The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-09-12


OF the home. The task OF this nurse il
not a pleasant one, but II Ia one OF
great necessity, and she feels repaid
in doing what she can to brighten
these little helpless-one would almost
be tempted to say--uBeless lives. II
naturally follows that when there are
so few who care to burden themselves
with these crippled children, one is
glad that there Is a place so thorough
ly capable of furnishing a shelter for
them.
In the main building there are nine
babies and fourteen older children, the
oldest being girl OF IL years. Those
who are old enough are sent to the
public schools. There are two day
nurses in charge OF the main building
and one night nurse beside the matron.
Miss Pearl Carey Mrs. Cora Bennett
is the head nurse and Miss Edna
Palmer, the day nurse. At present the
night nurse is on vacation and has
substitute. Beside the nurses there is
a cook and laundress employed and
when needed, seamstress. Thursday
Miss Leila M. Thomas, OF the Indiana
State Board of Charities, win arrive
in the city to assist Mr.. Hall In order
that he may give the work throughout
the state more Of his time.
The babies department Is a very in
teresting one. There are four wards
in this departments night ward,
day ward, a kitchen, in which the
babies food Is prepared. and an out-of-
door room, where the little tots sleep
during the warm summer nights. The
Oldest baby in this ward Ia nine months
old and the youngest a month old.
Several Of the babies are indeed bright
and beautiful children worthy Of the
love and protection Of a mother.
Homes will be found for these little
people as soon as possible. Children
are being placed in beautiful homes
each week and others are arriving at
the home. Some are without a rela-
tive in the world to care for them, and
others are heartlessly deserted. There
are still others whose mothers are un-
able to make a livelihood for them and
take care Of them at the same time,
and these too are taken In. A record
is kept each day of the babies health
and they are weighed each week. The
beds in the night ward were donated
to the home by the ladies of Willow
City, and fill a great necessity. This
room also gives a corner to the me-
mortal bed a gift of Mr.. and Mrs. Max
Stern, in memory Of their little son.
The babies ward is on the second
floor and also on this floor is the boys
dormitory and the girls 'dormitory. On
the first floor is the main reception
room, the dining room, the home par
Tor, the offices, the kitchen, etc. These
rooms are all simply and neatly flrn-
ished and are so arranged and regulat-
ed as to give the children the training
which they would receive in a home.
A proper amount of recreation is en-
Joyed by the children and care Is taken
to instruct them religiously as much
as possible.
In the basement is the laundry. Here
the dryer, installed by the Shriners,
may be seen. Mr.. Hall declares that
this is one of the greatest helps that
has been donated to the home. 1t has
been difficult to find a suitable place
to dry the laundry and this gift Of the
Shriners exactly fills the bill. There
is also an electric iron, wringer and
a washer. The arrangements are as
convenient and economical as possible.
During the past year the home has
taken care of 129 children. This in
cludes those taken UP in all parts of
the state as well as in Fargo. There
is visiting agent employed BY the
home authorities who travels over the
state helping where help is needed and
visiting the homes where children have
been placed in the care of foster par
ents
On account Of the crop failures in
some sections, a large donation is not
expected this year, but II is hoped that
the people will do what they can to
Assist in this work for the helpless. A
plan which has been most successful
is the adoption Of an annual Children's
home day among the children of the
public schools. Special programmes
are prepared for that day and pennies
and niclSles are saved UP for the chill
dren OF the home. Tho children In
the schools take delight In assisting in
this way and the results are most
heartily appreciated.
Before winter Superintendent Hall
hopes to have an addition built at the
south end Of the main building, when
more room win be added to the offices
and the nursery. A number OF neces-
sary improvements have been made
during the summer.
The work is boundless one and
much Is being done to alleviate suffer
ing among the children. The nurses
In charge are most competent and low
ing and not only care for the children
in the home, but in case OF illness
among the poor OF the city and their
services are desired, they gladly leave
the home when they can be spared, and
do what they can.
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