The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-05-02
Annual Report Of the Florence
Crittenton Home in Fargo

largest, twenty girls and fifteen
children, a total of forty-two.
One Of the most interesting places
in our home is the nursery. Each
mother is taught to care for her own
child, and every effort is put forth to
establish the mother love, we believ-
ing that the mother and child are all
the stronger for being kept together.
The superintendent has made no less
than twenty trips out Of town In the
interest of the work County COM
missioners have been visited In view of
county aid, the counties of Richland,
Cass, Ward, McHenry, Barnes, SUITS
man and Williams have responded,
thus aiding in the care of their own
unfortunate girls, and for this we are
indeed grateful
No record has been kept of the clubs
and church societies visited, where the
work has been presented. City coun-
ellis, both of Fargo and Moorhead, have
been appealed to, seeking their CO.
operation and aid, for the protection
Of young girls on the streets, espe-
cially those who have fallen into the
hands of the law for the first time;
girls who need protection and train
ing rather than punishment.
This feature of our work has been
very interesting. A number of girls,
Is, 16 and Is years of age. have been
sent to the home rather than to the
reform school. Although we have no
Juvenile court in this state, these girls
have been given the privilege of the
Crittenton home, and in very few
days without exception the girls have
realized that they were among friends
and their development has been wond-
erful, No one could question whether
the work was worth while If they could
see the transformation in these girls.
This is the part of the work that we
hope will grow, so that eventually
there will be not only juvenile court
in this state, but a girls industrial
school as we'll In one of our cities,
the chief of police told me that he had
his eye on twenty girls who needed
protection. They had not as yet COM
mttted any crime, so could not be
sent to the reform school, but ere
long would be victims.
The industrial work in the home has
been carried on, the sewing room one
of the busy places. Three hundred
and sixty children's garments have
been made; eighty five adult garment,
beside remodeling and many baskets
of mending. The income from the
sewing room has been $1S23O during
the year. Our garden was truly a
thing of beauty and a joy forever, the
girls raising sixty bushels of potatoes,
and all the vegetables of all kinds
that hnun ~, l.
ing the. year have been raised and
canned. This afforded a great deal
of the necessary recreation and pleas
ure for the girls.
Too much cannot be said of the re-
ligious work. The ministers of the
city have responded willingly each
month, taking charge of the regular
Friday evening services. The Sunday
school class has been the charge of
Mr.. Goldsmith, who has faithfully
done his work for the past nine
months. The interest aroused in the
study of the Bible has been very mark
ed. There have been requests for
prayer, and many of the girls are
bright, happy christians today, through
his influence, and they go out into
the world, many times with a. Nance
less child in their arms, and yet with
a new lease on life with this new
found friend and Saviour.
What are these which are arrayed
in white robes, with palms in their
hands and whence came they"
These are they which came out of
great tribulation and have washed
their robes and made them white in
the blood of the Lamb"
There are they which suffered, not
only in temptation, but in disappoint-
ments, notifications and trials on
life's pilgrimage. These are they who
have refined and purified in that long
struggle; who have learned from their
own sorrows and trials of others; who
have gained through that experience
power beyond their own-the power
of sympathy, the power of rising
through the trials of this world.
A number OF appeals have been
made to the public for aid. One humid
red letters have been written. A
Christmas appeal was sent out by our
treasurer Mr. H. w. Geary.
Mutual Investment
Much credit is due to the women of
our association for their constant
work. A number of receptions have
been held at the home, fruit showers.
Tag day was held on Sept IL, the re-
suit of which was 1880.
We take this opportunity of ex-
pressing our appreciation for the aid
that has been so graciously rendered
during the year; blythe merchants and
business men; the physicians who
have responded to every call: it is
impossible to express our gratitude to
each, but every gift has been greatly
appreciated.
A word for our nurses and workers.
1t would have been impossible for
the work to have been accomplished
without the faithful service of our
nurses, who have watched many a
long and weary day and night beside
some mothers girl who was lowering
between life and death; whose life,
if she does live, holds no promise. and
only the most tender care and nurs-
ing can bring her back to health and
strength. These are Gods messengers.
We are greatly honored during the
month of October in having our be-
loved founder and president, Chas. N.
Crittenton with Is, and none who
met him or had the opportunity Of
hearing him but felt that he was in
deed called Of God to this special
work. and although he has gone to
his reward, he has left us to finish
this wonderful work he had begun for
these the most helpless of women and
girls in our land. All have not been
reached, but the results have been
blessed. Perhaps those whom we have
uynrlxad a nd yNVsn he $50 Co..