Catoctin clarion., 1910-01-20
0RPHANAGE.
HOFFMAN

With Industrial School.
The board of directors of the George
w. and Agnes Hoffman Orphan and In
dustrial School, under the charge OF the
Potomac Synod of the Reformed church
met last week in Hanover and had an
interesting and important discussion OF
the affairs of the institution. 1thas been
decided to stock the farm with horses,
cattle, swine and poultry, repair build
ings, procure furnishings andimplements
and improve fences and surroundings, as
soon as possible, and erect new buildings
as needed.
The first improvement will be the re-
modelling and enlarging of the former
home of the donor, and will be known as
the "Hoffman Cottage"
This cottage plan" is an endeavor to
have the children live under conditions
similar to family life. The idea is that
twelve OF fifteen children will be allotted
to each cottage under charge OF matron.
At first the Hoffman cottage will be used
and as necessary other units will be ad-
ded to the community. With this policy
in view plans are being arranged by
landscape gardiner and architect, of the
grounds for such future development.
The orphanage is located two miles
northeast of Harvey, Md, in the direc-
ton of Littlestown, Pa. Every effort is
being made to have the State of Pennsyl-
vania make the institution an expert
mental farm under charge of experts.
The Rev. Mr.. j. Stewart Hartman,
the superintendent, will move to the
premises about Feb. 1st. This gentle
man is eminently fitted for this work.
He was born almost within sight of the
location of the orphanage, and which it
is expected will become the scene of the
greatest work of his ministry.
Rev. Mr.. Hartman several years ago
was appointed by the Governor as one of
Maryland's delegates to the Farmers
National Congress" He has done con-
siderable work along the line of farm
improvements under the direction of the
Maryland State Experiment Station, and
received special commendation.
The Hoffman Orphanage will unques-
tionably prove in the future one of the
notable institutions of the country, and
something of the man, and how he came
to create it makes very interesting
| story.
George w. Hoffman was born in Mt.
Pleasant township on Washing toms Birth
day, Feb. 22, 1888, and there seems to
have been given him a spirit akin to that
of the Father of his Country and while
he was denied being the father of any
children, yet he has made fatherly pro-
vision for many orphans. He was not
rich in worldly goods, nearly all he made
was acquired by the slow process OF hard
labor.
He had not acquired much of the world s
goods when the Civil War came on and
in March 1865 he enlisted in Co. G. l01
Pa, Regiment and served until June of
the same year, the end of the war. He
was in no battles. He made the state
ment himself that his services to his
country was largely on Roanoke Island,
where he was engaged in daily drills,
camp duties, guarding government prop
erty and guarding rebel prisoners cap
tured at different points and shipped on
the island for safe keeping until trans
portation could be furnished them. They
generally were pitiable objects and part
ly naked and apparently half starved.
Mr.. Hoffman never forgot his army ex-
periences. He became member OF
Corporal Skelly Post G. A. R. No. and
frequently attended the meetings of the
Post.
Mr.. Hoffman saved his wages while in
service and shortly after the war bought
the smaller of the two farms donated as
an orphanage, containing 49 acres ano
1lS perches. Later his father died own
ing the adjoining farm of 142 acres ano
78 perches and this farm Geo. W. Hoff'
man bought from the heirs of his father
Z These farms lie in Mt. Joy township
south of the Baltimore turnpike, abou
three miles from Two Taverns, Pa, ant
nearly six miles from Littlestown, ant
. are reached by Rural mail delivery No
2, from the latter place. These farms
adioin the farms of Jacob Sheely, Solo
mon Miller, Henry Mummert, Smitl
Barr, John A. Collins, Daniel Trostle
= IT 4
Mr.. Hoffman was devout member o
St. James Reformed church of Mt. 10.
township. He was superintendent of tn
: Sunday School of this church for peri
cd of thirty-nine years and his experienc
in this position had much to do with tn
final creation of the Hoffman Orphanage
He was always interested in children AM
: especially those who were orphans.
Many years ago he became intereste
in an orphan at Reformed church in
: stitution in Japan and contributed 81, 30
for the education of this child. The re
, ports later received were somewhat dis
couraging, the education of the child be
, ing more or less of failure. Mr.. Hof1
man was not, however, discouraged, an
some years later he sent another 81, sc
to Japan for the education of anothe
child and this second child proved SUI
cess and a great credit to the educatio
received. Still later the same Japanes
" institution wrote him saying that the
i contemplated erecting a girls hall ar
~ whether he would care to make contr