Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-11-17
Three of Their Own
And Eleven Adopted

TUY HILE there are many charitable
| w and philanthropic people in Wash
w ington, it Is thought to be a rare
case wherein a home is turned into a
sort of orphanage, all for the love of
| children. This, however, is an avocation
| of Mr.. and Mrs. w. A. Greer of 1l6 18th
street northeast. who suffered a con-
| siderable loss by fire recently in the
rear of their home. With three children
of their own, Mr.. and Mrs. Greer have
enlarged on their responsibilities in this
direction to the point of adopting eleven
others.
Mr.. and Mrs. Greer were married IN
1886. and both claim Washington as their
home, though the latter was a Virginian.
a member of the well-known Throckmor-
ton family of that state. Ambitious to
prosper, the Greers. decided that by d.
recting their energies in different channels
they would double the family income, and,
being something of an adept at cooking.
Mrs. Greer started cake bakery. That
she has prospered in this Mrs. Greer says
is due to "her children
When on the eve of establishing the
bakery Mrs. Greer had the case of
parentless child, eight years old, brought
to her attention. Husband and wife were
always extremely fond of children, and
took the little one in. This child was so
adaptable that others were brought to the
Greer home and made as members of the
family. This embryo orphanage was
started about fifteen years ago. until at
the present time sixteen persons sit about
the family dining table.
There is system in this home. and
equality, too, even though all are not
bound by ties of blood relationship. The
day is portioned off for play, for work,
for study and for sleep, and Mother
Greer a tall woman with a kindly face,
sees to it that everything comes in its
order. The children are sent to schools
in the northeastern section of the city,
just as other juveniles are tutored in
Washington. and they are CARRIED with
comfortable and becoming clothing. With
the gradual increase of the Greer family
the home was found inadequate to house
all hands, and 4 dormitory building was
constructed in the rear. The children came
from various sources, and it is stated that
each addition to the family circle brought
increased prosperity to the Greer home.
When approached by reporter regard
Mrs. Greer disclaimed all credit. They
have brought us more pleasure than | can
well express" she said. Mr.. Greer and
myself have always been great lovers Of
children, and those we have brought to
our home have only increased our in
terest and affection for the little ones at
large. / am at a loss to understand how
my could not love children.
Saturday night when the fire broke out
in the rear of our home the children had
just finished bathing and had received
fresh linen from me. This was about .
o clock at night, and every Saturday night
at that hour the same operation is
gone through. There is a rule for every
other avocation in connection with our
home, and l am sure that, even with this
large family Mr.. Greer and myself are
not put to any more inconvenience than
the average parents. True, we cannot go
out a very great deal but while we are
happy here at home with the children
what more could W. wish for?
Yes, our children have brought US hap
piness and prosperity, and long as we
have our health and the means we shall
keep them with us. While the fire was
an unfortunate affair, it will not seriously
disturb US. The eleven adopted children
shall be made just as happy and COM
Portable as those that bear the name of
Greer"