Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-10-16
CH|LDREN'S HOME
NEEDS MORE MONEY
Fixed Income and Usual Gifts
Not Enough to Properly Man.
age Institution in These Days
of High Prices for Food, Cloth
ing and Fuel


Church Thursday afternoon. Mrs. l.. b. |
Plat presented her report as president, (
and the following officers were elected:
President, Mrs. l.. 3. Platt; vice-pres- |
ident, Mrs. c. p Smith; treasurer, MRS. |
c. S. Isham; assistant treasurer, Miss
Alice c. Howe secretary. Miss Mary
corresponding secretary, Miss l..
NJ. Baldwin: auditor, Buel B. Baldwin;
board of managers. Mrs. G. p. Smith,
Mrs. II. s. Peck, Mrs. c. 8. Isham. Mrs.
Clarence G.. Crane, Miss Mary Roberts
Mrs. II. w. Hckok. Mrs. G. q. F. Tobey.
Miss Alice c. Howe. Mrs. j. E. Taggart,
Mrs Fred II. Wells, Mrs. F. II. Parker
and Mrs. A. G.. whittemore; advisory
committee. Mrs George w. Wales. Rob-
ert Roberts, J. II. Macomber; county
managers, Addison county. Mrs. John A.
Fletcher Of Middlebury; Bennington
county, Mrs. Edward Bradford Of Ben
nington; Caledonia county. Mrs. Arthur
Brooks of st. Johnsbury; Franklin coun-
ty. Mrs. Daniel Moren of East Berkshire;
Grand Isle county, Mrs. NJ. p. Landon
of South Hero; Lamoille county, Mrs. u
w. Reynolds of Cambridge; Orange coun-
ty, Mrs. F.. T. Salisbury of Randolph;
Rutland county, Mrs. F. /. Hall OF Rut-
land; Washington county, Mrs. Newton
p. Nye of Barre; windham county. Mrs.
Il. l.. Stickney of Brattleboro.
Mrs. Platts report follows:
PRESIDENTS REPORT
This is the saith annual report of the
Home for Destitute Children and the
18th report that / as president have writ
ten. and every year several people have
come to me. and asked If it would not be
better, for the home to be called some
thing besides "A Home for Destitute Chill
dren." To me the name seems fitting, 1t
Is the name that was given by the found
ers and it was for the purpose of caring
for destitute children that the home first
opened it doors. The homo is for desti-
tute homeless children.
As has been said in reports in previous
years, the home does take as boarders
some children whose parents, or parent
are for the time being unable to provide
for them. Since the influenza epidemic
Is children who have lost either one or
both parents and who had no place to
go, were taken into the home until a
place could be found for them. In every
case there was someone. who could pay a
little board for these children, they did
not wish to surrender them. but needed
help until place could be found. The
sum paid for these children's board is al
ways small, 1t never equals what the
child costs, but II Is often through this
form of charity. that a parent is able to
tide over a hard time. and again make
provision for her child. The children who
are surrendered and for whom homes are
found, are we feel the children who re-
ceive the greatest good.
Last week visited woman who was
taken from the home IA years ago by fine
Scotch family in Canada. Now she is mar
ried and has n home of her own, and 1t is
one of the cleanest, best ordered houses
! / have seen in the country. Her foster
parents have three children and they told
me. they loved her as they did their own.
Now that she il married and gone from
US we would be glad TO give another
lassie home.
A few weeks ago. a home boy. who had
just returned from fighting in France
came to see me. He had gone out with
the Canadian regiment of Highandsrs
had been at the front for over two years
had fought bravely, and had won honor
1.-TWO of our boys We're with the Highland
ers from Canada. We know of so of the
home boys who fought in the war. AND
there were probably more.
1t Is interesting to follow the lives OF
these children who have been given to oul
care. and 1t is equally interesting to see
and to know the families into whose
homes they have gone. The letters which
come to us are almost always filled with
love and tenderness. especially for the ba
bes. and the very young children.
Life in an institution cannot be tn,
same as it is in family. We feel tn,
children are happy They certainly arr
conscientious!y cared for. They play ant
we teach them TO be helpful. They al
| olra hntr Nod ., l,a,-
as we'll as do the girls The older chill
dren help in many ways. Some helped
with the canning. The matron has can
ned 40 quarts of vegetables and fruit
The boys help the farmer on the farm
AS has been the custom ever since tn
home was founded, the children attend 1,
turn, every Protestant Church in Bur
lington. and on Sunday afternoon student
, from the university come to the hom
and Sunday-school is held In the Assem-
by room.
We have several times been asked /
certain children could not go to the Sun
. day school of the church their parent
, had attended. 1t has been hard some
. times TO say. 1t seemed best for a!
$ children in the home to go to the differ
ent churches and to stay at the home sun
day school in the afternoon, but in al
institution one must have rules. an,
keep to them. We cannot permit on
parent or guardian to come and take hi
| child to church with him unless all par
ents are permitted TO follow their religi
, Gus preferences for their children w
regret that this is true, but the regret O
institutional life is. that it must be I'll
4. lie of the group and not. the life of tn
individual. That IL one reason we wan
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