The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-06-14
In 1851 IL Was incorporated as the
widows and Orphans Home, and
Later Changed.
BABIES LEAD A HAPPY LIFE
CARED FOR As If PARENTS WE'RE
WATCHING OVER THEM.
The Children Receive Instruction I'm
Many Useful Things-Number Now
at the Indianapolis Home.

street there is a large brick building and
grounds covering four acres and from
the merry shouts and noisy demon
STATIONS that issue frequently from
this part OF the neighborhood one
can easily surmise that children are
lurking within. And so they are, for
this Is the Indianapolis Orphans Asylum
which has been looking after the welfare
OF little tots OF all ages from the period Of
the bottle to the thoughtless age of fifteen
In 1851 the Widows and Orphans Home
was incorporated under the laws of Indiana
with the following board: Mrs. Jane NJ.
Morris. Caroline Harrison. Mary r. Sheets,
Rachel Irwin Maria d. willard Josephine
B. Hollirgshead, Jane Graydon, Lydia
Bradley. Josephine Cressy. Ann Harrison,
Sarah Underhill, Diantha Dunlap. Julia A
Phipps, Elizabeth Butler, Catherine Wiley
and Ann NJ. williams Twenty-four years
later the name was changed to the Indian
apolis Orphans Home and the work de-
voted exclusively to the care OF children.
Three years after its organization the man.
ayers purchased a quarter of a square at
the corner Of Capitol avenue and Fifth
street and the following rear erected the
first building at cost of q. 200 This home
was enlarged In 1867 to meet the increasing
demand. by donations amounting TO 5000.
II was not long before the work grew and
the reputation OF this mother of lonely
little infants expanded until even the
ond Improvements was not adequate and In
July. 1880. the building that had been oc-
cupied by Butler College was rented. The
college was at this time removed to Irving
ton Four years later the site was bought
for a consideration of $4,000, which was
easily raised from contributions from phil
anthropic friends and with the exchange
of property left a mortgage of sS,935.2s.
This debt was paid by donations of IS per
annum from contributions by members Of
the Orphans Aid Society
CoUNTY'S ALLOWANCE.
During the first few years 1t was en-
tirely dependent upon public charity and
personal donations but for the last twen-
~ years the County Commissioners have
allowed Is cents day for the care of each
child. While this will not cover the ex-
penses by hundreds of dollars yet with
the donations the expenses Of the Home
are not hard to keep up. Another reason
for the normal expense account is the fact
that the children ali help about the vari-
departments. The little girls sweep
and dust with the true instinct of the
most thrifty young housewife whose sole
ambition is to keep things tidy; the older
girls can iron and take care of their own
clothes The boys also do their share
toward running the Home. which does not
seem like orphanage but more like a
big family residence.
Mrs Georgette Parry Gray is the matron
and in complete charge of the building
She came to this city from Philadelphia
where she was at the head of the Home
OF the Friendless In that city. The insti-
tuition is In its most prosperous exist
ence and under Mrs. Gray has improved
greatly. Mrs. John B. Elan is the pres
ident Of the organization now, having sue
ceeded Mrs. John A. Bradshaw, who was
at the head OF this part of the work for
eighteen years. Mrs. Bradshaw still re-
tains her position on the board, however
The active board of managers is as fol-
lows: Mrs. Franklin Landers, Mrs. John
G. Wright. Mrs. Addison c. Harris, Mrs.
William Msnsur. Mrs. Eugenia B. McOuat,
Mrs. Franz =. McCrea, Mrs. Oran Perry,
Mrs John @. Williams. Mrs. Thomas NJ.
Bsssett, Mrs. Amelia b. Mansur, Mrs
Levi Ritter. Mrs Henry Coburn, Mrs Mary
+. Love, Mrs. ]. Cumming Smith, Mrs
John s. Harrington. Mrs. G.. A. Wells,
Mrs. John r. Wilson. Mrs. Fred C. Bags,
Mrs. E. r. Hodges and Mrs. DR.. Sutcliffe
A visit to the institution soon convinces
one OF the good that is being done and the
exceedingly pleasant surroundings and
happy faces OF the children are strong ar
guments In favor OF the happiness of the
little folk, despite the fact that they have
no real home and are dependent on char
fty. There are now eighty-three children
IN the Orphans Home-forty boys thirty
three girls and ten babies not yet six
months old. These little infants are un-
consciously waiting for some kind person
10 take them and give them a home But
from the expression OF contentment in
their faces as they lie asleep In the cradle
nursery one would hardly think that they
would ever care to leave the place. and so
they don't, for numerous children, after
being placed In comfortable homes have
cried TO be taken back. The nursery is one
Of the many interesting features of the
Indianapolis Orphans Home, and IL is in
charge OF three day nurses Mrs Mary
Hunt. In charge of the hospital Mrs Dora
Shelby and Mrs. Laura Grier. who is at the
head OF the infant department Mrs. Macy
Lowden Is the night attendant, and the
building Is under watch during the entire
night
EQUIPMENT COMPLETE
The equipment of all the departments is
complete and the home is made as COM
Portable as can be. There are fifteen en-
ployes who are connected with the chill
dren's work. Miss Emma Waldo has charge
OF the school work, which Is under the d.
rection of the public school management OF
the city. Miss Bertha Dowd looks after the
boys from the ages of six TO twelve and
Miss Jessie Pointer attends TO the girls of
the same age. Mrs. Lottie Law has the
second nursery.
The school work Is carried on as IL is I'm
the public schools. and little difference is
seen IN the recitations of these pupils and
those that go from homes OF comfort and
plenty. A new departure this year will be
q summer school. which will begin the 1st
Of July and continue six weeks. This will
give the children two weeks vacation at
the close OF the winter term and two al
the end. Heretofore there was no work
done during the hot months. but the man
ayers decided that the children would get
along as well and make more progress by
doing some studying In the summer.
There are two methods OF adopting chill
dren from the Orphans Home One is out
hight adoption. where the child Is taken and
reared as IL IL were the real child OF the
snpnoua fzlfug a. and The other IA nv in