The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-04-29
Tour of Oxford Orphans.

A chapter of orphans from the Oxford
Orphan Asylum starts upon a concert
tour May 9Th. The children will fill ap
po'ntments first in the eastern section of
oxford, will enter upon their western
trip. These concerts always secure the
hearty support of the people of North
Carolina, and the secret of their sue
cess is not hard to find. The entertain
ments are always meritorious. They are
bright, pure and interesting. Those
who hear the boys and girls for the
first time marvel at their attainments.
Then too, our people are in sympathy
with the great cause the children repre-
sent. They know that there is no more
important work than the care and train
ing of destitute, homeless boys and girls
Over two hundred and fifty orphan
children are being we'll provided for and
carefully trained in the Oxford Orphan
Asylum today. They have been gathered
together from every part of North Car
olina. The only conditions for admission
to the institution are that the children
are destitute orphans and that they have
a sound mind and body. Neither de-
nomnational affiliation or preference of
parents nor the fact that the father was
not a Mason. is considered in passing
upon an application for the admission of
a child. The State of North Carolina
and the good people in general are as
sisting the Masons in the maintenance
of work of such magnitude. The in
stitution deserves the assistance of our
whole people.
On the eve of the concert tour this
year, it gives us pleasure to copy the
following from the orphans Friend and
Masonic Journal"
1--WE have a three-fold purpose in
sending these children to visit the diff
ferent towns:
First. To give an evening of pleasure
to those who come to hear them. 1t
has been and shall be our desire to give
a concert free from all Impurities, yet
filled with humor, simple, yet enter
tanning. No one can attend one of these
concerts and see a crowd of bright-eyed
children whose lives might have been
left in darkness, without feeling, I'm
glad / camel But apart from all
charity, we try to give a concert which,
of itself, will delight any audience.
Second. To bring the people into
closer touch with their institution. One
who never sees and seldom hears of the
institution which he is helping to sup
port cannot feel as deep interest in it
as if he knew more and heard more
about il. We believe the next best thing
to seeing the asylum is seeing it's repre-
sentatives We do not select the bright
est or best children for the class. but
the children who will represent the in
mates of the asylum, and, when you see
the sixteen intelligent boys and girls of
the class, remember that we have 240
more just like them. Can anyone look
upon these and remember that the Ok
ford Orphan Asylum has made them what
they are, without feeling that they are
glad they have invested "a part of ter
earnings in the lives of homeless chill
dren?
Third. To aid in the support of the
institution. During the past year we
received, clear of the expense, over
$1,000 from these tours An equal
amount could not possibly have been
raised with as little expense and trouble
to friends and brethren. 1t came from
all sections of the State. No one had
to sacrifice, no one missed the small
amount charged for admission, and yet
the asylum received enough to support
forty children for a year. More people
are reached and more people are inter-
ested in this manner than could be
reached by correspondence or agents.
And often have boys and girls secured
good homes by having met with good
Christian people while out with the
Glass;