The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-25
MISS SPENCE FINDS
HOME FOR NEW WAIF
Court Order Converts Little
I Ruth Nelson Into Miss
Barrows Of AttlebOr0.
FOSTER FATHER JEWELLER
Unusual Philanthropy Of Girls
school Head Helped Greatly
by Former Pupils.

Mss Clara r. Spence of rs West Fifty
ff,h street princpa. of the Spence School
for GIrls. who devotes much OF her time
, finding homes for abandoned babies
, families Of wealth and refinement. has
added one more TO the list OF children
Who have become heirs to fortunes
through her efforts instead of becoming
inmates u orphan asylums
recent case in which Miss Spence
figured was the adoption OF year old
wait named Katherine Kennedy by War
uer VI Leeds. vice-prcsident OF the Ameri-
en- Sheet steel Company and brother
II the late William Il. Leeds. Mr.. and
Mrs. Leeds are chlldless. and the little
siri they adopted thus became heir to
great wealth.
Under an order just signed by Sur
-ogate Fowler a ward OF Miss Spence
became the foster daughter OF Mr.. and
Mrs Ira Barrows of 52l Park avenue.
Mr. Barrows is president OF H. +. Bar
rows 4 Co.. one OF the leading manu-
Sacturing jewelry firms of Attleboro.
Mass. and Is New York agent OF the
company at 10 Maiden lane. He Is a
member Of the University and Downtown
clubs and Of a dozen other organizations.
Hs wife is Mrs. Cecilia Filter Barrows.
Aided by Old Pupils.
The child adopted by Mr. and Mrs.
Barrows is Ruth Nelson. born on Feb
ruary IS 1913. Under the Surrogate
decree her name becomes Sarah Frances
child's parentage was made by Miss
spence. who became guardian OF little
Ruth under an order In the Probate
court at New Haven on February 81.
The child has no relatives In New York,
Miss Spence said and she became a
public charge through abandonment by
;he parents.
Much Of Miss Spence's remarkable sue
ces IN this unusual philanthropy has been
Tue 20 the cooperation of women who were
, pupils IN her school In their glrlhood. Her
work is said to have started through a
desire tu aid an unhappy woman who had
been a pupil. She has n dozen applica-
tons for children unfulnlled all the time
and her agents are constantly searching
infant asylums and charitable institutions
throughout the country to lind physically
perfect children for chldless men and
women who have placed their orders with
Mss Spence.
The expense and labor OF Miss Spence
philanthropy are shared by Miss Clara S
Baker. an assistant At the school. who Is
me Of the heirs to the s6s, 900. 900 estate
of John s. Kennedy. In telling OF This
work Miss Baker said:
During the last year and n half we
have had thirteen little visitors, some
directly I'm our home. GONE placed with n
traIned nurse. All Invariably needed
care. many wet- seriously III. We have
Kept them 'ust long enough TO have them
grow strong and now We look with salts
faction on thirteen homes where these lit
tie ones are receiving every possible care
and advantage.
"W- want just a Baby"
The requests for children have come
20 US from refined and wealthy homes
We have not found the persons desiring &c
adopt children eXacting; more often Il
heard, We want just "A baby that needs
home have a photo of II refined and
good young man, college bred. happily
married, entirely self-supportlng. n good
father and good citizen, who was adopted
80 3. frall. forlorn child.
I'VE believe In telling a child from In
fancy that II Is adopted. that It may nevei
he surprised, and we find that this /,
usually done"
TIL state Charities Aid Association
which coopcrates with Miss Spence anC
Miss Rakcr IN their work. has caused tbs
adoption ~ a homeless boy by Mr.. anC
Mrs. W Frank Dennis of 3i3 West 12is
street The boy. Arthur Merrill. become
George Francis Dennis through Surrogate
Fowlcr's order.
The papers In the case state that Mr.
Dennis conducts the Terminal Clearing
House Association at 210 East Twenty
'hi-d street and II worth more than 500.
mo. The adopted boy. who is now abou
~ wears Old, was abandoned by his par
ents In 1903 and ne was maintained 10
year by the Joint committee OF the Stat
Charities Md Society and the Association
FOR Improving the Condition of the Poor
Mr. and Mrs. Dennis took him into thei
nome IN 1904 and have now decided &