Golden Valley chronicle. (Beach, Billings County, N.D.) 1905-1916, 1908-06-26
WESTERN
COUNTIES
cH,LDREN's HOME IN NEED.

North Dakota children's Home Society
Has Suffered in Most Distressing
Manner From Financial Panic.
Ever since the financial stringency
began last winter, that most worthy
institution, the North Dakota Chill.
dren's Home society, has felt its ef-
fects in a most distressing way. It is
generally understood that charitable
work and church missions are the first
to be cut off when people begin to
feel uncertain about money matters.
This is particularly true in church
work, and in a somewhat less degree
of charities like the children's home;
for people will give for the care Of
helpless children, when they realize
their real need by having attention
called directly to it.
In an interview with Superintendent
Hall, he stated stated that last year
was by considerable the best the so.
ciety has ever had; the number Of
children provided for in one way or
another being ZIG, and the financial
receipts being about $4,000. OF the
latter amount one-half was from pure.
ly charitable sources, and half from
county authorities for the care Of
pauper children, and from what par.
ents or other friends could pay to.
wards the expenses incurred in re-
ceiving, placing and overseeing chill.
dren. The public should understand
they are not asked to pay towards the
cost of care Of foundlings If parents
or friends can in any way meet the
expense. The home management.
consisting of thirty of the most promi-
nent charity workers of the state.
with E. ]. Weiser Of the Fargo First
National bank, Hon. J. F. Treat, G. r.
Meredith and R. B. Griffith as presi-
dent and vice presidents, feel it would
be imposing on the charitable public
to ask them to pay for the care Of
foundlings if their mothers or custo-
dams are able to work and earn the
cost of their care, or of pauper chill.
dren received from counties abun.
dainty able to pay the expense. About
$1,000 was received last year from
county authorities for care Of paupers
provided by the society with family
homes.
During the past year the society
has broadened the scope Of it's work
by establishing a new department
known as the hospital for homeless
crippled children. Additional prop.
| erty was purchased and a seven.room
building fitted up for caring for such
cases, and as detention hospital for
weaklings and sick children. Even.
tually this will be fitted for surgical
work, but at present this is not at
tempted. The cost of this property
and furnishings was about $4,000, and
1t is destined to become a most
beneicent enterprise, where homeless
crippled children may be permanent
ly cared for. The grounds about the
buildings were much beautified last
fall by grading and terracing and u
portion of this expense still remains
to be paid for. The financial strin.
gency throughout the country came
on just at the time when charitable
contributions are usually the greatest,
at the holiday season, and the drop.
ping off of contributions since then
has been very noticeable. At the
same time it has made necessary the
care of many more children than
usual. At present the receiving home
and hospital are crowded to the ut
most capacity, there being from thir.
sy-fve to forty children on hand. The
management has found it necessary
10 discontinue to board children.
which in flush times it has always
been glad to do at price that barely
covered the cost of material used. in
order to help mothers obliged to work
out to provide for their children. I'm
TIL financial conditions improve no
more children will be boarded, except
in the case of crippled children sent
by county authorities, and the price
II board for these has been advanced
20 SIS per month.
AT the close of the fiscal year the
society found itself carrying deficit
Of $1,000, with little likelihood of i'm.
provement until the present wheat
crop is harvested. This means that
until then the receipts will not meet
the cost Of the work, unless the char
liable public comes to the rescue at
once. 1t is impossible to personally
solicit funds to wipe out the present
deficit in brief period, and the board
requests that all who learn Of the help
needed at once send to the superin.
tendent, F. D. Hall, or s. s. lyon,
treasurer, whatever they are able to
give.