The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-08-11
CARING FOR THE WAITS AND STRAYS
A BLESSED AND UNIQUE CHARITY

Group or children In front OF TIM
Richmond Home
Unique mong the various philaH-
thropic Institutions which do honor
10 our city snd State and which We
have been presenting from week TO
week on this page. Is the Children's
Home society Of Virginia. 1t has i's
headquarters at 2605 East Franklin
street and Dir william }. Maybae IS
the State superintendent.
This qgorthx and admirable 4atef-,
p~rsc Was founded eleven years ago.
few words OF explanation a. 10 It9
method of work may Do In order. 1t
differs from the ordinary orpndaaye
or ch.ldreu's home. in that 1t does
not seek 10 provide at anV specific
place home or institution FOR the
permanent residence of the children
for whom 1t cares. The .haofY on
which the enterprise IL founded il
that tne best place for child e
good home $50 the problem which
these warkers seek 10 solve has IN it
two elements First. they must find
the children whose necessuoas con
ditIon. for one reason or ano' her.
makes q just appeal for help. some
times these children are orphans, but
arc go conditioned that they cannot
get access to e.sta blIshed orn1 images
Sometimes th-v are the Chudre1 Of
utterly sinful, unworthy and neglect
ful parentaGe Sometimes thew are
found in the direst and most squalid
poverty
The second element Of the problem
IS to uOl srtiahle bones n which
I, place these children. II VIII be
observed shat both Of these are Tell
cate and difficulty questions - G@al
with It would doubtless surprise
the good readers OF this page TO know
how many little ones are discovered
by this society, little ones whose
hopeless surroundings are so depress-
ing and disheartening that they would
appeal to the most careless and IN
different observer photograph
which unfortunately We cannot repro
duce lies on our desk AS we write OF
this work II Is picture Of an aban-
dunad RAILWAY coach out IN an old
field on the improyised steps are
two women. mothers, and N front
Of them are gathered a group Of emil
dreu seven In number, chtldrn1 Who
are worae Than fatheIless. and surely
also worse than mothcrlcss side by
side with this IS a picture or SIX II
this same GROUP after 1heY have come
under the Csre Of this society, and
no tender or sympathetic heart cHu'd
fan 10 be moved nv the contrast which
these pictures present. These chil-
dren are now In good Christian homes,
wen cared for and happy,
Since the society was organized
and mp 10 the 30th Of Aprl. llo2
children had passed under their care.
OF this large number 25l nave been
legally adopted as the children Of the
people INTO whose homes they nave
Kelfe 'GWI, hetaaFsSi and tAtF13rF"'1s'
have grown to manhood or woman
hood. returned to parents OF guardians
or have otherwise been disposed or.
ON April 30th. GO were under the
supervision Of the society This leads
AS to say that the society, except IN
cage of legal adoption, never surren-
ders the control Of the children thdt
are committed TO- it, II maintains
] visiting, secretary now Miss Florence
Leslie Kelley. daughter of Dr. Kelley.
I formerly pastor Of the Broad street
Methodist church. In Richmond. She
goes from home TO home all over the
state, wherever these children have
been located and personally inspects
the conditions under which they are
living and regularly and faithfully re-
ports To the superintendent what she
/ has seen. Wherever II is plain that
the home is not suitable for the chill
dren OF the children unSuited to the
home the children are at once taken
back under the care of the society.
This cost of supervision amounts 10
only $1,000 per capita each year. The
home in Richmond has always In II
: Of
their introduction into the homes
where they are TO spend the remainder
OF their youth Every care is taken
ia this transient home 10 Improve
their minds. their morals and their
manners and to make their pitiful lot
as happy As possible
Considering the delicate and DIM
cult nature of the work, il is quite
astonishing how few mistakes are
made and how large a percentage Of
those who are sent into these homes
remain to bless and comfort the kind
! Is hearts of those who are caring for
them.
We cannot rorbear 70 print this
sample letter from little fellow tell
| ing the superintendent of his new
home with all its strange and entranc-
ing sights and sounds.
IL promised to write to you; and
have chance today after coming from
Sunday school l. have two calves
little fellows one name Lena. and nine
cows and calves. and some Of coolest
calves: and five horses three Of them
are mine. named Charlie. Billy and
Lutte. J have some big pigs. and
tried to catch one OF them. but could
not pick II up nave some baby
pigs that VIII squeal when We catch
them. They are afraid Of us and have
TO slip up easy to get them. | have
two turkeys and gobbier; and eeery
time YOU whistle. he5 will gohble: some