Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-10-17
HOME NEEDS $4,000
If It Can BE Raised Like Amount
Will Be Available.
MANAGEMENT Hopes 10 lie Able 20 TAX
Advantage of GencrOus OTer Of
Nrs. Fletcher ID. PrOctOr---A
Years Work.


Thursday afternoon at three o'clock
Prayer was offered by the Rev G. ].
Staples. and reports were made by the
different officers of the corporation. The
annual report of the president. Mrs. L.
b. Plat. tells what the home has done
during the year. and follows in fun;
PRESIDENTS REPORT.
To-day occurs the forty-scven,h ami
versary of the establishment of the
Home for Destitute Children.
a recent paper said that the first in
stitation to be called "a childrcn's home
was founded in 1S6i AS our chldrcn's
home was founded in 1867 it was surely
on" Of tn" first to be established.
Previous to this date, Miss Lucia
Wheeler. u confirmed invalid. and often
times a great sufferer. had gathered to-
gcthcr INTO her little brick cottage on
Main street seven little girls. left des-
ttutc by death, incompetence or crime,
she cared for thom and Owed them, the
number increased to twelve, she soon
realized that her strength was too little
and her house too small for tn. nun-
Der OF children that needed a home.
1t was therefore decided to form
corporation to carry on the work, and
| in November, 1856. corporation was or
| ganizod under the name of the Home
| for Destitute Children, with the object
of providing for homeless children, and
fitting them for situations of usefulness
and self maintenance. The first boa I'd
of managers consisted of Lucia 7. Wheel
er, Laura Ilickok, Harriet Shed, Julia
LOOMS, l,liza Smith Mary H. Phelps,
| -. /.
each denomination of the Protestant
! Chuch Mas represented.
AS soon AS the existence of a cnildren's
nome became known, applications came
from all over the State and the appeals
were so urgent that in 1855 the old ma
r'nc hospital was purchased at Il cost of
seven thousand dollars. Miss Lucia
| Wheeler was elected president, and
served for three years. The next presi-
uent, Miss Mary Torrcy, served for one
year Mrs William c. Hickok was the
third president her heart and strength
went into the work, and no president has
ever worked as she did, each week she
drove about the country collecting food
and clothing, whatever kind friends
would give, it was through the untiring
efforts of Mrs. EIickok that the home
was able to exist, for the home was en-
lircy dependent upon charity. Mrs
Iicllok served IA years, the president.
that followed were Mrs. l.. A. Turrill
Mrs. Henry p. Torrey. Mrs. Charles
Miner. During Mrs Torrcy's aGminstra
tion the home was burned and the ques
ton Wher" to put over 50 children whil
= suitable building was erected was
serious one. number of people in Bur
lington took children. and Mrs. Theodore
Hopkins gave the use of her house OF
Sholburne road.
The insurance on the burned HON
bindings enabled the management t.
b, gin at once the erection of the preSen
home, tut money had to be borrowed Il
the work progressed, and when repair
! had to be made on the Howard oper
y house building. more money had to b
obtained, the chief source of the incom
OF the home is from the Howard oper
% louise block, and to rent well, the build
! ing must he kept in order
; For the completion of the present nom
uilding ana tor repairs on the opcr
" rousc block. there was borrowed owe
$4,000, ana it is ihc paving of the interes
T. on this dent that hampers the prvser
home. Shortly before the death or tn
q Hon. Fletcher II. Proctor he visited tn
+ home, he nocAm" very much interested
l. and was surprised to know what was be
n ing done here, what care and love til
= children have. he saw the fathfulness {
Z the matrcn and the carctakcr and no
5. they study the child. and try and do
e. every way what is wisest and best, /
Z expressed his pleasure in showing I'll;
~. ,bii of
home to come to, in his memory Mr.
Proctor offers to Civ to the home 500"
If another 5000 is given.
We feel If this money could be raise
- cur debt could be paid and we could ei'
the children manual training and dome
tic science.
The older children attend the publ
T. schools in burlington. for the little on
!, there Is a KINDERGARTEN in the home bull
"a ing The baby room is open. through Il
generosity of friends, at the time
n writing we have II babies in the nursery
i We do want manual training for II
N older children, so that besides the trai
N ing the public schools give, our bo
n may have a i;nowlcdRe of tools AZ
;" farm work, and the girls a knowled
IN of housekeeping and cooking, and
T. and also have a means OF self suppol
III As almost everyone who is interested
Oh charitable work knows il is now Il
y. policy of almost all institutions to fiji
II families, who VIII take the children, b
$ cause family life is better for IA chi
" than institutional life and if we can fiji
u suitable Christian homes for our oh
IT dren, We are thereby enabled to ca
for many more children during a yes
) Tor as soon as a child is placed in
30 family there is room in the home +
another child, at present there are
the home eighty children-39 boys.
girls, and fourteen babies, during t
year 20 children have been adopted. +
cause the home Is In Burlington ma
- people do not know 1t Is home +
children throughout the State. compar
mt lively few OF the children are Burlin
OF ton children. Burlington provides W
hs for its poor, most of the childr
,rt come from the small towns. where tn,
,ol are no organized charities.
IT. We wish every one who cares for
20. uplifting of little children would come :.
til see this home. See the happy chidr
J. See how well they are cared for h
n. bright and clean and comfortable are
rooms, how faithful the matron and ca
ID taker are, how many delightful outir
MI the people of Burlington give the cl
ed dren, how well they are remembered
OF Christmas. And whenever you know o.
OF ! child that Is homeless, remember Il
be there are places for so little children
| ha l,