The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-12-23
THE KONA
ORPHAHAGE
Mrs. Brown Gives
It Very Good
Name.
HEALTHY SPOT IN
THE MOUNTAINS
Institution Marvel Of Neatness
and All Work is Done by
Children.

/
one of the most interesting institutions
I have ever visited said Mrs. H. c.
Brown, Secretary of the Young WO-
mems Christian Association. yesterday
who has just returned from a vacation
tour of Hawaii, spent mostly in North
and South Kona. One of her visits was
to the novel orphanage institution in
.Kona conducted under the generous
benefactions of Miss Baird, who owns
one of. the extensive coffee plantations
on the big island.
Miss Baird went to Hawaii from CAL
ifornia a few years ago for the benefit
of her health and put considerable
money into coffee lands. She built a
handsome home for herself, and not
only cultivated coffee, but set aside
much of her land for raising sugar
cane Surrounding her plantations are
held by native, Portuguese and Japa-
nese families, who for the most part
are poor and many of the little chill
dren there had little to make their lives
joyous Miss Baird's heart was touch
ed that these children should pass their
early years without proper moral and
physical development. and she took
four or five little ones to her home per-
sonally looking after them for period
OF about four months. At the end of
that time she had conceived the plan
of erecting an orphanage on her ex-
tensive plantation where a large num-
Der of children of all nationalities could
be cared for.
Through her own efforts a building
was erected and little ones, whose pa
rents were dead or who had but one
parent unable to care for them proper
ly, were gathered into the institution.
The task was great and the expense
taxed Miss Baird's purse, but she was
undaunted. The proceeds of the sale
of the coffee grown on the plantation
went to the support of the institution. |
In time there was a slump in coffee and
much of Miss Baird's revenue was cut
off, and it was then that she decided II
market the coffee in Honolulu in order /
that the orphanage should not close
for lack of funds.
THE 1rphanage is beautifully stu |
ated," continued Mrs. Brown, Just be- |
wall. in one of the most healthy loca-
lions L have ever visited in the islands. |
1t is on the side of the mountain Hua-
lolai, which rises majestically behind |
the orphanage. a magnificent view of
the ocean, 1000 feet below, is obtained.
The plantation is situated about four
miles back from the shore. There is
TO favor it. The climate is
good. the view is excellent, and there
are no features of city life to distract
the orphans and make them wish to
get out into the world
Miss Asberry, d. +. Merritt and
Mrs. Godfrey are in charge. the latter
being the matron. Where the orphan
age is situated it is about the center
IF large foreign population, so to
speak, of natives, Portuguese and ia
oanese, and there is a very large num-
Der Of children. When Miss Baird came
o Kona she found many sad cases of
mild neglect, which caused her to take
'ity on them and take them into her
'wn home.
The children, none of them over
leven years of age, are taught to do
manual work: they look after their
wn dormitories; are taught dairying. q
and all things which will fit
hem to do work with their hands
bout for themselves. Miss Baird does
ot hope to lift these children to any
igher state than that in which they
'ere born. But they viii be kept in a
lace where they have pure surround
lgs. and they will have good mental
loral and physical training. was Z
OF expected when I visited the or
manage and I had a splendid oppor-
unity TO see it just as it is on any day
the week. Everything was in the
lost exquisite order. a little japanese
lrl' ten years of age, had charge of T
le dining room for the week. and il :;
as as neat as wax. The table was 49,
-etuly set and on it were vases filed III
18th fresh flowers. All the children II
.emed 50 healthy and happy. it was
le or the pleasures of my trip TO have
slted them. There are several Jersey
TVS on the place and the children
axe butter for their own use and they
I'VE rich cream and pure milk. all
ey want. They raise vegetables.
What impressed me especially was -
II only the cleanliness of the orphan
e. but the healthy condition and
irit Of happiness shown by the chill
en-. They are certainly a happy lot.
ley are not being pampered or edu-
ted above their station in life. but
. best that is in them is being
ought to the surface. 1 think it is
lch better that an institution of the =
Id has the opportunity of being away
there away from the crowded city.
there are no surroundings to con-
inmate the little ones and nature is
her best in Kona. It is place s
lich Honolulans would do well TO II
&c notice Of and help" Ill