 60 to them, and out OF an
aggregate OF 1899 such visits only % failed
10 return at the appointed time, and all OF
theSs were eventually returned to the
home. With the total lack of the ordi-
nary restraints il is surprising that but
three boys have been lost through run
ming away.
The tailor-shop, the shoeshop, the
laundry and the carpenIer-shop have all
been kept busy, while three schools have
been we'll sustained. Thirty of the boys
and girls have been sent 10 the public
schools in the vicinity, where they have
conducted themselves well, in some in
stances standing at the head OF their
classes
The society maintains its own bakery,
and one man. with the assistance of the
boys. has turned out 81, ,499 loaves of
white and graham bread. The food is
good, and with the exception of an cpl
demic of measles and few cases of scar
let fever, none of which were fatal, the
health OF the children has been good. The
superintendent paid a tribute of praise
and gratitude 10 James c. hemp, for many
years the efficient siting agent of the
society, who died during the year be-
loved by all of his associates, and espe-
cially By the children.
The boys are at present enjoying 4 yaca-
tion on the Russian River near Guerne-
vile, where they camp for month.
Tne visiting agents report showed the
valuable service rendered by placing
frienuless boy or girl in a country home.
Z. a. Bayley visits the children IN the
homes in which they are placed and sees
that they are treated well, changing hem
If need be I'LL the child and the home fit.
The treasurer's report showed total re-
ceipt: OF $33, 904 3S, of which $4,000 was
legacy from the estate OF Washington
Ryer. Total expenditures, $23. 4s3 %. But
for the legacy the expenses would have
exceeded the income a bout $500.
The following officers were elected for
the ensuing year: Trustees-George C.
Perkins, president; Samuel C. B!gelow,
e-president; Charles r. Allen. secre-
tary; D. c. Bates, treasurer; s. C. Bige-
low, L. II. Bonesteu, Charles f. Green,
Louis r. Monteagle, Charles a. MnrdocA.