The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1953-12-04

thin about me and my kin" She
was one of the four Brown chill
dren Mr.. Streeter had placed
back in 1903, but she had never
reached her destination.
The well-meaning friend who
had offered to take all four chill
dren to their new home, knew of
another family who wanted
little girl so had left her Off
with them. Separated from fam
lily ties completely, the child had
never overcome her feeling of
insecurity.
She had passed from an un-
happy childhood into unhappy
Womanhood. Now, well past
forty, she sought her birthright.
The Society gave her a delayed
registration birth certificate, US
ing the small cards on file for re-
ference. When she smiled her
thanks, it was easy to see she was
unaccustomed to smiling. Four
decades was a long time to find
that only fate had robbed her of
her real name.
There are many other stories in
the 5000 records in the fire
proof vault in Greensboro.
There's the story of the baby
born in a county poor-house in
1919. His 18-year- mother, who
was born in the same poor house,
died of tuberculosis six months
later. The mother had spent all of
her life among the feeble-minded,
the sick and the helpless old peo-
pie in the poor-house.
The Society was able to do
more for that baby in 1919 than
for the four Brown children in
1904. Roads were better so a
Board Member brought the baby
to Greensboro by automobile for
examination and care. The doctor
examined the baby but found no
symptoms of tuberculosis, des-
pite his exposure to his mother.
The Society had one caseworker
by 1919. While she could not visit
the adaptive family, a regulation
was enforced to make the pros
pective family come to Greens
boro for an interview. The Society
collected a good deal of informa-
ton onthem, then followed
through to be sure the baby was
adopted legally.
Recently that baby, grown into
a vigorous young man, visited the
Society. He didn't seek informa-
ton or a birth certificate. He
wanted to thank the Society for
my happy home and wonderful
parents" The Society had given
him the promise of future"
three decades ago. Now he had
that future.
In the years following, in
dustry and agriculture were de-
veloped in North Carolina. Roads
and communications were i'm
proved. Economic progress 5
brought extra interest in the work
of the Society. A home was
bought in Greensboro where chill
dren were brought to await adop-
ton.
When they were i'll, a staff
of Greensboro doctors gave their
services freely. When the Re-
ceiving Home was too small to
accommodate all the youngsters,
the children SPILLED over" into
the homes of Greensboro resi-
dents who were friends of the
Society.
Today the Children's Home
Society offers service very diff
ferent from the service in 1904
There is counseling and guidance,
first for the relatives of every
baby being considered for adop-
ton. The baby has safe place
to wait while final decisions are
being made. Medical care and
legal services are available for
each one.
For the older child, the Society
has a program in which it helps
transfer the child from the Or
phanage to a home of its own.
There is a caseWorker to help
while the child makes the change
from the orphanage and the peo-
jple he has known to new home
with strangers he hopes someday
to love as MON and dad".
The annual Christmas appeal
for funds begins Thanksgiving
throughout North Carolina. A
growing membership is needed
by the Society to carry on their
vital work of giving help to some
400 babies and small children
annually. Average cost for the
cost of baby is $3.50 day. Vol
untary contributions have to pay
for this promise of future" for
some homeless child. Any con-
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