The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1916-02-03
OLD PEOPLES Home ESTABLISHED HERE
Iva W. " " u u
PRESENT PROSPECT OF LARGE GROWTH
INSTITUTION OCCUPIES OLD
KELLER MANSION-CONDU
ED BY REV. VATNE
TEN NOW Being CARED FOR
Sarrepta Home for the Aged!'

Sarrepta Home for the Aged!{
How many Sank Centre people
know there is such an institution in
Sank Centre or know where it is To-
Gated, what is its mission or how long
ago it came into being.
Briefly, Sarrepta Home is the new
name of the old Henry Keller man
sion on Keller Hill south of the city;
its purpose is to supply a comfortable
residence to poor and homeless aged
women and men who otherwise would
have no home; it was founded by Rev.
A. Vatne to satisfy personal belief
in need of such home in the North
west but has been taken over since
by the Church of the Lutheran Breth-
ern with Rev. Vatne retained as sup
erintendent.
Though it has been in existence less
than four months, the trial has al
ready been severe enough to convince
Rev. Vatne that the home is destined
to big success and ultimately will be-
come an institution of large proper
tions.
The Home was opened September
Is last. Three days later the first ap-
plicant was admitted and now the
Family" numbers ten in all, one mar
ried couple, one single woman and
eight single men. The ages range
from 81 to IS and one of the men is
blind. They come from wide terri
tory, including Kandota, Fosston,
Little Sank, Kenyon, Nymore and
Minneapolis; Max and Grand Forks,
North Dakota, and one of the men is
from Kansas. Rev. Vatne says there
is room for s more in the home and
these will be taken in as soon as ap-
plications are received.
The requirements for becoming a
member of the Sarrepta household are
not strict. 1t is only necessary that
the applicants be aged, poor, home
less and fit person to enjoy the adj
vantages of the Home All admis-
sions are granted with the qualifica-
ton of a six months probationary
period.
Inmates of the Home are taken in
free of charge. If they are able to
support themselves they must do SC
or to what extent they can; if they
cannot do anything for themselves
all needs of home, food and clothing
are provided from the Home fund.
Though conducted by the Church Of
the Lutheran Brethren it is not nec4
essary to be member of that denom-
nation to enter the home. Only four
of the present inmates are members
of that church. Neither is distinction
made because Of nationality. Prefer
ence is given Norwegians, however,
because the founders of the Home are
Norwegians as are also all the present
!. inmates, and as they converse al
most entirely in that tongue it is be-
lieved other natiOnalities would no
feel as freely at home as a Norweg-
ian.
The idea originated with Rev. Vatne,
who is pastor of Lutheran Brethren
congregation near Osakis and which
pulpit he has occupied since his or
dination as minister five years ago.
, Prior to that time he had conducted
a farm in North Dakota. Gray of
hair himself, yet sturdy, straight and
active, his hands showing the marks
| of long years of hard labor, he is the
; very life of the Sarrepta Home and
has consecrated the remainder of his
J years and his money toward working
; out his idea to a, big successful issue.
When the idea of the old folks home
came to Rev. Vatne he began to look
! around for location and site and de-
cided on Sank Centre and the Keller
mansion with it's spacious and beau
tiful grounds. He purchased the
building and grounds with $500 of
his own money!
! At the annual meeting of the Lu-
theran Brethren church last June he
presented his scheme, told of his pur-
chase and asked for the support of
the church. This was granted and
! Rev. Vatne was instructed to proceed
| with his plans, assisted by the follow
ing committee: Andrew Erickson and
Gilbert Olson, Osalis, and Andrew J..
Johnson, Little Sank.
On September Is last the home was
opened and was successful from the
very beginning under the direction of
Rev. Vatne. On November II he
decided the entire property over to the
church and it's affairs are now looked
after by the seven trustees with Rev.
Vatne actively in charge.
i So confident is Rev. Vatne that the
institution will grow to large proper
tons that he recently purchased three
and one-half acres of land immediate
| ly to the south of the home property
which will be devoted to gardening