The San Francisco call., 1909-10-24

attending the high school IN Healds-
burg. They drive in and out every
day and are giving the best possible
account OF themselves. One of the girls
has been entertained by her school
mates, and, in return, Major and Mrs.
Bourne permitted her to give pleas
ant afternoon affair, just as II she were
in her very own home.
At present there are in the home 130
boys and so girls. There are seven
babies. Taking babies is really against
the policy Of the orphanage, children
mot being eligible for admission under
3 years. The exception in these cases
has been made to save separating fam
ilies. While admitting that the care
of very young babies is an entirely
different matter, these seven babies
do not suffer for cuddling or care. The
Older girls mother them with the great
est solicitude. A few children are given
out to families, but so many are in
eligible for such disposition and the
country training is so free and hne
and homelike that the necessity for
putting children out in homes does not
exist. State aid is received for about
80 OF the children. Very many of them
are past. the age when the state as
sumes any responsibility. Then there
is a class which does not come in the
classification for state aid. Many chill
dren are kept for struggling parents,
kept until they can get a home ready
for them OF AS that went out last
year, 80 were returned to their parents.
The boys and girls entirely dependent
.
few exceptions, not put out until they
are competent to earn wages.
Few Runaways Here
For the most part the children who
are sent to Lytton are so delighted with
the place that they never think OF run
ming away Once in a while, however,
some boys will get wandering feets
They ARE usually returned promptly
and never have any reason for going.
Although many of the big family are
committed from the juvenile courts
they never know restraint. There are
no bolts, no bars, almost no regula-
tions and nothing but the ordinary
ranch fences about the place. They
could run away If they wanted to. but
SO times out of 100 they could not be
driven away.
One of the astonishing records of. this
orphanage is that among the more than
500 children handled in five years but
three have died. One of these was
doomed when he came and one could
not be saved from tuberculosis, which
had marked him for a victim before
entering the home. weak heart
claimed the third. There have been
some epidemics, and a recent scare will
be responsible for the rule that all new
children will be isolated for the period
of possible incubation of a disease.
AT one time diphtheria appeared and
was traced to some clothes brought to
the farm by an old woman The at
tendant put them to one side and they
were such poor rags that Mrs. Bourne
directed that they be burned. While
they were on the trash heap and before
the match was put to them some bits
of lace on a garment attracted some
of the little girls as just the thing for
their dolls These children We're the
first to come down with the dread dis
ease. 1t was afterward learned that
the old woman who brought the clothes
had lost granddaughter with diph-
liberia. Now nothing Is used at the
farm which can not first be washed
and fumigated. Outside OF the danger
to life and the tremendous amount OF
extra work and nursing TO be done,
epidemics are very expensive. During
the diphtheria trouble $3.50 worth OF
anti-toxin was used and $50 worth of
fumigating chemicals.
There are three sewing women in the
orphanage who cut and make and re-
make clothes and teach the girls to
do the same. Some of the boys work
in the laundry, where competent help
is employed, but the girls are taught
fine ironing under the direction of Mrs.
Bourne at her own home. Girls take
their turn in the kitchen and in all the
(. different concerns of the big household.
: The dignity of work in the home is en-
phasized above all else by Mrs. Bourne.
She is always showing her girls how
much better off they will be by taking
places in domestic service than by
working behind counters. When Mrs.
Bourne is willing to let any Of her
charges go from her they are quite
ready to take positions in families. Be
sides the real farm work, the boys are
taught painting, carpentering, butcher
ing, hitehing up and driving and the
care of horses. Whether or not man
can work is the standard by which he
is Judged by the Lytton boys. A hired
man who has a few lazy bones in his
body does not last long. for he, does
not command the respect of the boys.
A genuine home atmosphere nerve ~
every phase Of life at the Golden Gate
orphanage. One of the most AHtere -
Ing examples of this Is to be seen in
the dining room. Here the big family
is seated at small tables, not more than
eight In each group There is an at
tendant at each table. The service is
scrupulously looked after, Major and
Mrs. Bourne holding that the refine
ments of life can not be taught better
than at well appointed. well ordered
table. Each group takes great pride
in Its table. The children chat away
and so all meals are particularly happy
times of each day.
All the boys and girls spend every
evening with Major and Mrs Bourne in
their house. There are books and
games and music and conversation. and
! then pleasant Good night Whenever
possible some of the older children are
taken into town to entertainments Re
Gently Mrs. Bourne took a group into
Healdsburg to hear some minstrels.
Some of the boys had to walk the foHr