New-York tribune., 1908-08-09
PLANNING Il HOSPITAL.
addition To Be Made to Brooklyn
Orphan 4syIum.

A small building. perfectly appointed at the
minimum Of cost has been the aim of the board
OF managers of the Brooklyn Orphan Asylum in
preparing the plans for the hospital. 1t will
be thirty-six feet by nnety-six feet. two stories
in height, built entirely Of Harvard brick laid
in Flemish bond. with trimmings of Indiana lime
stone and terra-cotta 1t is to be absolutely fire.
proof even to the windows, which will be of pol
ished wire glass. This, though admitting the
light. like ordinary window glass is unbreakable
and under the most intense heat will only crack
The sashes and necessary wood trimmings will be
of wood also prepared to Withstand fire.
There are to be five wards, entirely separated
from one another. each fitted with its bath
rooms, nurses quarters, dining room and Kitchen
In this way there be little chance of disease
spreading from one ward to another. particu-
larly fine operating room. equipped with all the
latest surgical devices will be a feature of the
hospital. There also will be four rooms for chill
dren not inmates of the asylum. An iron balcony
five feet in width constructed to the double
purposes of sun parlor and fire escape. will run
around the second floor.
A detached hospital has been long cherished
hope Of the managers. but the need of has
been most urgent during the last few years. For
merly children having contagious diseases were
removed by the Board of Health, but they
must be kept in the asylum Though isolated
they prevent the older children from going out to
school, as all those above the grammar grades
attend the public school Within the last three
years there have been two quarantines, lasting six
months Such long interruption in studies is a
serious thing to any child, much less to one who
will be thrown his resources early in
life as is necessarily the with the inmate of
an institution The chances of infection in the
detached hospital will be infinitely lessened. 1t
will contain the detention ward. where new com
ers are kept FOR two weeks before being allowed
TO mngle with the other children. This is
necessary precauton. many, when admitted,
are in a pitiable condition from neglect.
From a small house down the Heights. taken
TO shelter young children who were left des-
titute after the epidemic of smallpox which visited
Brooklyn in 1873. to the present building at Attain
tic and Kingston avenues, housing more than three
hundred boys and girls, is the growth of the Brook
lyn Orphan Asylum. The grounds extend back to
Herkner street, sffording ample space for out
door recrea tion. This year the Board of Educa-
ton established a playground at the asylum, and
provided kfndergartener for the tots In the
nursery and instructor In physical culture
The combined efforts of all those connected with
the asylum have always centred making 1t
really home in the truest sense of the word for
al those inside its hospitable doors. Judging by
the happy countenances of their charges, this has
surely been accomplished The absence of a uni
form dress which was discarded years ago.
goes long way toward dispelling that duh same
ness usually characteristic of institution children
Miss Christiana Cemnner, the house mother. ac-
complishes the seemingly impossible task OF per-
sonaly supervising each child, striving to develop
is the setting apart of a day in each month for
birthday party the children born In that
I With the completion of the hospital next spring
there will be accommodations for about fifty
children The running expenses OF the Institution
have always been too high to admit Of any surplus
so the managers have taken this. the seventyifth
anniversary, an occasion to enlist the sympathy
of the public BY their diamond festival in Novem-
Der at the Academy of Music they hope to meet
the cost of the hospital They particularly
anxious raise $4,000 among the children of the
borough by the sale of bricks at five cents apiece
Each child selling twenty VIII receive ar invita-
ton the childrens entertainment of the festival
and a general invitation to the large May party
next year the asylum grounds will be extended
through the press to every child purchasing brick
Herbert Lee Pratt, Of No. 26 roadway is treas
A committee, headed by Mrs. James B. Hol-
linshtid. Mrs. Joseph r. White and Mrs Jeremiah
V Meserole is preparing q list Of patronesses
which win include many OF the descendants of the
original board of managers. Some of the founders
of the asylum were Mrs. Joshua Sands, Mrs Will
lam Sands. Mrs Phoebe Butler Mrs. A Van
sinderen. Mrs. Charles Richards. Mrs. A. suydam
and Mrs. Dow Other gathered from the
early records cf the society familiar now as then
and prominent In the history of Brooklyn are
Pierrepont Cutter Hsdden Lewis. Radch Davi-
| son. Austin Boyd. Porter. Belts Rowland Corn
| Ing Flasier, Lefferts. Raymond and Hoyt