Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-05-06
FAMILY Of 115,
DESCRIBES THE
FOSTER HOME
Institution, Celebrating Sixty
third Anniversary, Cheerful
Abode of Boys and Girls.

Family life-that is what we try
to have here at the home"
Miss Julia Macdonald, superintend-
ent for the last seven years of the
Protestant Foster Home, 3S4 Belleville
avenue, summed up in this manner for
an Evening STAR reporter today the
am ana OBJECT OF the institution, which
celebrated its sixty-third Anniversary
IhuIauay atteiIo3n.
YES" abe admitted l~aughingly, ats
rayher u big famiiy-one hundred and
afgeen BOYS and girls. sui still we
keep it a big family rather than an
institution. They nave their little duties
every day. School is held just as in a
public school, with The same hours
and same subjects. And throughout
it all ouf one enaeavor is to turn out
men ano women who will be true and
worthy ,itizens-men and women who
are human, wholesome and happy.
''Nher anyone in the home shows
any special talent we try to develop
hIrn aiofig that line. Three of our boys
are draaghtsmen in the New Jersey
4iac Works, where they went directly
from the home. Irving II. Jelley, 16
years, the youngest of them, is our
artist. 'khen there is a girl who gets
i. dollar and u half a day as b dress
IiDtieI.'
Baby Holds Septre.
Miss Macdonald led the way through
airy class-rooms and a long, light dan
ing-room, to a play-room, in which the
ounger members of the big family
were playing. There the BABY of the
home, 3 years old. held dominion. ably
seconded by sturdy little twins, who
insisted upon explaining to Miss Mac
Donald the wonurous beauty of two
little American flags which each
clutched in a chubby, pink hand.
Outside in the wide stretch of play
ground were other ~children-some boys
playing and a group of girls mimicing
with cnIidish gravity the social ameni-
ties of an afternoon collation..
aside in the garden the father of one
OF the girls was working. while his
daughter stood near talking.
eve SEND the little ones to bed about
half-past seven,' Miss Macdonald said,
and the rest follow in relays until the
home is all quiet at half-past nine. Fire
10 the only thing l nave ever had any
dread of. But we can all get out in
leas than three minutes"
she superintendent stopped and
laughed a moment.
Visitor Rings Fire Gong.
''Christnlas eve ] was sitting In my
room reading a Yuletide story. l.
house was quiet and most of the girls
asleep. The door had been left I'M
latched, and a tailor, bringing back a
newly-pressed suit, walked right in
without ringing the bell. He waited for
a time and then, seeing the fire-gong,
rang that. The next minute everyone
in the home vas t%hronging down the
stairs into the main hall. The twins
were on hand; wen those In the hos
pital were wrapped in blankets and
helped down. The poor man was so
amazed and dazed and stunned that he
could do nothing but moan. I didn't
mean it. Excuse me. l didn't mean
il.
Miss Macdonald explained that the
only punishment used in the home was
when she deprived a boy or girl occa-
sionally from participating In the
games. The discipline is always ex-
eellent, irrespective of Miss MacDon-
AIDS presence or absence.
hut, Alas No Mother Love.
"But. after ALL she said, there is
always the element OF tragedy, of eS-
sential pathos. The children are with
out a father and mother love, without
which no home can be what it ought
to be, and it is just that which we try,
above all else, to make up for
There are at present lis children in
the home, ranging from 3 to 10 years of
6 e The oldest, Miss Elizabeth Elliot,
assists in teaching. The primary chill
dren receive instruction from Mrs. Will
lam j.. Boomer and Miss Grace Cole
teaches the higher grades, assisted by
Mrs. Boomer and Miss Elliot. Miss
Julia Macdonald is the matron of the
home and there are eleven assistants.
The officers Of the organization are:
Mrs. Robert Il. Ballantine. president;
Mrs. John F. Dryden, vice. president;
Mrs. P. Sanford Ross, second vice.
president; Mrs. A. Nelson Holiiheld,
third vice-president; Mrs. Charles
Borcherling, fourth vice-president; Mrs.
r. A. Pruden. treasurer: Miss Luranah
Runyon, recording secretary; Mrs. Mat
thias Plum, jr., corresponding score
tary.