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The Avon home.
The Avon Home ‘for children found destitute within the limits of
Cambridge’ was founded by the generosity of a resident of
Cambridge in accordance with a long-cherished plan.
It was opened on May 30, 1874, in a house on Avon Place near Linnaean Street, which, with its furniture and what was expected to be an ample endowment, was transferred to the corporation of the
Avon Place trustees in November of that year.
The original board of trustees consisted of
Mrs. Henry W. Paine, president;
Rev. D. O. Mears, treasurer;
Miss Irene F. Sanger, clerk; and
Dr. Andrew P. Peabody,
Mrs. Joseph Lovering,
Mrs. W. T. Richardson,
Mrs. Henry Thayer,
Mrs. J. M. Tyler, and
Mrs. B. F. Wyeth.
Dr. Peabody succeeded
Mrs. Paine as president, and at the time of his death in 1893 was the last one of the original trustees;
Mr. William Taggard Piper was chosen to succeed
Dr. Peabody.
Mrs. John Bartlett and
Miss Maria Murdock respectively followed
Miss Sanger as
clerkTyler, and
Mrs. J. M. Tyler and
Miss Mary A. Ellis succeeded
Mr. Mears as treasurer.
Four trustees were added in November, 1875, and in January, 1886, the number was increased to seventeen.
In 1891 the name of the corporation was changed to ‘The Avon Home.’
The endowment was in the form of securities, which unfortunately proved to be of little or no value, and soon after the opening of the
Home the trustees were compelled to call on their friends for contributions to enable them to carry on this work which was so pressing.
Their appeal was answered, and it is worthy of record that during the whole period of the existence of the
Home no debt has ever been incurred.
In 1878 an adjoining lot on Avon Hill Street was given by the
Holly Tree Inn, and in the following year the house was enlarged so that from twenty-five to thirty children could be accommodated.
In 1879
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a gift of $300 from the
Cambridge Horticultural Society was received, of which only the income could be spent, and this formed the beginning of a permanent fund, which has since been increased by legacies and gifts.
Since it was impossible even to consider more than two thirds of the applications for admission, owing to the insufficient accommodations, the trustees, in the autumn of 1889, asked for subscriptions with which to build a larger and more convenient house on Avon Hill Street. Nearly the desired amount had been subscribed when some of the friends of the
Home, thinking that a better situation should be provided, urged that an appeal for that purpose should be issued.
The result of this was so satisfactory that land was purchased on Mount Auburn Street, nearly opposite the
Cambridge Hospital, and a handsome, commodious building was erected large enough to accommodate forty children comfortably.
This was completed and occupied in December, 1891, and by the sale of the estate on Avon Place in the following summer the trustees avoided the possibility of any indebtedness.
The land, nearly 70,000 square feet, cost $13,952.75, and the house $21,740.78; a fire-escape was afterwards added, making the total cost $36,239.51.
In 1892 the founder of the
Home showed his continued interest in its prosperity by the gift of a farm of one hundred and twenty acres in
Concord, Mass., which it is his desire, as it is the wish of the trustees, to use for the older boys, where they may learn farming and other outdoor occupations, or for the more delicate little children, where they may get a change of air. At present this cannot be done on account of the great additional expense, and the farm is rented.
The cost of maintenance is now over $5000 a year; the greater part of this is met by the income from the invested funds, by the proceeds of fairs, and by the small amount of board which is required from those parents who are able to pay anything.
From annual subscriptions and donations is received less than $2000,—not a large amount to be contributed by the citizens of
Cambridge for the support of the only Home exclusively for
Cambridge children, where no distinction is made as to race or religion.
The children attend the public schools and public kindergarten, go to church regularly, and since the number is limited to forty, they are treated in every way as the members of a large family.
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In this attempt the trustees have been ably seconded by the remarkable ability of
Mrs. Melick, who has been the matron since May, 1886, and to her much of the credit for the successful management of the
Home is due. For many years the ladies who have served as trustees have given invaluable assistance by their unwearied interest and careful attention to all the numerous details of the institution.
Three hundred children have been cared for at the
Avon Home in the last twenty-two years; their stay has been for different periods, varying from a few days to eight years. Some have been foundlings or orphans, for whom after a time homes have been provided where they might be adopted and brought up as if belonging to the family; others have been surrendered to the trustees and similarly placed.
By far the largest number have been cared for temporarily during some crisis in the family, and when this had passed the parents or relatives were able to care for them.
The children who have stayed at the
Home long enough to receive much benefit from its influence have all, so far as known, turned out well; one is in
California, others nearer
Cambridge, but most of them are still in the city or the immediate neighborhood, and all are proving respectable citizens.
