the foremost, stood first; and of memories, still fragrant in the hearts of a gratified people. It fronts the east, is three stories above the basement, and is 90x46 feet, with vestibule 7x30 feet, and center range 36 feet deep and 40 feet wide. The walls of the basement are of stone, 2 feet in thickness, which rest upon a foundation 4 feet in thickness. The walls of the superstructure are of common brick. The basement is ten feet between floor and ceiling, and contains a dining hall 41x473 feet, kitchen, smaller dining hall, pantry, general store rooms, bath rooms, etc. The first floor is twelve feet between floor and ceiling, and contains office, matron's room, reception room, music room, three school rooms, recitation room, and store room. The second floor which is eleven and one-half feet between floor and ceiling, has four ward rooms, a sewing room, and seven rooms for employees. The third floor is divided also into ward and employee's rooms, and in addition thereto, contains a suit of rooms for hospital use. The attic is unfinished and unoccupied, except for general storage. The interior lacks that air of cheerfulness and comfort which it will possess when finished and suitably furnished. The children were removed from the old to the new home on the 12th day of October. The usual inconveniences experienced in removing into unfinished buildings, have been realized by us, and on account of the unusual severity of the weather, were felt more keenly than they would have been under ordinary circumstances. We had hoped to occupy our building much earlier in the season, and so, availed ourselves in the warm weather, and long days in making the necessary preparations for winter, but the almost incessant rains during the summer so retarded the masonry and carpenter work that the roof was not inclosed until after the middle of September. No labor has been spared to provide such conveniences as the health of the children requires; but the depleted condition of our treasury has prevented securing many comforts which otherwise would have been provided. Considerable inconvenience has been experienced by us, in obtaining a sufficient supply of water, our well, which, it was thought, would afford an abundant supply, having proved almost a failure. Surface water in sufficient quantities for present use, is obtained about fifteen rods from the house. Two cisterns with capacity for five hundred barrels each, should be constructed in time for the spring rains. The general system of organization is retained. The four wards of girls occupy the second floor, and the boys the one immediately over them. Each ward has a room 21x38 feet, well lighted and ventilated, furnished with beds and other conveniences, for the accommodation of thirty-two children. The industries of the home are conducted by systematic details, by means of which all the general work of the institution is performed by the children. The girls are expert in many branches of house-wifery, and some of them are skillful in various branches of ornamental work. The boys, hitherto, have not had as great variety of manual labor as is desirable, but now, being on the farm, they will receive instruction in gardening and general farm work. The schools were necessarily interrupted during the removal, and were more or less disturbed the week following, but are now making their usual progress under the careful instruction of experienced teachers. The school rooms are spacious and are amply provided with blackboards. New seats and desks are greatly needed, those now in use being very unsuitable for any school room. On all appropriate occasions, we seek by the use of scripture lessons, familiar talks and frequent appeals to conscience, to cultivate the moral faculties of the children. Devotional exercises, consisting in reading of select portions of scripture, prayer, and singing, are observed morning and evening in the dining hall. We have an interesting sabbath school, which is attended by all the children, who are well enough to leave their wards. A chapel is very much needed for sabbath school, sabbath services, lectures, etc., there being no general audience room except the dining hall. The hospital apartments, like other portions of the building, are incomplete, but in their unfinished condition afford better accommodation for the sick than those we left. Four rooms are appro priated to this use; a smaller inner hospital, general hospital, kitchen, and nurses' room. Apparatus for vapor and shower baths are contemplated. Water closets also should be provided for this department. The sanitary condition of the home for the past two years has been highly satisfactory. Two cases of mortality only occurred within this period. Fever, measles, and whooping-cough, and other diseases incident to childhood have made frequent visits to the home, for a detailed account of which you are respectfully referred to the report of the attending physician. A frame laundry 22x60 feet, two stories, has been erected, which contains apartments for washing, ironing, and for employees. A bakery with oven 10x12 feet is also in this building. A temporary stable and other outbuildings have been constructed chiefly out of material removed from the old Home. A building about the size of the laundry is contemplated for stable, carriage, and general implement house. New furniture is greatly needed, that which we now have being much worn out, quite insufficient to meet the requirements of so large a family. Some modern heating apparatus with proper fixtures should take the place of the thirty stoves now in use. Safety from fires, where so many lives are in jeopardy, if no other consideration, would prompt the change. To provide for casing the windows and doors, and for putting down the base and making the improvements above alluded to a small additional appropriation will be required. The counties whose names are given below are represented at present as the figures opposite their respective names indicate: The whole number of children which have been admitted to the privileges of the Home since its organization................ 25 536 Of these, 243 were girls; 293 were boys; 11 have died; 11 ran away; 2 have been expelled; 212 have been discharged. The number at present in the Home, 300; the average age, 11 years; number over 15 years, 37; number under 5 years, 4. The receipts of the home for the year ending October 31, 1868, were as follows: To balance due Home........ To received of J. Parvin, appropriation To received of S. W. Cole, appropriation................. To received of J. Myer, special appropriation 5,000.00 To received of J. B. Powers, special appropriation.. ... 3,000.00 The disbursements for the same period, were: Paid for improvements and repairs... Paid for clothing and furnishing.... Paid for groceries and provisions..... Paid for fuel and lights..... Paid for medicine........ $ 1,181.00 722.37 4,834.04 11,442.85 1,842.87 348.61 |