The Onondaga County Orphan Asylum
Onondaga County Orphan
Asylum,
1845-1896
Source: Onondaga’s
Centennial, Vol. I, Edited by Dwight H. Bruce, The Boston History
Company,
1896, pp. 320-322
This beneficent institution has enjoyed a long and honorable life, its
fiftieth
anniversary having been celebrated in 1895. The asylum had its
inception
in a school which was opened on West Water street, under the auspices
ofa
number of benevolent women, some time between 1840 and 1840, and
supported
by contributions. The school was for the benefit of poor children
and
was under direct charge of Miss Ann Mead. Sufficient
subscriptionswere
finally received to enable the school authorities to erect a
buildingfor
it on East Onondaga street, near the site of the present
library. When
the village in 1839 made provision for teaching all children of
whatevercondition
in life, the work of this benevolent body seemed to be at an
end. The
school building was sold for $427.38, and this fund remained idle
aboutthee
years. In 1841 the women of the school association, and
others,turned
their attention to the care of orphan children. In October ofthat
year
a new association was formed, the funds of the old one were turnedover
to
it and the good work began. The house in South Salina streetnow
occupied
by the Women’s Christian Association was opened in May,1845, and
sheltered
ten boys and five girls, but was supported by voluntarycontributions,
the
fund being kept in reserve for the purchase of a new building. In
1846
the Syracuse Academy building, which was so long a landmark in thecity,
was
purchased for $3,000 and here the asylum found a permanent
location.
In 1861 the late Horace White erected a building suitable for a day
school
and also for Sunday services and at this time, though the family had
grown
in proportion to the rapid growth of Syracuse, it was felt that every
necessity
had been provided and until 1882 the work was carried on without
furtherchange.
At this time the academy building was pronounced by the cityauthorities
to
be no longer safe or suitable for the growing needs of theinmates and
in
1885 the present handsome structure was ready for occupancy.
Presidents of the Board of Trustees and the Board of Managers from the
beginning
of the work to the present date were John Durnford, Timothy Porter, Ira
H.
Cobb, J. J. Glass, H. L. Duguid, Peter Burns, C. P. Clark, Mrs. Harvey
Loomis,
Miss Mary Bliss, Mrs. E. W. Leavenworth, Mrs. Mary E. Durnford, Mrs.
George
F. Comstock, Mrs. H. A. Dunlap, Mrs. William A. Judson, Mrs. Ira H.
Cobb,
Mrs. E. D. Dickinson.
The management of the asylum is largely entrusted to the Board of
Managers
consisting entirely of women from various churches in the city and a
Board
of Trustees composed of representative Syracuse men, who act as an
advisory
board. A meeting of the two boards is held once a year, and one
meeting
each month is held by the Board of Managers. Mrs. E. D.
Dickinson,who
for fifteen years performed the duties of secretary of the Board of
Managers,
is now president of that organization. Her long experience in the
work,
her sympathy and good judgment made her the choice of her co-workers,
and
their wisdom in placing her at the head of so important a work is
already
proven.
Mrs. Hills, the matron, has occupied her present position for fifteen
years,
and to her wisdom and kind heart are largely due the excellent
conditionof
the children and the orderly service of those who are under her
direction,
in whatever capacity they may serve. Children are admitted to the
asylum
at from twenty months to twelve years of age and retained until they
arenot
more than fourteen. They are never sent from the institution
without
due precaution as to their future welfare. Good homes are
constantly
being offered in which they may be placed when they arrive at a
suitableage,
and it is never necessary to look beyond the boundaries of our own
county
for charitably-disposed people, who will adopt and care for such
children
as it is thought best to send out. Such persons are required to
bring
children back to the institution at the end of three months, when, if
the
child seems to be properly cared for and contented, papers of adoption
are
made out which demand that the guardian shall keep the child in school
until
fifteen years of age and must provide for him comfortably. The
children’s
secretary and the frequent letters to the matron are here great
safeguards.
Submitted 21 November 2000 by
Pamela Priest
Updated 22 April 2006 by Pamela Priest