The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-05-06

children are better OH dead, however,
our views on this point may differ, the
fact remains that the child of untoward
circumstances will always be among US
to be provided with a Christian home
and moral and uplifting influences that
must combine to save the child from
its heredity and deplorable environ
ments, and change the entire course Of
its life.
Cur statistical report shows that
| fourty- one children were placed In
family homes for the first time and
that several were replaced. In some
cases 1t has been deemed wise to re-
turn children to parents or friends aft
er they had come under our care for
placing. case in point is that of a
! boy of ten years whom we took from
Minot several years ago. his mother
having eloped with a railroad con-
ductor leaving four children and a
crippled husband. This boy was placed
in an excellent farm home. Later his
foster father died and the home was
broken up. It was learned that we'll
to-do relative Of the boy who lived in
Canada would make home for him,
and he was sent to him, and is now
err and other relatives every day. Is
| is not wiser to preserve the family
relation than to break II up? The
family relation is the most sacred in
stitution we have, and only in the most
necessary cases, when all other means
fail, or 1t seems the only thing to do,
should parents and children be separ-
ated. We have no time for the maud
lin sentiment that says no child should
be taken from its parents, no matter
how bad they may be. Common sense
must make Ii plain to reasonable beings
that many men are only brute fathers,
and many women utterly incompetent
to raise one child--let alone half dog
en- or more.
A total Of eighty five children were
cared for during the year. OF these,
thirty -four were children large enough
to eat at the family table. They were
in the home a total Of 1884 days, or an
average of seventy three and one-third
days each. They were provided with
1872 meals.
There were fifty dnfants in cribs
a total of 1859 days, or an average Of
seventy and one-third days each.
The total number OF days for all
children in the home was 6,163, or an
average stay of seventy-two and one
half days for each child. In obtaining
this average one child who was re-
turned to us twi,e during the year, is
counted twice.
Financially, the past year has been
by far the best in our history. The
public schools of the state, including
Al IL 6Alr, IL
splendid offerings that totalled many
hundreds Of dollars on "Children's
Home Day., on "Wednesday Of the week
before Thanksgiving. We purposely
set this day at a TIM when we thought
it would not conflict with any other
institution, but 1t was taken advantage
of by others to some extent and I'M
marked barrels were placed beside
ours in some schools, resulting in con-
fusing small pupils. It would seem
that the proprieties might better be
observed by selecting day for their
own offerings than by appropriating
ours. However, the children were gen.
erous to all and there was enough and
to spare. Christmas brought still fur
Their offerings from churches and Sun
day schools. Scores Of lodges, includ-
ing Masons, Odd Fellows, Workmen,
Woodmen and Yeomen, made larger
offerings than ever.
FL Zagal temple of the Mystic shrine
gave it's usual handsome Christmas of
fering by paying for a seven-rack dry
ing machine that r-akes our laundry
work so much easier. Winter snow S
and summer rains make no difference
with the drying of clothes now, and
it is a distinct benefit to the nursery
department. Last year the Shrine in
stalled an electric washer for us that
mits the laundress 20 go on with her
ironing at the same time.
The new Shrine at Grand FORKS also
sent in nearly $3.50 as their Christmas
Offering.
The ladies of Willow City raised
funds by a charity entertainment
amounting to $145, with which dozen
new steel cribs and bedding were
bought for the nursery. The Presby-
terrain Sunday School of Ce7selton also
installed a similar crib
Our former president, Mr.. Chaffee of
Armenia, provided us with a carload of
potatoes, which not only saved us buy
ing any during the winter but per-
mitted us to sell about half carload
for cash. Had the price been better
it would have Melted us handsomely,
but even as it was, we are greatly in
debted to Mr.. Chaffee.
We are also indebted to scores of
kind friends who shipped us boxes and
barrels of clothing and groceries or
toys.
The action of Mr.. and Mrs. Max
Stern of Fargo, in donating crib for
our nursery as a memorial of their late
son, Robert, was a fore-runner of the
large gift they propose to make this
summer. 1t is known to you all, dare
say, that Mr.. and Mrs Stern expect
upon their return from European trip
| to erect for us upon site yet to be
selected, a frame cottage to be known
as "The Robert Stern Memorial Cot
tage for Homeless Disabled Children"
Blue print of the plans have already
been prepared, and bids will be asked
for soon, so that the contract may be
! let when Mr.. Stern returns He de-
sired that the cottage should have a.
capacity of about twenty children; his
wish being that when not filed with
disabled children, it may be used to
care for the surplus, If any should exist
in the Receiving Home The board at
its last quarterly meeting accepted the
proposed gift and its responsibilities,
and it is hoped that before snow flies
again, the Robert Stern Memorials
may be in use. This will allow us to
convert our present cottage for dis
abled children into a rest cottage for
the nurses and other workers in the