The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-11-22

OF Masons alone but to the axtant &c
its capacity, its benefits are omen to oil
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 It's thirty years of service II has
Lad under its care and training ahout
TWO thousand two hundred children. What
these children might have become with
OUT the help of the Asylum we do not
Know, but We do know that the most
OIL them have been saved to good Chris
tan 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.
II IS not only the purpose to give
tnese children food, clothing and shelter,
but 70 give them an English education
AKA valuable industrial training as well.
r-ach Ci1lu Is N school at least hall
VI each aay during the term OF nine
10ii'hS' Ire boys are workers under ex-
feTehced instructors, on the farm, N The
larry az the engine, in the shoe shop.
Where they make and repair the shoes
l (lvfOrI
| Furniture Factory in the woodvvorl,ip,
or sash. door and bind factory and in the
printing office, where The Orpbars.
Friend ana Masonic Journal is nubBsbad
and much Job work is done. The Girls
arc traiHed in household duties in tho
care OF their cottages. Some of them
are trained in the steam laundry. where
all OF the laundry work IS done for the
| g Of he oyipY
teal instruction in sewing under experi-
enced matrons and they make and keep
in repair the clothing of the children
Others are taught cooking in the prepare
ton of the meals for the Institution. In
each department of manual work the
children are under competent superyls-
ion and instruction.
Besides the mental discipline received
in school and the industrial training
received in it's several departments, the
Asylum is not satisfied until every re-
source at its command IS employed in
tho GU tivation of Christian character.
Prominent among the means in this d.
| rectio are the Asylum Sabbath School,
the Sunday morning services in the OK
| ford churches which the children at
tend, the different ministers, the Cottage
Bible rands for Bible study, the chapel
and cottage prayer services and the in
| fuence and teaching of good women in
the cottage homes of the children. These
means have in the past been greatly
blessed Of God
| AS our civilization advances, society be-
comes more complex and training for
social service more varied and intricate
land expensive. But we believe the results
fre worth the increased effort worth the
added expense. In the Oxford Orphan
Asylum the closest economy consistent
with good work is observed
To meet the increasing needs ard de-
mands 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, used largely for school and Of
fee purposes, the list includes dining
room building, hospital, superintendent
cottage. farm buildings sash, door and
blind factory and eight new cottages
It is hoped that the two new industrial
| buildings for printing office, shoe shop
| laundry and sewing room will soon be
| finished. With the completion and occu-
| pancy of these much needed buildings
now in process. the industrial work of
the Asylum Will be under better super
vision, more effective and more econom
| ically conducted.
| In addition to the other activities Of
the Institution, it's work of placing home
less boys and girls into good, approved
| homes is of vital Importance. Too much
care cannot be exercised in this respon-
sible duty. A most thorough investiga-
ion is made from the Asylum and
through the local Masonic Lodges before
child Is sent to any home. If it is
ascertained that it is not properly cared
FOR and trained In the home, it is again
taken charge of by the Institution.
The fact is recognized that no insti.
tuition, however efficient, can equal that
| Oldest and best of institutions, the good
home. in the building of moral character,
the development of the child life. The
| oxford Orphan Asylum would discour-
age the breaking UP of home that can
! possibly be held together by the mother
with help at the critical time. The Asy-
lum can confer no greater benefit upon n
homeless little one than to place it in
| an approved Christian home
The foregoing presents a few of the
| controlling purposes, and facts in the
work of the Oxford Orphan Asylum These
| are only briefly stated, but surely they
cannot fail to more strongly impress the
truth that God has wonderfully used this
Institution in the past thirty years to
he conserving OF a helpless portion of
| 20: c, that He today is using it and
that He has even larger sphere of ser
vice for it IN the coming years. Surely
these facts justify its claim to offer a
| splendid outlet for the practice of real
benevolence on the part Of any one WHO
wishes to invest in developing virtuous
| citizenship and Christian character.
| No greater privilege. no wider oppor-
| tunity, no grander work is given to man
to cooperate with God in the rescue and
uplift of human lives and in the saliva
| lion of immortal souls.