maha Sunday
PART THREE
EDITORIAL
PAGES ONE TO SIX
PART THREE
MAGAZINE
PAQES ONE TO SIX
VOL. XLV NO. so.
V OMAHA, SUNDAY MORNINO, MARCH 12, - 1016.
SINGLE COPY FIVE CENTS.
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Omaha Institution Where Babies Get Loving Care When Bereft of Mother and
Father and from Which They Go Out to- Brighten Corners the Stork Has Over
looked or to Make Glad Hearts that Have Been Saddened by 'Bereavement
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kfiN the OmahaVchAd'SaTltiist'itAt; ;
. finished" last year with juat, one", death
.among the 113 babies and young chil- .
dren cared tor, it made a! recftrd un- k
equaled anywhere m far as known. '
' , One hundred and ' thirteen tender . children,
each a possible victim of any of a dozen diseases,
and only one death! ' " ;
"I thlnji your record one of the most remark
able in the United States," said H. H. Hart, direc
tor of the Russell Sage foundation child-helping'
department, "and I have had occasion' to refer to
it frequently in public' .addresses.. Many institu
tions we know of have a mortality ranging from
25 to 70 per cent." ,
And in the Omaha Child Saving Institute the ,
mortality hist year was less than 1 per cntl
Tho big building of the Institute stands on a
sunny slope at Forty-second and Jackson - streets ,
and it is one of the most .interesting places in
Omaba. Let's take a trip through it with the mat
ron,Mrs. Julia I- Spaulding, as. guide. . ..
First we come into a south room! on the sec
ond floor, where are a score of little beds and in '
each a little baby. Some are asleep. Several are
awake and sitting up and turning big, wondering !
eyes on the visitors.
"l suppose the ladies fairly, go wild with ex
citement when they cope in here, don't they?" we
opino to the matron.
"Oh, and the men too, ehe. replies. "Some.'
men are just as crazy about babies as the women.
But as a rule men prefer them when they get a lit
tle older."
We proceed to another room that is all win
dows and the windows are open. Here are a num- ,
ler of bigger beds and in each is a slumbering
form covered with blankets and with a hood up
over their heads. These are "toddlers," older chil
dren, who sleep In the open air in sleeping bags.
Thep have stone hot water Jars in bed with them
and the faces are all you can see.
In another room a number of little girl
"toddlers", are playing and in still another the boy
"toddlers" are romping. All are clean, cheerful,
polite, rosy-cheeked,'' pictures of health and vim
and vigor.
My. my, how things have changed since the
days of Oliver Twist!
These children have 8 good care and as ten
der care as the children in the best homes. And
they have the love orthelr guardians. Mrs. Spaud
ing, the matron, is a great favorite with them and
she is constantly "dearlng" them.
Int fact. It would be hard to be anything but,
kind to such nice children. Their helplessness and
trustfulness touch the very chords in the human
heart, wtich respond with help and love and care.
Most of these children would be entirely un
cared for or improperly cared for, If It were not for
this institution. The transformation that is shows
in them after a few months of care here, is some
times astounding. Mere skeletons, sickly and for- .
lorn, they come In, and soon, "with proper care and
nourishment they are healthy, amlling and on the
road to good and useful lives.
The parents of some tre dead. The parents of
others are "no good." Many have pitiful histories
hlch fortunately they will never know. Some have
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should have loved them. , ' ..! ' . IV
Cared for and nursed to health, they are con
stantly being placed in good homes. This is done
with the greatest care. When people want to adopt
a child they fill out an application blank with
references. The application la then passed on- by
the children's committee. If the decision Is fav
orable, the child is placed in the family on trial.
The field agents of the institution look in on the
come and report. After a time, if both sides are
satisfied, the adoption is made legal. But even
after that, the field agent keeps in touch with the
child until it has reached maturity.
The institution Is entirely non-sectarian and
children are cared for without any regard to what
the religious persuasion of their parents was.
It is supported by voluntary contributions of
cash. Clothing is sent in and food supplies and
various women's societies come there 'on certain
days and "get busy" with sewing machines and
needles and scissors and 'make all kinds of things
for the little ones.
The kitchen is one of the most Interesting
places. It is big and well equipped and Mrs.
Spauldlng says, it is In charge of the most wonder
ful woman for this work she ever knew. It is spot
lessly clean and the cooking Is super-excellent All
you have to do Is look at those healthy children to
know that the cooking must be all right. The
larger' children and the grown folks, nurses and so
on, who take care of them, all dine together ia the
big dining room.
And early In the evening all the "toddlers"
are gathered in the big, cheery play room, where
the matron entertains them and perhaps they sing
"God Will Take Care of You." and then Into their
sleeping hags and to Dreamiand.
Yea, God is taking care of you. little children.
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God and a whole lot of good women and some tf
the men of Omaha.
The institute was founded twenty-four years
ago. It moved into its present building about five
years ago. This building represents an investment
of about 175,000. It was damaged by the tornado,
but was repaired at a cost of f 5,000. The tornado
was the cause of the withdrawal of about $ 4,000 of
the annual support from Omaha people, who were
crippled financially by that disaster.
About fl.SOO of this support is still lacking
and contributions are welcome.
Efficiency and economy are practiced here
in the highest degree. "The average cost of a
child to the institution from tbe time it is received
till, It is si own up is only ICO," said Mrs. A. A.
McCraw, chairman of the officers' nursery commit
tee. This seems Impossible until it is remembered
that most of the children are adopted and then the
cost of supporting them falls on the family with
whom they live. ThlaVecord is equalled by only one
other institution in this country.
At tbe present time visitors are not admitted
to see the children because of the scarlet fever epi
demic in Omaha. This is only one example of the
precautions taken to safeguard the children's
health. Nurses are under orders to stay out of street
cars and away from places where people congregate.
All chlTdn received Into the institution are kept
isolated from tbe other children for two weeks to
se whether they have any disease.
The Institute's officers are: William A. De-
Bord, president; E. C. William, vice president; Bar.
ton Millard, treasurer; Mrs. A. A. McGraw, secre
tary. George L. Alley, Mrs. George A. Joslyn, Dr.
II. 11. McClanahan. Dr. V. W. M. Poynter, Mrs.
Joseph C. Weeth, Judge J. J. Sullivan, Miss Myrtls
Warren, Iiev. George L. Peters and Rev. C. E. Cob
ley, are trustees.
, Rev. C. E. Giwits is field superintendent;
Renee McKenste, bead nurse, and Mrs. Julia F.
Spauldlng, matron. -
A large nursery comm'ttee is made up of the
leading society matrons of the city. The medical
staff Includes many of the leading physicians an'
surgeons of Omaha.
Little children innocent helpless, trusting,
"Of such Is the kingdom of heavea.