Norwich bulletin., 1911-09-29

I large share of responsibility, assured | that from them the home will receive 1 the same practical and kindly: consid-
 eration that has been accorded it in l the past.
 It would be impossible to thank all 1 who have given money, books, fruit, !! candy and toys, or who have in any
 way aided in the work. As no one has l been asked for donation of any kind. we are sure the voluntary contribu- tors need nothing more than the assur- ance that their gifts have reached the children and have been much enjoyed l by them.
 Reports by Visitors.
 1 This was followed by the reports l presented by the visitors who have an 1 oversight of the children placed out n l private homes around the county of | the twenty five visitors, half were l present to give their reports iY: per soH and the others all sent written reparts. wr.ioh were read either by | Mrs. Mitchell or by Mrs. Robert ". i F. trkins who with M,s. F. S. Camp 1 u'cl.;,ied seats at the sacretarv's table. l Heforts were made Of moro tan l25@ children, and in practically every , instance showed the little ones in homes where they were happy and eontented, where the people are pleas 1 ed to have them. and where they were l under good influences for the forma- 1 tion of character and proper habits and ideas of life. In a number of 1 instances, the families would on no account part with their children now 1 that they had them. in several cases the children were SO devoted to their 1 homes that they cried for fear they were9to be taken away when the wis 1 itor called on the inspection tour. One 1 girl had gotten into a home where it was likely she wot,ld be favored with | a college education. Some of the boys ] who are reaching the age to go to work want to be chauffeurs or to work | q Lisbon home had died this week, i but had received the best of care dur l ing his illness.
 Among those to make reports were Mrs. Fitch for Bozrah, Mrs. Mitchell ] for Colchester Miss Hattie E. Hewitt and Miss Mabel Moves for Lebanon, 1 Mrs. Robert W. Perkins for S2 chill 1 dren in Norwich homes, Ernest L. | Latimer for Salem, and Miss Bertha l E. Lewis for Voluntown.
 i Mrs. Mitchell summed up the reports 1 by giving figures, which she said, ! however, might be modified by the l time the annual report was prepared, i showing that there were v children
 now in the house, 1zs in homes. boys ! had gone to the state reformatory, | one girl to the state school for girls. 1 one to the House of the Good Shep- herd, one boy had died at the hospital, 1 one at home, and one boy had run
 away and had not been found.
 The roll call of visitors followed, to i which eleven answered.
 Commissioner Williams Heard. l Chairman Williams spoke briefly and 1 affectingly of what had been shown by l the reports that had been heard saying l that to those not in close touch with | the work. these exercises might seem I dry and uninteresting, but they speak | For l and the work of the town. visitors is amply supplemented by the board at the | home, and no child is lost sight of. 1 What a grand work to be engaged in, 1 to care for these little waifs as we care for our own. May we not hope that this work will reach out to enlist the 1 interest and sympathy of others, for 1 il is a; grand work and worthy of our best effort and interest.
 He called upon Charles F. Kellogg of l Waterbury, secretary of the state I board of charities, who commended the l very complete reports given and the 1 competent way in which homes had been found for the children. He said that the New London county figures l would be among the best in the state, for the important part of this work was the placing out in homes, and that
 seemed to be done very ably here. He spoke of agitation in Middlesex for 1 manual training in the schools, but 1 thought it hardly to be recommended.
 Rev. c. H. Ricketts attested his feel
 ing of gratitude for such excellent !! work being done for these unfortunate children. These little; ones are on the ] hearts of the secretary and the others 1 in charge. He spoke of the admirable ] way in which the home was conduct | ed, a condition that was its regular state, and he was not surprised to 1 know that it was one of the best in
 the state.
 Ernest p atin7er one of the visit 1 ors, asked to be excused when called :, upon, and Acting School Visitor Frank H. Floss was next called upon. He spoke of the fine work that he knew i was being done in the school and in the home.
 When invited by the chairman to speak. James Cooper of Mystic, who
 is in charge of the town of Stonington i school affairs, made comment upon the good work that he had heard reported. He suggested that the i trouble about lack of dormitory room at the home, might be helpeA
 is the children could be taken i care of in the schools of Nor
 wicIf It would be ultimately broad ening of their views of citizenship. He
 strongly urged this point.
 | pr. White Spoke.
 Dr. Frank White of Hot Springs. i Ark, who has spent twelve years of his life as president of the Home | Finding Work of Chicago. said their | experience had been that n,tlny more people wanted children than there , were children to supply. The trouble
 had been to keep the children out of
 homes to which they ought not to go.
 To put an orphan or destitute child in good home was the best thing
 that could be done for it, and he I thought the children were usually a treated too, lovingly sometimes even I to their detriment. He spoke in eulogy
 of the value of a child in the home
 and said he wouldn't give cent for
 a man who wasn't able to take care of
 d woman and half a dozen children. f To adopt children is benefit to the community, to the state and to the T individuals. Children pay their way ' in the home, he asserted.
 Regretted Leaving Work MT. Williams closed the business
 part of the meeting with few brief remarks, in which he said that it was } with regret on his part that he came
 to leave the work that had been so near his heart in the past eleven years !; and to sever the pleasant relations formed with so many in that time. He } did not mean to say goodbye, for his heart would be here. although his body and work would be elsewhere, and } whenever he had opportunity to speak 1 a good word or do good work for , any of the children scattered around 1 through the towns of the county he | stood ready to do it.