Milford chronicle., 1959-12-04
Methodist Board Of
Child Care Hopes
To Raise S115, 900

The Methodist Board of Child
Care of the Baltimore and Penin-
sula Annual Conferences has an
nounced the annual Christmas Of
fering with a goal of $751; 900. The
offering, upon which the Board de-
pends for $3.50 of its operating bud
get, will be taken in all the Metho-
dist Churches of the Baltimore and
Peninsula Conferences.
The Board of Child Care oper-
ates what is known as "The four
fold program of Service to chill
dren", which is available to boys
and girls of Protestant background
within the bounds of the two Con-
ferences. AS the official child car
ing agency of The Methodist
Church in this area the Board rep
resents nearly 100000 Methodists
living in Maryland, Delaware, the
District of Columbia and three
counties in West Virginia
The four types of service rend-
cred by the Board include group
or institutional care in KeIso Home
for Girls and Strawbridge Home for
Boys, foster homes for certain
types of children, service to un-
married mothers, and adoption of
babies by childless couples. Last
year 81 boys and girls were given
institutional care in Kelso and
Strawbridge Homes, eight children
were placed in foster homes, "a
unmarried mothers received guild
ance, counsel and such other as
slstance as they needed before and
after the birth of their babies, and
% infants of unmarried mothers
were placed in adoption after per-
iOd in study homes.
AT the present time the facilities
of the Board are being relocated in
the Rockdale community on Liber-
ty Road, about 31a miles west of
the Baltimore city line. Kelso Home
for Girls in Towson, Maryland,
which. was sold more than a year
ago, and Strawbridge Home for
Boys at Sykesville, Maryland, sold
recently, will be relocated on a
beautiful campus of twenty acres,
where the service they have rend-
cred in the past will be continued
in more modern setting. Instead of
large dormitory type of buildings
the Homes now will occupy split
level cottages, housing twelve chill
dren and married houseparents.
Kelso Home will occupy two cot
tages, and will care for twenty-four
girls. Strawbridge Home for Boys
will be housed in three cottages
each holding twelve boys. While
most meals will be served in the
cottages, thus providing a family
atmosphere, Sunday dinner will be
eaten together in the large assem-
bly, room in the activities building.
This room will also be used as a
recreation center, a meeting place
for groups from the Baltimore and
Peninsula Conferences. and as
place for religious services. The
Boards offices, now located in
downtown Baltimore, will occupy
an administration building on the
campus, with all administrative
work of the Board centered there
DR.. f. Reid Isaac, Executive Direc-
tor, will live on the grounds, and
thus be able to give continuous su-
perVision to all activities. These
buildings are now under construc-
ton and will be ready for occupan-
cy by midsummer of 1860.
Another very great advantage
will be in the realm of education
There are six schools located in the
Rockdale community, making it
possible to distribute the children
and young people among them as
may be advisable. Since the needs
of children often call for vocation
al guidance the fact that Baltimore
vocational schools are nearby will
be distinct asset. Psychiatric SER
vice will be readily available also.
The financial aspects of this
move are very bright, since the
proceeds of the sale of the two
Homes plus gifts and bequests
made for the purpose of additional
facilities, will probably meet the
entire cost of relocation
In a recent address DR.. r. L.
Wood, Director OF Public Relations
of the Board, said: SThe greatest
need of the Board is support of the
operating budget. A Christmas Of
fering 1919 greater than last year
will provide the needed S115, 900,
which added to income from invest
ments and contributions from fam
lilies of children in care, will be
sufficient for our needs during the
coming year"
The offering will be taken in
most Methodist churches on De-
cember 20, and in those churches
not able to use that date, on some
Sunday to be announced Because
of the interest of Methodists in this
well known enterprise it is expect
ed that the offering will reach and
pass the goal of $4,000.
Women's dress in the kingdom