Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-10-21
$4,000 DEBT A BURDEN
TO CHILDREN S HOME
Managers Would Like to See
II Wiped Out-Year's Work
Outlined in Report of Pres
ident Given at Annual Meet
ing of Corporation

tist Church Thursday afternoon Mrs
l., r Plat presented her report "a presi-
dent and the following officers were
elected President, Mrs. H. r. Platt;
hrst vice-president, Mrs. c. r. Smith
second vice-presdent, Mrs. J. r. Tag
CART; treasurer, Mrs r. ]. Andrews,
secretary, Miss Mary Roberts; auditor.
Buel r Baldwin board Of managers.
Mrs. c. p. Smith, Mrs. H. S. Peck Mrs
A. q. Simonds, Mrs. Clarence G. Crane,
Miss Mary Roberts Mrs H. W. Hickok.
Mrs. @ G. F. Tobev, Mrs J. f. Tag
CART. Mrs Fred H. Wells and Mrs A. G.
Whittemore; advisory committee. Mrs
George w. Wales. Robert Roberts. j. II.
Macomber; county managers: Addison
county. Mrs John A. Fletcher of Middle.
bury; Bennington county, Mrs. Edward
Bradford Of Bennington. Caledonia
county, Mrs. Arthur Brooks Of ST. Johns
bury; Franklin county. Mrs. Daniel
Noren Of East Berkshire; Grand Isle
county, Mrs. NJ r, Landon Of South
Hero; Lamoille county, Mrs n. w. Rey-
rolds Of Cambridge Orange county. Mrs
r r. Salisbury of Randolph. Washing
ton county. Mrs. Newton r. Nye of Barre
Windham county. Mrs E. L. S,icknsy OF
Brattleboro.
Mrs, Platt's report follows
PRESIDENTS REPORT
This is the 55th annual report ~ tho
Home for Destitute Children To anyone
visiting the home there would seem to
be little change from year 10 year. the
buildings look the same. the dorn1itories
are hlleh. the play rooms have the Same
degree Of noise -he babies in tie nur-
sery. having had their breakfast. are
sound asleep az tan O'Clock. and at four
o'clock In the afternoon all are crying
Justify for the milk that Is soon to come.
The routine varies little The day begins
at SIX o'clock breakfast is At $50. the
children are ready for school at $50, din
ner Is 1890, and supper at $50. The
babies 20 to bed at Ave O'Clock. and the
other children AT 730. This year the
sidewalk referred to in my last years
report as being much needed to connect
the cottages and hospital has now been
built. and being able in the spring on q
rainy day to walk from one building
to another and not be deep in mud seems
almost luxury One does not notice
great changes, but every day brings its
problems. different from those we have
had before
I have In previous reports referred IN
the children the home takes as boa riders
children not orphans or deserted, but
whose parent or parents are unable tenn
porarily to care for them. There has
been during the last year an unusually
large number Of appeals to care for such
children. The home was founded for des
titute children, but, under present condt.
tions. II sometimes seems as II more
good could be done by helping a strus
Cling parent over hard time or through
a long illness to have her know her chill
dren are being kindly looked after. II
takes thought and investigation to know
when this help Is necessary. and much
discretion must be used in accepting, o,
rejecting, these appeals The home wants
TO help tide over hard time. but can
not be used as a boarding place, with nc
thought on the parents part as to the
good to be derived to the child There
have been many families held togethe,
because over time of trouble the chill
dren have been boarded in the home
The children who come as boarders. as
we'll as our own children. soon learn &c
he polite. consderate, almost always
truthful and obedent. Institutional life
Ia not the natural life for a child anc
always our children are taught that We
hops some day mother will be found
n
own and homes will be found for them
We try always TO place children in fami.
lies where they will receive an educa
ton and be sent to church and Sabbath
school Sometimes children are adopted
by people who have much TO give them
hut, usually it Is the plain. hard-workinl
friends who want to share what the,
have and these are almost always home:
Of honesty. uprightness and love. Re
Gently, I have had letters from three
of the children who we're once in IN.
home. but now have homes and famil,e,
of their own. | can recall many instance,
OF girls. after they were grown, comns
back and wanting positions as teac her.
or helpers in the home. Our books SHOW
that some of our boys have become min
isters, some lawyers and one a doctor
| There are more farmers, and Of the boy,
who now have their own farms, / thlnl
we are the most proud,
| Miss Baldwin, who was matlon of tn.
home for IS years. and afterwards score
tary, knew every child who had been IL
the home under her administration Thi
year she has been obliged to resign; w
miss her knowledge, her good Judgment
which was the result of many wears o
| experience. The debt Of the home Is thu
same AS 1T was last year, 5000. Fifteel
years ago it was $4,000. Through sub
scriptions and gifts IT has been reduced
! 70 5000. hut that 5000 still remains ant
IL burden. To an institution, as 10 Al
Individual, debt Is hard To carry.
am sometimes asked what the home need
most This report Is not intended TO ~
means OF begging but In telling you o
the work of the home 1t seems AS II /
must he Of interest to know OF some o
Its present needs. And one need is q,
electric washing machine that will d
the washing for the family There i
now a small machine, which makes u
realize what would he the value to tn
home of washing machine that woul'
| do the laundry work as II is now done II
| most institutions The Weld Of the farm
has been abundant. all the fruit and vege
tables for canning have been grown oil
the farm and during the summer all tn
vegetables that the family have had
have seen as many as three vegetable
on the table AT dinner, and by havinl
so many vegetables the meat bill ha
been greatly reduced. The potato Gro
promised 10 be unusually large. but afte
the potatoes were dug many Of Their
were found to have a blight, which
prevalent throughout this part Of tn
state this year. There are no apples
or very few, and a gift OF apples to b
used In cooking. or for the children t
eat, would be appreciated
The home tries in every way 10 NEE
its present expenses and the chldre
help in more ways than once we woul
have thought possible. have heard
said in former years, lit Ia more work I
| bother with boys than II is to do il my