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Bipcrt on St. Thomas's Home, for Orphan Boys, Villa Nova, 1386,{Concluded.)To the Mott Rev. Dr. Pmrer, Bithop of St. John'#:My Lord,—Well, we have made a good beginning at farm-work this Bpnng. The land around about Villa Nova Orphauage— if I except a couple of acres just large enough tor a garden—is uncleared and heavily wooded, and would cost much time and trouble to break it up for cultivation. Moreover, in a few years, we may 6©e a more profitable way of laying out that portion of the property adjoining the beautiful lake, than by having it cleared for farming. I was therefore very grateful, when last fall, through thekmdness of a * gentleman in St. John’s, I was enabled to purchaso at a very moderate rate a suitable farm, situated at Kelligrews and containing some seven or eight acres of cleared land. This kind friend not only advanced me the purchase money, giving me several years to repay it; he further gives the interest on the money as his yearly donation to Villa Nova. We have this spring fenced this Farm andEut it under cultivation. But our great ope of making farming profitable for the Institution lies in fact of our possessing the very valuable land of Little Belleisle. We commenced work there this spring, and all our practical farmers are agreed that the soil is very superior and admirably adapted for cultivation. There are several hundred acres on the Island, and almost every acre is cultivable. At present our purpose is to clear and fence a farm on each end of the Island, leaving the center of it for a sheep walk. Rv next spring we hope to be aole to build a farm-house on it and a shed for the cattle.We found also on Belleisle several deposits of excellent brick clay, and I am sanguine that, when in a very few years we are replacing the Old Hotel, we shall be baking the bricks there that will build the new Home of St. Thomas of Villa Nova.What practical industry is there that we can teach thewjys, that will be most useful to them when they go out into the world io earn their bread?This is an all important question for us, and one urgently needing an answer. It is my settled conviction, after giving a good deal of thought to the matter, that we could teach the boys nothing that would be more valuable'to them, in after lif than some practical lessons in farmii g.Whilst some * f them may procure situations, many- ,)f them would learn trades, afterward^ to be their life work: the majority, however, would probably settle down as fanners or engage in the fishery.In going to and from Belleisle, the boys will have opportunities dT learning what I will call, the elementary duties of sea-faring life, such as rowing, man-ging sail boats, attending nets, and »o forth. But before they leave the orphanage, we can make them all—even those who learn trades—practical farmers. That is to say, they will be able to plough, and sow, and mow, and generally manage a small farm. In whatever country or walk of life their future lot may be cast, that knowledge will never ne a burden to them, and may be most useful.That we can impart this knowledge, I have no doubt, and it will hold more particularly true of the boys we shall receive in the time to come, as naturally they will come to us at a younger age than the group of orphan boys who sought admission when the Home at Villa Nova was opened last September. When they come to us young, we shall have abundant time to instruct them, and give them a good solid education before they will be strong enough to do any manual work. Then, during the working seasons, a couple of hours tuition each day will be sufficient to keep up the knowledge acquired, and to considerably increase it.The farm at Belle Isle, when under cultivation, will, I think, prove an admirable training school, and first-class model farm. We shall be able to give the boys, on their last years wages for their work. The money thus earned we will carefully save for them, and it will enable them to purchase a farm or otherwise make a start in life.I find, from reading the last issue of the Homeless Child, that one so skilful and experienced in the management of boys, as Father Drumgoole, of New York, is of the same opinion. He has purchased, for several thousand dollars, a large tract of agricultural land at Htaten Island ; cultivates many acres and has several hqndrpd boys there learning farming,I do not say that atf Bolle Isle we can rival the work done at Staten Inland ; but of one thing I am confident, if we do our best wo may succeed ; and by training them early to industrial habits, we cannot fail to moke them intelligent and useful members of society.Your Lordship will bo glad to know that all our little ones have been blessed abundantly with good health since they haTo come to us, This blessing I attribute, in the first place to the fact, that every night boforo going to rest we supplicate the merciful heart of Jesus Christ to grant us good health, and keep away all sorrow and sickness from our household ; and we daily ask our dear Mother Mary to intercede forthe little fatherless and motherless children at the Throne of Her Divine Son.After the Divine protection I attribute our good fortune to the healthy location of the Home, and to the habits of cleanliness that we have with much trouble enforced. Of course we have had some coughs and colds, but so far, thank God, nothing that the careful kindness and skill of those in charge did not cope with. And, indeed, their display' of roseate health, after say a walk to Topsail, have made kind people sometimes say that we must have painted them. The boys attend Church at Topsail every Sunday and holy day, and perhaps this is the greatest inconvenience the boys suffer ; but so far they they have rather relished the excitement of fighting a snow-drift, and have not appeared to suffer from the inconvenience of a rain-storm, owing probably to the kindness and care shown on their reaching home.Twice or three times a week I say mass for them in their little chapel: and every day, besides being taught the catechism, there is half an hour devoted to religious instruction.We have striven, above all things to make the boys truthful, and manly, and honest, and I think wo are already reaping the fruit of this care and instruction. With very few exceptions, the bigger boys have given us great comfort, and we have rarely had cause to regret our trusting them.We have not failed to remember that boys must have a fair share of fun and recreation to make them happy. Well, we have done our best to keep up a good supply, and the kind thoughtfulness of some friends in Saint John’s makes the task easy. With the approach of winter we got presents of skates and slides, that were so well used that I think they will need renewing next year. Before the fields were green cricket byits and balls and fronting poles were broyght to us as prizes for the boys who had worked hardest at their lessons ; and a kind friend thoughtfully had made for us swings and trapeze and a lot of other gymnastic poles during the winter. When we have finished levelling off our play-ground— and the unevenness of the land has cost us much trouble—and settled our ball-ally. the boys will have no lack of amusement. Besides the athletic sports in thi play-ground, we can give them a good swim every morning to wake them up ; a row over the lake will be a pleasure to look forward to in the evening, and an occasional day up the rivers trouting will considerably add to their happiness.During the winter, besides teaching the boys how to knit stockings and the beginnings of net-making, we had a regular singing class, and some of the youngsters made such great advance j that we have not only a nice choir to sing at the services in the chapel, lmt we were able to give a couple of concerts ; and, as our audiences were not hypercritical, why we won storms of applause.I could not. in a few sentences, tell your Lordship, how pleasantly we spent the Christmas holidays. It was our first Christmas, and other circumstances combined to make kind friends think of the little ones at Villa Nova. And so Christmas Eve we were all wild with joy opening our presents, and many a little fellow put in his thumb, and not only pulled out the traditional plumb that made Jack Horner feel so good, but. he often alighted on something more valuable, and quite as palatable. I remember just before leaving on Christmas Day for Mass, at St. Ann’s, the matron very seriously asked me if the complete programme for the day was to be carried out? reminding me that the boys had commenced the attack on the pi urn-cake and sweet-meats early the evening before, and that sonic of them wore already looking very blue. Yes, certainly, the programme must be carried out. Her answer was, “ Then a lot of the little fellows will be half dead to-morrow,” Well, I felt it was like dying in aood cause, and if we had to do a littleoctoring next day, it didn’t seriously interfere with hunting the wren. I think it only added to the memories so pleasantly mingled of our first Christmas at Villa, Nova.Before closing my report I ought to suy some strong words of praise and thanks to our kind solicitors who so earnestly interested themselves in our work, and by pushing the sale of our little paper, The Orphan’s Friend. so largely contributed to whatever success wo have attained. I know they •are looking and hoping for a nobler reward than any mere human thanks. The promise of the lsrd Ood will be realized for them. Amen, 1 say “as long as you have done it for the least of My little ones you Imvo done it for Me. They havo worked for God and God’s littl orphan children. He will not fail to reward them nhundred-fold. I ought not omit thanking the good people of Topsail, St. Ann's and Kolligrews for their assistance.MICHAEL I*. MORRIS.J. SINCLAIR TAIT, M.D.,L.R.C.P., LONDON. L.R.O.8., EDINBURGH. Office and Betitlence (for the present,)KNIGHT’S HOME.jo30,wA*,3m.
Newspaper Details
Saint Johns Colonist
Saint Johns, Newfoundland, CA
Mon, Aug 23, 1886
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
CA 21 Nov 2023
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