USA > Nebraska > York County > York County, Nebraska and its people : together with a condensed history of the state, Vol. I > Part 61
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Some of the earnest workers from the Christian Church are starting a course of lessons as most of the girls have but rudimentary education. The matron reports the awful spelling and writing in the letters home. Many of them could play and sing if there was an instrument of some kind. Here is a chance for various organizations to co-ordinate efforts or to work as single organizations.
WOMEN'S REFORMATORY
In deseribing improvements made at institutions during the past two years the board says the state reformatory for women at York has been in operation six months. The new frame dormitory has been the only new building of consequence. The frame farm house has been supplied with a new furnace. This building can be fairly well adapted as an administrative building, but the board says inmates should not be housed therein. New cottages for the segregation of different types of com- mitments and for the housing of larger numbers are absolutely essential in order that no healthful inmates be exposed to contagion. "It is our desire to enlarge this institution," says the board, "so as to protect all communities and remove their dissolute women to a place of safety, medical treatment and reformation. New sewerage, lighting and water systems are imperative at as early a date as possible."
The board entered into a contract for the construction of a $100,000 hospital at the soldiers' and sailors' home at Milford, but the contract was contested in court and the board has appealed to the Supreme Court where a suit is now pending.
MOTHERS' JEWELS' HOME
One of the important institutions of York, of which the community and the county are justly proud, is the Mothers' Jewels' Home. This unique institution is one of the contributions so characteristic of this Christianable community. The following presentation of the proper equipment and methods of this wonder-
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ful institution, prepared in 1903, is still applicable. It was prepared at that time by those in charge of the home. But we would be derelict in our duty if we did not pause to remember that this institution will always serve as a permanent monument to the memory and a lasting tribute to the unusual worthy Christian lives of Mr. and Mrs. B. Spurlock.
Mothers' Jewels' Home. A home for children by children. Little "Jewels' Bands" wisely directed by the good mothers, ply the willing brain, heart and hand in raising money for the support of the children in "Mothers' Jewels' Home."
Mothers :- The "Cornelias" in Israel. Jewels :- Children in organized effort. Home :- The Bethesda provided. The name is Talismanic, bearing the "Christ's spell," who, even against the protest of His chosen disciples set His seal of recog- nition on the love and care for these "little ones" that grows brighter and more beautiful as the years round into centuries.
Location. Our land endowment comprises 160 acres-the first acquisition- and a beautiful added plot of abont twelve acres, immediately east of the home site, and only separated by the public highway. The twelve acres is of an addition to the City of York and within the incorporate limits of the city.
Thus our home adjoins the city on the northwest and our buildings only about one mile from the business center of this unique city of approximately six thousand inhabitants.
The location of the city is a beautiful one. A high average of good and taste- ful residences and clean and attractive lawns. Its citizens are far above the average in intelligence and thrift. Christian denominations well represented in membership and appropriate church edifices. Its public schools rank with the foremost, in the face of the fact that the city has not even one saloon. In musie, we do not have to go abroad for the best.
The Home Buildings. These are located as follows: the York Farm Cottage, a very commendable frame two-story building. with fifteen rooms and dormitories, where we do our cooking and eating, and our laundry work. Here also are housed under a governess the larger and medium sized boys for whose accommodation there are two ample dormitories, a library and play room.
The main building, which is the new building, a little over one hundred feet north of Farm Cottage is almost seventy feet square on foundation, is three stories above basement, the first story being of brick and second and third stories of wood.
Here are our offices, reception rooms, girls' dormitories and our memorial hall. In the memorial hall we have placed marble tablets on which are engraven in letters of gold the names of persons or societies who contributed one hundred dollars toward the erection of this House Beautiful; and which blessed privilege is made available to all who shall make a like donation for our much needed enlargement.
Jessie Dinger Hospital and Stare Retreat are located on the twelve-acre plot which we have usually designated as The Hospital Annex. Jessie Dinger Hospital being across the public road, just east of Farm Cottage, and Stare Retreat is in a similar position as to main building, just across the road east.
Each of these cottages bears the name of a sainted loved one, whom tender, loving survivors have thus beautifully memoralized by placing these precious gifts at the disposal of this children's home. Blessed memory-in influence for
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present and future. How like the delightful perfume from the costly alabaster box! Its rich aroma shall ascend to the greeting of Him whose benedictions upon the little ones are as words "graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock forever."
Farm Buildings. Barn, granaries, implement and carriage houses and stock yards are conveniently arranged at a safe and proper distance southwest from the home buildings. All these buildings are on the southeast corner of our beauti- ful quarter section of land, thus bringing us to the nearest point of the city.
Health Conditions. Our home site, with respect to natural conditions of sani- tation, could hardly be exeelled. The lay of the land is sufficiently undulating to effect perfect drainage, so that we have no ponds or stagnant pools in our neighborhood.
Water Supply. We have excellent well water, two first class wells that are never affected by dry weather, each having a good windmill. We are also con- nected with the city water supply, which is especially gratifying as a more sure safeguard against fire or a water famine. The city water is also first class, from deep wells, outside the city.
Our Home School. We have a good school, two teachers, and grade with the public schools, teaching the grades numbering from first to and including the sixth. Our more advanced pupils attend the city public schools.
Religious Services. We have chapel services, Sabbath school and weekly prayer meeting ; also an Epworth League, which is composed of the larger children of the home.
We also make it a rule to take the children to one publie preaching service in the city each Sabbath. Of course we cannot take all the children at once, but manage to take at least half each Sabbath, and so alternating from Sabbath to Sabbath.
How Supported. The home is under the auspices of the Woman's Home Mis- sionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church of the United States, so is national in its scope.
Eligible Children. Orphan and half orphan children, sound in body and mind, over three and under twelve years old, who are not incorrigible, are admissible to the home when there is room.
Application for Admission. In all cases references and recommendations must be given, as a safeguard against unworthy admissions. Experience of the past admonishes us to the exercise of this wise expediency.
For Temporary Care. For the admission of children for temporary support and care in the home, one hundred dollars ($100) per annin, payable quarterly, in advance, secures this privilege, where our rules for "eligible children" and "application for admission" can be complied with. This furnishes board. cloth- ing and schooling.
THE SUPERINTENDENTS
April 1, 1981. Mr. and Mrs. Spurlock took charge of the home, yet previous to this time they had been interested in planning for and working in its interests. A detailed history is unnecessary, as any citizen of York is well acquainted with the situation of the home at the time they began work, and how they have been
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the leaders in bringing the home to its present standard of excellency and beauty. In the face of drouth years here in the West, of crop failures and other hindrances the work has kept moving forward.
A visitor, after inspecting several philanthropic homes for children, declares that : "The Mothers' Jewels' National Home of York is the most homelike in affee- tion bestowed upon the children and received from them of any that has come under my notice.
"Superintendent Spurlock's unremitting care and labor, eagle eyed for all con- cerned, yield rich fruitage of blessings. Mrs. Spurlock's recuperated health enables her to preside in her habitual gracious manner."
The foregoing are a few items regarding the Mothers' Jewels' Home and the work carried on.
While we can but be glad and rejoice over happy temporal conditions, we realize that right over against this is the higher sphere-mental, soul and spirit- that must dominate all in the spirit of obedience, love and charity. No more can we reach satisfactory and happy results in child culture without assiduous and persistent effort, than might we expect favorable results from grain, vege- table, and fruit growing without the requisite care and culture.
In all features of our work, the ingathering of children, their home culture and preparation for the new home under our system of home-finding, the evidence of aggression and advancement are truly reassuring and hopeful.
We need and earnestly solicit the sympathy and prayers of all in behalf of this work, which in its scope reaches to the uttermost bounds of Christian effort and sympathy-through our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Sincerely yours, in His Name, The Superintendents.
While this Institution has passed into the hands of new superintendents the board in charge of this institution have insisted upon a permanent home being acknowledged to Mr. Spurlock in this institution so he may spend his declining years in the atmosphere which he and his revered wife labored for so many years to create.
ITS PRESENT STATUS
We may jump over a period of some seventeen years and secure another "inside" picture of the work of this home, by taking a recital of its conditions, current aims and purposes as given recently by its present matron, Mrs. Mc Anally, as reported in the York Republican.
On Tuesday afternoon Mrs. J. F. MeAnally spoke at the Methodist Church before the Woman's Home Missionary Society and men and women interested in Mothers' Jewels' Home. Mrs. Me Anally has an enviable reputation through the delivery of addresses on the home in various towns during the last year. She is qualified to talk on the subject because she is vitally interested in it and speaks from a heart filled with love for the children and their needs as well as a mind which has arranged and marshalled vital statistics and facts in an orderly and interesting manner.
Some of the works of the children were exhibited and a number of children from the home took part in the program. The music was well selected and the voices sweet and melodious. One of the songs given was by three Eskimo children who were brought to this home from Alaska, when the one there burned last winter.
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THE MOTHERS' JEWELS' HOME, YORK
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RESIDENTS OF I. O. O. F. HOME, YORK
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTOR, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONS
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After singing in their native language they sang in English, then Miss Conway sang the same selection to encourage them in music.
The home here is one of six under the control of the National Home Mis- sionary Society, one in Pennsylvania, one in New York, two in Ohio and one in Kansas. The coming year there is to be a similar home built in the South for negro children.
Mrs. McAnally paid a fine tribute to Mr. and Mrs. Spurlock, who labored faithfully and well during the years of great financial stress when money was scarce in the early days of the home. Mrs. McAnally has visited district, state and general conferences to present the cause of the home.
Mrs. McAnally called attention to the inadequate care given to the children of the Protestant churches as compared with care given by the Catholic church to their children. So great is the need now that hundreds and hundreds of children are being turned away each year because there is no place for them. When there is room, children of any nationality, Jew or Gentile, Protestant or Catholic, may be admitted to Mothers' Jewels' Home. No question of creed or religion is asked in accepting a child. It is purely and simply a missionary enterprise. It has always been one of the first items in the creed of the home that a child must be loved. No child can grow normally without being loved. Childhood is the riches of the Kingdom of Christ.
Mothers' Jewels' Home is not conducted on institutional lines but as a home where the individuality of the child is not dwarfed. No uniform style of dress, more than there would be in a family. When some church auxiliary wishes to make clothes for the home a list of needs is sent, but no regulations as to color and style. No jealousy is apparent among the children. Perhaps one reason being they do not handle money and have not developed the idea of money values. A ten dollar dress means no more to them than a two dollar one.
The need of the child determines the admission. If there is means sufficient to send a child to boarding school the Home will not accept them.
Some tools given by the widow of a carpenter have formed the basis for work in manual training. The girls are taught fancy work and sewing. Each evening devotions are held at the home. Children go to bed on the installment plan. The matrons tell bed time stories and mother and cuddle the children. There is at all times an effort made lo instill good habits that the children may grow into good men and women. Caring for such children is one of the greatest investments that can be made. Christian America is not awake to the great value of child- hood saved for the church and humanity. There are now about ninety children enrolled in the home.
I. O. O. F. STATE HOME
An institution of which York is justly proud is the I. O. O. F. State Home. It was founded November 1, 1911, by the Grand Lodge I. O. O. F. of Nebraska, for the purpose of taking care of aged and indigent members of the order and care and education of orphans of members of the I. O. O. F.
A. G. Pruitt was the first superintendent and Mrs. Lillie Davis the first matron in charge. They were followed by Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Wilson. At the present time J. W. Pittman and wife are in charge as superintendent and matron.
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The home has been open for the past nine years, during which time it has cared for 197 persons old and young. At the present time it has thirty-four boys and twenty girls, eleven men and four women. The children are kept until they have completed high school. All the children from the home attend the city schools in York. At the home will be found all kinds of games and amusements for the children which is furnished by the lodges from over the state.
The home is located just outside the city limits, being just a mile out from the business district, and is one of the sightliest places that could be found for such an institution. The home farm consists of 160 acres of which eighty acres are under cultivation the balance in alfalfa and pasture. All the produce to supply the home is obtained from the farm. The older boys are taught stock raising and general farm work while the larger girls learn to cook, bake and sew.
It has cost for maintaining the home since it was opened something more than $125,000. Today the entire plant at conservative figures is valued at a quarter of a million dollars.
The locating board, who took upon themselves the burden of getting this splendid institution into operation, were J. S. Hoagland, George L. Loomis, S. R. Barnes, J. M. Patton, J. A. Cotton, O. O. Snyder, Mary A. Caldwell, Grace E. Ilaller and Mary Livingston.
The board of trustees serving in 1920 are Mary A. Caldwell, Margaret Hol- comb, Iona Nailor, George L. Loomis, J. W. Kelly, J. C. Hannish, Dr. T. W. Bass, E. F. Brailey and Addison E. Wait.
MANAGEMENT APPRECIATED
The appreciation felt for the splendid work accomplished by Mr. and Mrs. Pittman in their management of this institution is reflected in the comments of the press at the time of the death recently of Mr. Pittman's father. Another press account of the attitude of those who visit their loved ones and friends who are given a home in this wonderful institution, will shed further light upon the appreciation of this home, and hand a deserved bouquet without waiting to lay it upon the graves of those who are accomplishing this work, when they are no longer with us.
FUNERAL OF E. J. PITTMAN
The funeral of an esteemed citizen, E. J. Pittman, held at the Presbyterian Church Thursday afternoon, March 10, 1920, drew the attendance of many friends and neighbors. Rev. E. E. Emhoff. pastor of the church, and Rev. T. F. B. Smith, a former pastor, had charge of the impressive services. Carl Rosenlof sang three beautiful solos. The members of the city council attended. Members of the Ben . Hur order attended and had charge of the ceremony at the grave. The remains were laid at rest in Greenwood cemetery.
Eli J. Pittman was born at Corydon. Indiana. March 9, 1844. He grew to manhood in the town of his birth and married Anna McBride October 30, 1866. Two sons were born to them. B. W. Pittman resides on a farm near York and J. W. Pittman is superintendent at I. O. O. F. home.
STATE I. O. O. F. HOME, YORK
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محد جيدا
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTOR LEN A AND TILDEN FOUNDAH NS
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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY
Mr. and Mrs. Pittman removed to Cass County this state, in 1874, and con- tinned to reside there until 1897, when they came to York to make their home.
Mr. Pittman was a charter member of the Ben Hur order. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church and an esteemed one. He served three terms as commissioner of streets, being a consistent. efficient and valuable official. He was a loyal citizen. a loving husband and a good father.
The following Brothers from Dorchester visited the home Sunday. All are old time friends of Brother Good: C. J. Caker, Mineo Saunders and Frank R. Means and their wives. They passed a very enjoyable afternoon. At the same time Brother L. F. Skidder and several others from Utica and Waco were shown through the home. Later Mr. and Mrs. L. E. O'Connor of Lincoln, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Miller, of Havelock, visited the home on a special visit to their nephews and nieces, the children of Brother HI. L. Baker, who brought them to the home two weeks ago. They expressed themselves as being especially pleased in the man- ner that the children are being cared for. It must be very gratifying to the friends of the children who are left under the fostering care of the home that everything is being done for their eare and welfare that is possible. And what a source of pleasure and what a load of sorrow and care it must remove from the minds of those parents when they depart, leaving their children; that they can do so with the full assurance that in their absence they will receive the tenderest of care. Is there, or can there be anything more gratifying to the mind of the parent ? We at times feel that a very large majority of people do not fully realize what our home is, or of the vast amount of good that it is doing in the cause of fraternity and humanity. When we consider the thousands of orphan children who are bereft of all parental help, care and support, who are annually brought to our homes to be reared and cared for, the number is simply appalling. Then again, how few really appreciate the magnitude of the responsibility that is daily resting on the shoulders of our superintendents and matrons; the care of hundreds of precious young lives, the supervision of their moral and intellectual training, to watch over them in health and nurse then in sickness, in fact, to act the part of parents in every particular and to see that they are so trained and educated that when they arrive at manhood and womanhood, they are fully equipped to go out into the world and successfully fight the battles of life and become honored and respected citizens. It is a noble work and our superintendent and matron should receive all the encouragement, help and assistanee that their efforts deserve. And last, but not least, they must consider the welfare of the old residents of the home, those who have passed the meridian of life and fought the great battle and are sitting quietly down amidst peace and plenty, anxiously await- . ing to reap the reward of victory. These are among the crowning glories of Odd Fellowship, a thousandth part of which has not yet been told.
WELFARE WORK
In response to a request for meetings to organize York County for welfare work, Dr. Theodore Hansen, who spoke in the Presbyterian Church Sunday eve- ning, held meetings on Sunday in Gresham and Thayer. A committee of twenty- five was called for from the different towns in the county in so far as they could be reached and the meeting was arranged for Tuesday afternoon at the Presby-
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terian Church. Doctor Hansen, finding it impossible to be present on Tuesday, Doctor Garrison ably represented him. Gresham sent ten delegates, Benediet one, Bradshaw two, Waco five, York eighteen, Thayer four. Each town in the county is arranging for a local welfare board with its chairman a member of the county board. In a short time the different towns will have arranged their committees and the names will be available for publication. Doctor Garrison, who has been called to Nebraska from Kansas to help in organizing every county in the state, gave a short synopsis of the children's code bill which will be presented to the next Legislature. One thousand dollars was appropriated by the last Legislature to be used in work relating to revision and modification of these bills. It tonehes the questions of marriage, divorce, raising the legal age of girls from 18 to 21 years, examination of those desiring to marry to be sure both parties are free from venereal disease. It deals with the mentally defective, the prevention of housing children in alms houses, maternity homes, the publication of application for marriage license ten days before the marriage is consummated, law making the father of so-called illegitimate child responsible for the child's support, giving the child the father's name and allowing such child to inherit property same as those born in wedlock.
The temporary chairman was Mr. Herman Diers of Gresham. The per- manent chairman is Dr. E. E. Emhoff. Dr. Roop is vice chairman and E. C. Knight is secretary-treasurer.
CHAPTER IX RAILROADS AND HIGHWAYS THROUGH YORK COUNTY
RAILROADS ( IN 1887)-STATE HIGHWAY SYSTEM-YORK COUNTY ROADS (ENGINEER FRED VOYLES)-AUTOMOBILES UPON HIGHWAYS
RAILROADS
The following survey of York's railroad and business prospects in 1887 details the arrival of the "iron steed" in York County.
In the year 1870 the site where now stands the City of York, contained three buildings, two soddies and one frame. In the fall of 1877 the first railroad reached York, being a line of the B. & M. from Lincoln, the state capital. With the coming of the railroad, the steady and uninterrupted growth of York began, until now the people of York can boast of a city doing the largest busi- ness of any town in Nebraska having but one line of railroad. With the loca- tion of the M. E. College here, some years ago, began the second era of prosperity. The location of the college brought a number of wealthy and influential citizens, whose means and enterprise have been important factors to develop the city, which was marked by destiny to become a great business center. The grand turning era in the history of York may be marked at the close of the past year. Our excellent business prospects induced the Union Pacific Railroad Company to extend their line of road from Stromsburg to York. The Kansas City & Omaha Railroad Company also took the right view of the claims of York for more extended railroad facilities, and at once headed their lines of road from the south to meet the Union Pacific at York. These companies are under contract to put in their division headquarters at York and their shops will also be established here, in the event of the division being located at this placc. The grading for both lines of road is nearly completed and will soon be ready for the iron. These roads will be running trains into York by July 1st, and give us connection with Kansas City and St. Louis on the south, and with Denver and the great cities of the west. The Union Pacific via Stromsburg will give York direct competition with Omaha. The crowning stroke of fortune for York was attained when the great Chicago & Northwestern Railroad was secured. A proposition was submitted the first of February to vote bonds for the construction of their road and was voted unanimously through the county. The work of construction has already begun, and it is expected that by October 1st the trains of the great Northwestern Railroad will be running into York.
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