The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1903-06-25

White Orphan Children OF North
carolina-What It Has Done In Ia
Thirty Years Of Service.
The Oxford Orphan Asylum was
on motion of John Fl. Mills, estab
lished by the Grand Lodge OF Masons
of North Carolina at It's meeting in
Raleigh in the year 1872
Its mission is the training and care
of the destitute, homeless, white
orphan children of North Carolina
This mission has not been restricted
to the children OF Masons alone, but
to tie extent OF its capacity, it's ben.
efits are open to all of the orphan
boys and girls in North Carolina who
are really homeless and needy, are OF
sound mind and body, and are not
under six years of age. (Seldom
over thirteen).
In its thirty years of service it has
had under its care and training about
two thousand two hundred children.
What these children might have be-
come without the help OF the Asylum
we do not know, but We do know
that the most of them have been
saved to good, Christian citizenship.
Over $50 boys and girls are now
in the Oxford Orphan Asylum. There
are usually on file from twenty five
to forty approved applications OF
orphan children seeking admission
into the Institution.
1t is not only the purpose to give
these children food, clothing and
shelter, but to give them an English
education and valuable industrial
training as well. Each child is in
school at least half of each day
during the term of nine months. The
boys are workers, under experienced
instructors, on the farm. in the dairy,
at the engine, in the shoe shop, where
they make and repair the shoes for
all of the children, in the Oxford Fur
niture Factory, in the woodworking
or sash, door and blind factory, and
| in the printing Office, where the Or
phans' Friend and Masonic Journal
is published and much job work is
done. The girls are trained in house
hold duties in the care of their cot
tages. Some of them are trained in
the steam laundry, where all of the
laundry work is done for the children.
Some of the girls receive practical in
str,ction in sewing under experienced
matrons and they make and keep in
repair the clothing OF the children
Others are taught cooking in the
preparation of the meals for the In
stitution. In each department OF
manual work the children are under
competent supervision and instruc.
tion.
Besides the mental discipline re-
| ceived in school and the Industrial
training received in its several de.
partments, the Asylum is not salts
| fed until every resource at it's com
mand is employed in the cultivation
of Christian character Prominent
among the means in this direction
are the Asylum Sabbath School, the
Sunday morning services in the Ok.
ford churches, which the children at
| tend, the sermon Sunday afternoon
in the chapel by different ministers,
the Cottage Bible Bands for Bible
study, the chapel and cottage prayer
| services and the influence and teach.
ing of good women in the cottage
home of the children. These means
have in the past been greatly blessed
| of God.
| AS our civilization advances, socie
ty becomes more complex and train
ing for social service more varied and
intricate and expensive. But We be
lieve the results are worth the in
creased effort, worth the added ex
pense. In the Oxford Orphan Asy
lum the closest economy consistent
with good work is observed.
To meet the increasing needs and
| demands from time to time buildings
have been added at the Institution
by liberal Masons and friends until
in addition to the Main Building
formerly st. Johns College, uset
largely for school and office pur
poses. the list includes dining-roou
building, hospital, Superintendent
cottage, farm buildings, sash, dOol
and blind factory, and eight neai
cottages. 1t is hoped that the two
new industrial buildings for printing
office, shoe shop, laundry and sewing
room will soon be finished. With th'
completion and occupancy of thes'
much-needed buildings now in pro
cess, the industrial work Of the Asy
lum will be under better supervision
more effective and more eeconomicall,
conducted.
In addition to the other activitie
of the Institution, it's work Of placin;
homeless boys and girls into good
approved homes is of vital impor
tance Too much care cannot be ex
ercised in this responsible duty.
most thorough examination is mad
} from the Asylum and through tn
: local Masonic Lodges before Il chill
: is sent to any home. II it is ascel
/ tanned that it it is not properly care
for and trained in the home, it
. again taken charge Of by the Institt
tion.
/ The fact is recognized that no il
, stitution, however efficient, can equi
), that Oldest and best OF institution
/ the good home, in the building I
moral character, the development {
the child life. The Oxford Orpha
= Asylum would discourage the breal
ing up of home that can possibl
: be held together by the mother wit
+ help at the critical time. The Asylu
!. can confer no greater benefit upon
D homeless little one than to place
: in an approved Christian home.
t The foregoing presents n few OF Il
n controlling purposes, and facts
j the work OF the Oxford Orphan As
lum. These are only briefly state
> but surely they cannot fail to mo
n strongly impress the truth that &c