The San Francisco call., 1909-08-29

\
" rs it. dear? Can you tell
me how many candles will
have 10 put On your cake?"
-Four" piped- up the merry little
voice OF a brown eyed roiy-poly girl
Good. What a fine time we will
p havet" answered the mother" of a
family as large as that of the old
woman who lived in a shoe only. un-
Ike the mother Of story. Mrs. Cour-
neen knows exactly what to do with
her children
This promise was made in the yard
OF the Mckinley orphanage: the birth
day child was one Of 81 youngsters Of
every age. who know no other home;
Mrs. Courneen is the gentle hearted
rnetron OF the place that under the law
and customs is classified as an "institu-
ton"
Given these facts, the men and women
who are striving to solve the problem
OF the best care Of dependent chill
6ren have something to discuss. Those
who contend that the poorest home is
better than the best institution will
have to get some new arguments after
seeing the family at the Mckinley
orphanage. Those who feel that there
ig certainly a place for Institutions
IN the complex life of a great city VIII
dnd solid comfort for themselves and
their beliefs in the shelter that bears
the name Of the president whose every
act IN private or public life bespoke
charity and tenderness.
All OF which is apropos of a series Of
articles on the "Orphanages of San
Francisco introduced by Rev. Father
Crowley OF the Youths Directory. and
Of which this is the first. Although a
nrm believer in the home finding agency
as conducted by the Associated Chari-
tieH. Father Crowley feels that in
simple justice the people of this city
should know OF the splendid work that
IS being done in many OF the 'fnsti-
tutions." The Call has gladly taken
up the question and through several
weeks viii present each Sunday the
results Of it's Investigations. following
the introduction written by Father
Crowley and printed last Sunday.
The Birthday Cakes
To return to the Mckinley orphan
age. Who ever thought Of an insti-
tuition where 81. or more, dependent
children live, as a place where there
are birthday cakes with sputtering
candles every few weeks on the supper
table. and sometimes every few daysE
With 50 weeks in the year, it does not
take mathematician to think out how
often Ahe celebrations" come ~ this
family Of e7. And there is another
birthS y celebrated there by way OF
good lck. and in the general spirit
that D rvades the home. Mrs. Cour-
neen said, after she had taken note
Of the cake that comes next Tues
day" that the children had been ask
ing about her birthday and how many
candles she would have. just as she
asked the little one. Not ascertain
ing the exact number, they came In
triumphantIy with her cake decked
with IS candles. They could not
think Of "slighting" her, even in mat
ter OF years.
The incident of the birthday cake
proved to be the weather vane for
that institution" Searching obser-
walton showed that everything hap
pens there just as in a private home
The secret, however, Of this institu-
tionaI home is that the matron is a
mother" and a wise and just one,
st that Mrs. Courneen has presided
over II Of the y years Of the exist
ence of sne Mckinley orphanage. Her
Tafh
churches Of this part of California
but all tie good wishes OF all the mem
bers Of this denomination could not
make a home out OF an institution
without the unselhsh love and devo-
tion OF such a woman as Mrs Cour-
neen. She has consecrated her life TO
this work, IN fact, she scarcely ever
leaves the house. When she is forced
70 20 out, she hurries while her chill
dren are in school. because she would
not De absent when they return in
the afternoon. Her room is never
closed to the children and It would
be a lonely evening when they would
not huddle in there for a good night
word. There is not a child in that
orphanage who has the slightest feel=
ing OF restraint; not one OF them re-
alizes that he or she is under discip-
lire. They are all happy and unafraid.
DO they quarrel like real brothers
and sisters do sometimes2" the ma
tron was asked.
~Oh. dear me. no. They get on
beautifully" And it was quite evi-
den. that II her family ever disagreed,
Mrs. Courneen promptly forgot it, like
any loving mother.
There is no occasion, however. to
trust to the Iove-blind eyes Of the ma
tron. The routine of the family is an
open book Any one may read it vis-
ftors sre welcome.
This orphanage did not always have
fits present designation. It was or
iginally known as the San Francisco
Methodist orphanage That name was
changed because it gave the impress
sion that only children of the Metho-
dist faith were taken. On the con-