Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-01-12
BETHANY HOME
is TO EXPAND
Mrs. w. G. Bennett, President,
Favors Immediate Build
ing of Addition.
NEED MORE FACILITIES
Institution is Entirely Free of Debt
How Friends in Two Cities
Have Stood by 1t.

Mrs. w. c. Bennett, of~Moline, who
has been reelected president of the
bethany Protective association, in
her annual report says:
IS | think you will all agree that it is
unnecessary at this time for me to give
resume of the work of Bethany Pro
4 tective association. This will develop
later as we listen to the reports of Of
ficers and committees.
so l come to you with the simple
unVarnished statement that Bethany
home is all right And this state
ment cannot be broadened or supple
mented by any words of mine, while
Bethany home stands I'D here ready
to speak for itself-stands like an
open book, which even he who runs
may read.
So 1 repeat without fear of dispute
that Bethany home is all right. l do
not mean by this statement that we
claim to have reached perfection, but
we are certainly headed in that direc-
ton.
Living Up to High Mark.
l wonder if any one present tonight
remembers the old school days when
as writing lesson our teacher placed
at the top of the page some profound
sentiment which we were expected
TO copy all down the page. One such
copy fixed in my youthful mind IS
this: Set your mark high and live
VI TO it!''
Tonight, looking back over the years
taat intervene since we began our
work together for Bethany home, we
may realfzo that this very sentiment
has actuated our workers from the
beginning. And results show that
slleso same workers have, from the
start, held steadfastIy to these high
ideals.
1t has been uphill work sometimes.
We have now and then run into OBJ
Structions across the path that threat
cacd TO send us rolling to the bottom;
distinctions in the shape of, prejudice.
of open opposition, or worse than all
the rest put together, utter indiffer
enceI
Nearing Summit OF Hopes.
But, friends, we are nearing the
summit of our hopes And when the
heights are won what care We for the
rugged path DER which we trod? And
IS it not true that part of our high
est earthly happines comes from hav-
ing achieved something worth while
when it was a hard fight to win?
The outlook for the new year is
most encouraging. The general air
OF prosperity which seems to prevail |
n all directions these days is also /
noticeable in and about Bethany |
home. We never have had so many /
friends as now. This fact has been /
very noticeable all through the year
Just passed, but more especially at the |
holiday seasons. The very generous |
Thanksgiving donation from the pub !
lie schools of Rock Island shows how
even the rising generation is being |
trained into ways of kindly thought |
for the children less fortunate than
themselves.
Thanksgiving Dinner.
And the Thanksgiving dinner given |
to the children of Bethany home by
Mr.. and Mrs. A. NJ. Shuler of the !
Rock Island house reveals the fact
that the mantle of our staunch friends, |
the McHughs, has fallen on other
shoulders.
IN addition to all this, the remem-
brances which came to the children |
at Christmas time were many and |
varied. Among them a Christmas tree |
which eventually was by thoughtful |
friends la6on with everything which
makes glad the heart of a child.
Then, too, there were gifts of money |
70 sums ranging from IS to $50 with |
instructions from the donors that it |
was to be used ito give the children |
q good time" Quite balance of this |
remains after following instructions
and this is to be set apart as the I
nucleus for an amusement fund which /
can be drawn upon from time to time |
for the special pleasure or permanent |
comfort of the children.
Entirely Free OF Debt.
Besides all this, as our annual re- /
ports will show, our finances are in