THE OSCEOLA ORPHANAGE
Miss Grace Risler, Assistant Matron, Tells of Home Life of Little Ones.
On May 22, of this year I came to Bethel Orphanage at Osceola,
to help Mr. and Mrs. Outman, and now I feel that I would like to tell a little about the work here
as I found it. I cannot remember a time when I was not interested in Orphanage work as I have
always loved children. When I was a little child I used to always say, (after seeing poor, uncared
for and dirty little tots) that when I grew up I was going to help give them food and clothing,
love and care and all the other things that a child is entitled to.
But like most other young girls, when I was old enough to work,
I was anxious to earn good wages. So for a few years I lived (for myself). But later on I became more interested
in this line of work and the way opened for me to come out here.
I met Mr. and Mrs. Outman a few years ago and have been interested
ever since in their work, having once visited the Orphanage. So, as Mrs. Outman needed helpers, it
was arranged that I should come out this spring to Osceola.
I had much (good?) advise given me by many wise people, before
I came to the Orphanage about the hard work to be done, the class of children that I would find,
how little I was going to like it, etc.
Although I was sure that I would like it here, yet, I must say
that I was agreeably surprised in many ways. I was trying to be prepared for the great noise and
confusion there must be in a home where thirty children lived. And I expected that to a great
extent good times would be left in the background, as there would be so much else to occupy the time.
I was also very much surprised in the class of children that I found here. I supposed that I would
find many that one could not care a lot about. And instead of coming to a place as I had supposed,
rather off in one corner of the earth, I came to one of the prettiest places that I had ever seen.
I have admired these beautiful hills in Tioga county ever since my arrival, and the children
have a lovely home with a nice large lawn. There are twenty-seven large maples besides elms and
spruce trees on nearly two acres of ground.
The good Christian training, the loving care and the discipline
that these children receive, should arouse the interest and admiration of all; especially those in
Tioga county as most of the children now in the Home are from this county.
Each child has and knows his own work and wastes no time in
getting it done. I have found the eight children to whom I am giving music lessons very apt and interested.
In our evening prayers, which are divided, the older ones having
one evening and the younger ones the next, the attention and interest they show is remarkable.
All, big and little, know that order is to be kept at such times. I have been especially
interested in the twins who are here, as I knew them and therefore knew what kind of care and training they
received before coming here. One would not have then called them either sweet or attractive. But now
they, as well as the other children here, have neat clean clothes. This with their good training
has completely transformed them and there are not two brighter or more attractive kiddies than
this boy and girl. In memorizing songs or bible verses they take the lead. Cleanliness, discipline,
love and proper care have certainly done much for these darling children.
There are some inclined to think, as I used to, that environment
had not much to do with the development of children, but think they will turn out about the same
anyway, but this Orphanage is surely proving that the bible way is the right way, for in
Proverbs 22:17 we read, "Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not
depart from it."
It is touching to see how much these thirty little ones think of
their orphanage Daddy and Mamma, as they call them. This is seldom the case in orphanages. When
Daddy Outman comes home from a trip to town or the garden, it is amusing to see from six to a dozen
run to meet him, hang on either side of him or climb on his shoulders. And the love mixed with
Mamma Outman's discipline helps greatly in the training of these little folks. Many of them are
more contented than when in their own homes and they are always relunctant to leave here.
Recently I asked some children if they wanted to return to
their homes and they replied that they would rather stay here. They said that it was so nice and clean
here and they had a bath and clean clothes so often.
Surely, we find much missionary work right here to be done. It is
not uncommon to meet children who seldom if ever have attended Sunday School, and know almost nothing
about our Saviour. Now they do enjoy the songs that we teach them and the bible stories that we read.
All this goes to prove to my mind that orphange work should be
carried out on the cottage plan instead of there being such large institutions where children are
deprived of real home life. It seems to prove that the better way is for each county to care for
their own neglected children as they do the older people at the county farm.
Only last week I visited the County Home in Wellsboro and have been greatly impressed
with the fact that neglected children should arrest as much attention and receive as much support
from people in their own county, and that they are entitled to as good a home, in view of their
future prospects of being useful members of society as the inmates at the County Farm.
The children enjoy much liberty and freedom here. They often
go to a nearby creek and fish, also go in bathing or to wade.
They enjoy their "berrying expeditions" too. This week some of
the children picked large pailsful of wild strawberries and we all enjoyed shortcake made by
Daddy Outman. One of Osceola's good men, John Tubbs, has donated the use of two acres of his
river flat for the Orphanage garden. Daddy Outman and the oldest boys spend many hours working
there. Some of the corn raised helps to feed our cows and pig.
We are living in an age when people are very careful to invest their money where
it will bring the greatest returns. Who would ask greater returns than those that have just
been related? The bible says in Ecclesiates 11:1 "Cast thy bread upon the waters for thou shalt
find it after many days."
Let us "Remember the words of the Lord how he said, 'It is
more blessed to give than to receive,'" Acts, 20-35.
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