The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1902-02-13
A VISIT TO THE GIRLS HOME.

Overlooking Penobscot Bay and its is
lands, within one half mile of Belfast, the
! City Of Homes, beautiful for situation, on
one of the broadest avenues and most
popular seaside drives. is the capacious
home-lke building of the Childrens Aid
Society of Maine. 4 recent visit to this
Girls Home was filed with much of inter
est to ,he writer Girls between the ages
Of I've and sixteen years are received into
this Home, and under the competent care
and training Of d matron and assistant are
taught the simple. ever sweet lessons and
| precepts OF true NOmanh"od. In the few
years since the Incorporation Of the Society,
in 1893 a large number Of children, from
over thiIty~ive cities and towns of the State
OF Maine, have been received. trained and
cared for by this Home, and as opportunity
afforded have been placed in some of the
best homes of the State under the highest
mental and moral influence.
The grounds. consisting of several acres
surrounding the buildings and the old
convenient playground for the Children
They also have the privileges Of the city
schools, and the advantages Of the various
churches, Sunday schools and public library
of the city of Belfast. 1t is Home,-with
all these advantages such as none of the
girls have had before. and It's influence and
helptumess. its domestic training in house
hold duties, such as cooking, cleaning sew
/ ing aud the like. with the educational, moral
and religious training,-that commends it
self to the attention. interest and benevol-
ence Of the people If Maine. Churches,
charitable institutions, EpWorth Leagues,
Christian Endesvol and Young Peoples
Christian Union societies are interested in
looking up homeless friendless and desti-
tute children, to receive the aid and benefit
OF this Home They also contribute money
or other aid, all of which is needed and
welcomed.
When it is remembered that these I'M
fortunate children come from places of
poverty, and often from degraded domestic
conditions, It viii be seen how worthy and
commendabie an Institution the Childrens
Aid Society is for the welfare of its wards
Children received into this Home must be
girls five years of age, because there are as
yet no kindergarten facilities or infant
nursery rooms or attendants not over
sixteen YEARS Of age, because it is thought
that when they have reached that age the
majority of girls will be, in a measure, able
to care for themselves.
The Girls Home, as it is locally termed,
is not ''lome" in theory or name only but
in the influence and atmosphere of the
place, the motherly solicitude and care for
the welfare of her charges, the spirit of
companionship and harmony between the
matron and her girls, and between the girls
themselves, are marked and characteristic
features seen during recent visit.
The Childrel's Aid Society is non-secta-
ran, and children of all faiths and creeds
are received. The only requirements,-be-
sides the age limits already mentioned,-
are the necessary and reasonable ones of
sound mind, good health and teachable
spirit.
Reports received from the various homes
in which the girls have been placed, often
as adopted daughters, show that in the
majority of cases the girls have proved
worthy and apprecative of what has been
done for them by the Girls Home, and by
those who have taken them into their house
holds as members of it and sharers of it's
happiness and privileges.
Hon. Seth L. Milliken, in his speech at the
dedication of the Home, September, 1895,
uttered the true reason and purpose for the
founding and maintaining of this and kim
bred institutions: "The good mothers of the
next generation depend upon the good girls
Of to-day 1t is, then, to make the good
mothers, the noble and true women of the
next generation out of the poor and friend
less girls of the town and cities of our
State, that the sympathy and support of the
good and generous people of the State of
Maine is asked for by the officials and
and friends of this society.
The quarterly paper, called The Girls
Home is published by the Aid Society, and
ably edited by an old newspaper man. Sub
scriptions twenty-five cents per year
All letters of inquiry and information of
girls who need the care and help of the
Home, should be addressed to the Secretary,
Mrs. NJ. J. Gammans, No. 6 Church street,
Belfast, Maine.