The Monroe journal., 1922-02-07
is FIRST OF IT'S KIND
Story of Foundation of Union
County Children's Home Is
Graphically Related
ITS SUCCESS is ASSURED
Something Must Be Done" Was Cry
That Promoted Rev. and Mrs.
L Snyder in Undertaking
BY Henry Belk

Inc ttlepnUnt JaiSleu iouuly. Inc
Rev. E. C. Snyder, superintendent of
public welfare of Union county, took
the receiver from the hook.
as this Mr.. Snyder?" inquired the
voice of Mrs. L. N. Presson at the
other end of the wire, "Well, Mr..
Snyder, | just wanted to tell you
about the Blank family in North
Monroe. The mother is sick. The
father ran away long ago. There
are four children all under twelve
and they haven't bite to eat, Some
thing Just has to be done. | called
to ask if you as county welfare officer
can see to it."
81 knew about the case" replied
the minister, "and will see what can
be DONE"
This conversation took place in
Monroe in June of 1921. A few days
before the Rev. Mr.. Snyder had visit
ed the home mentioned while at
tending to the duties of his office.
He found the mother and four chill
dren living in little hovel in North
Monroe amid most repulsive sur
roundings. Women of i'll fame oc-
cupied rooms in the hut. The wind
whipped through the cracks in the
wall, bearing the smell Of hog pens
which lined up close to the shack
which the children called home. Their
clothing was scant, dirty, and ragged.
Their eyes were not the bright eyes
of happy children, but the sad eyes
of body that is hurt and does not
understand why it is hurt.
Children We're Saved
Today they are different children.
They are happy as all children should
be. They wear clean clothes. They
romp, and play, and go to school.
They have plenty to eat. The sad,
panied look has disappeared from
their eyes. The light of the love
of life has taken its place. The mira
Gle that has been wrought in the
lives Of these four children has been
wrought in the lives of twenty-seven
others and will be wrought in the
lives of many more. The story Of
the miracle is the story of the birth
of an idea in the soul of big hearted
man, its realization through faith in
his fellow-men.
Something must be DONE" The
words that Mrs. Presson had spoken
over the telephone rang in the ears
of Mr.. Snyder. All afternoon the
phrase kept repeating itself in his
brain. lie carried it to bed with him
that night. Something must be done,
for the fatherless children of North
Monroe who had nothing to eat were
not the only ones in Union county.
He knew that there must be score
of others scattered over the country.
Mentally he reviewed, from knowl-
edge gained in his work as a minis
ter, homes over the county where
children were being brought up un-
der most intolerable moral surround
ings, where the gaunt face of pow
erty was the most familiar parsonage
where a father had never been known.
The picture Of those children going
through the world without a chance
would not let him sleep.
"The Lord gave me the idea that
night" said Mr.. Snyder in telling the
story. His idea was to start Union
County Children's Home. And he
did it.
The home is the first project in the
reclamation of child lives under
county government in North Caro-
lima. if not in the South. Every
county has its home for the poor,
where the aged and indigent may be
cared for, but Mr.. Snyder's action to
secure a county home for orphans
and children who are not receiving
the proper care or moral training in
the home of their parents marks a
new departure in the state. He had
never heard of the county system Of
orphanages maintained in Ohio.
Mr. Snyder did not let any grass
grow under his feet after the idea
had been conceived. So firm was
his belief in his ability to carry it
out. so firm his faith in the citizen |
ship of Union county to aid worthy
undertaking, that the morning after
the telephone conversation he went
to the hovel in North Monroe, Sc
cured the four hungry children and
carried them to his own home until
such time as his scheme could be
worked out.
When he had carried the four chill
dren to his home and given them
food, Mr.. Snyder went back to the !
business district of Monroe to talk
his plans with some of the inhuen-
tial citizens. A native Of the county,
he knew the man to approach with
his idea. r. A. Morrow, president
of the Heath Morrow Company and
Union county's leading philanthropy
ist. was talked to concerning the pro-
posed home. He was hearty in his
endorsement Of the proposed home.
Mr.. T. P. Dillon, head Of the Dillon
& Sons furniture store, was ap-
preached. DR.. ]. M. Belk, head OF
the Belk chain Of stores, Mr.. w. S.
Blakeney, president of the Bank Of
IL fz...o~I., x.raetda.t ~ tha