OF LANCASTER COUNTY. 495 



DIVISION YIII. 



PHILANTHROPIC. 



The Orphan Asylum op Lancaster, an incorporated institution, f(jr the reception 

 of female orphans not less than four and not more than ten years of a;je, was founded 

 in 1849, and owes its existence to the liberality of the late Mrs. Mary Smith, and to a 

 grant of the Legislature. Its Trustees are the Rector, Wardens and Yestiymon of St. 

 James's Church. It has accommodations for eighteen orphans. The asylum has been 

 in successful operation from the day of its opening, and has now (18C9) fourteen 

 orphans, among them twelve soldiers' orphans. 



The Bishop Bowman Church Home for the aged and infirm, was founded by 

 Bishop Bowman; it is supported by voluntary contributions. An admirable institution 

 designed to provide for Christian people a comfortable home in the evening of life. It 

 has five or six inmates. The Rector of St. James's Church is ex officio its President. 



The Home for Friendless Children! of Lancaster city and county, was estaldishcd 

 in the year 1859, by the efforts and contributions of Miss Mary Bowman, a small uumber 

 of benevolent ladies and other citizens, who were impressed with the absolute necessity 

 of rescuing from degradation and idleness, cliildren who were left without a proper 

 protector, and who were daily exposed to the most vicious associations. 



The salutary effects of their first efforts were manifested upon the children who re- 

 ceived the benefits of the Home and also in the obvious moral results to the commu- 

 nity, in withdrawing from the streets those who were devoted to beggary and idleness, 

 and without instruction as to their social, moral or religious duties. 



In the history of this generous enterprise we have again an illusti-ation of the excel- 

 lence of that advice which bids us "despise not the day of small things." The 

 small beginning was made with but few articles of furniture and but two dollars in the 

 treasury; to-day it is a larominent iniblic charity of which both city and county may 

 well feel proud. 



An act to incorporate the Home for Friendless Cliildren was passed in the Legisla- 

 ture, March 29, 1860. In pursuance of the provisions of this act a Board of 3Ianagei-s, 

 consisting of twenty-four ladies and sixteen gentlemen, were duly elected. Dr. J. L. 

 Atlee, sr., was then elected President, and has retained his position until the prcsent 

 time. Miss Bowman retained her position as first Directress of the Board of Lady !Mana- 

 gers until 1805, when she removed from the city, and her place was filled by the present 

 fii'st Directress, Mrs. S. M. Kramph. 



Since the "Home" was incorporated, it lias received from the State two appropria- 

 tions of 12,500, part of which sums was expended in the purchase of the present Homo 

 building, in South Queen street. It has also received two bequests, one from Mr. W. 

 Whiteside of $500; and one from Miss Hess, of the same amount; §5,000 (thousand) 

 received from the County Commissioners, and ^15,000, collected in the city and county, 

 from individuals, have been approprialed to building a new " Home," the present ono 

 having been found inadequate to the comfort of the inmates. The new building, when 

 finished, will be one of the most convenient in the State, and will accommodate, comforta- 

 1 Contributed by Mrs. 0. A. Ehler. 



