Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1912-12-13
Erects Boys Home.
From the Washington Star.


southern slope of the Sugar Loaf mountain,
about three miles from the railroad station
at Dickerson, Md, by Gordon Strong, of
Chicago. The long stretch of the building
formed of walls of hollow tile succeed and
trimmed with stone. From the southern
portico there will be series of terraces
with formal layout of gardens, running
water and so forth, which will serve, as
planned by the architect Percy Ash, of
this city, to connect the formal architec-
ture of the house with the informal sur
roundings
The latter are attractive, as the extern
sive property acquired by Mr.. Strong lies
amid scenery that has great charm. 1t
has been the design to have the house fit
in with natural surroundings, and so, while
it will be of fireproof construction and very
large, it will stretch out along the slope of
the mountain. taking plenty of room.
The new building is two stories in height
and has two wings The reception hall is
twenty by thirty feet, and has a stairway
at either end, and this great apartment
prepares one for the living room, which is
thirtytwo by sixty feet and faces south,
with easement doors leading out to the
terrace. With library and dining room at
either end, the interior furnishes vista of
some no feet
There will be fourteen bedrooms on the
second floor and nine bathrooms, while
the west wing will be given up to the
nursery, kitchen and servants quarters,
and in the east wing will be Mr., Strong's
apartments and guest chambers.
For, as Mr. Strong states, in talking
about the great enterprise he is carrying
out on his Maryland estate, the house is
but incidently for his personal residence
and is primarily for housing and educating
a group of boys. He has now in his home
in Chicago eight boys and is intending to
carry out the same plan in his Maryland
place, only on a somewhat larger scale.
What have started to dc" Mr.. Strong
states. lis to find four Or possibly five
children, preferably from four to five years
old. all boys-such boys as from their ante
cedents are capable of receiving, profiting
by and giving adequate results for the
education shall be able to give them.
Later, may, il | am satisfied with my
success with those first chosen. take an
other boy from time to time. Whether
do or not, the children first taken will be
assured of the education am prepared to
give them, as much as If they were my
own.
Mr.. Strong does not contemplate estab-
fishing an institution, as he does not be-
lieve in the institutional methods of bring
ing up children. The placing of children
in well selected homes in his opinion is
more desirable. 1t is his purpose not to
have more children than will constitute a
single family group that "can be as closely
associated with me as If they were mine
and as carefully watched and as much
with me in this work as If they were theirs.
The life of these children will be distinctly
a home life under the best conditions"
Mr.. Strong is unmarried but it is not a
part of his plan to adopt the children that
may come into his home or to separate
them from their natural relations or to take
anything away from the boy, but rather to
give him something more than he now has
or would have.
He speaks of the house which is now
being built by a corps Of workmen under
the direction of W. P. LipscOmb & Co.,
builders of this city, as the permanent
home of the children. although" he adds,
since have to be part of the year in
Chicago shall probably have one or more
of the older children with me there, partly
for my own sake and partly to give them
some of the things that can be had only
in big city"
/ Mr.. Strong has already established on
/ his property school for the children of
the neighborhood, but intends to rebuild it
on larger scale and fit ii to offer the best
primary instruction both to the neighb0rs'
children and to those of his own household.
He proposes to provide regular religious in
struction to be given also in the school
building, as the nearest church is a mile
and a half away.
Mr.. Strong proposes to follow up the
primary education, just as a parent would
who has the means. with boarding school
and college and then, If aptitude is shown,
with a professional education. He wants
to start the boys in their life work and
will continue to give them his supervision
and assistance thereafter. He feels that
he can complete the work in the case of
rearing, education and starting in life of
boys, but he has not the same confidence
in the case of girls. since to my way of
thinking" he says, "the best solution of
her life problem lies in happy marriage
thing most difficult to forward
To The Readers or The Sentinel.
Col. L. Mervin Maus, Chief Surgeon Of