There is not much red tapeism about this
home. The child's father must be dead and the
mother must be dependent ; after that preference
is given to the orphans from Dauphin, Lebanon
139
and Cumberland Counties; and the boy must
stay until he is eighteen, as his education could
not otherwise be completed.
There are forty orphans there now. The tiny
tots under six years are in the annex, with its
two governesses and trained kindergartner and
a well equipped kindergarten building near by,
with a small hospital above it. The older boys
are in the roomy old homestead, with not far off
the large building that has a play room for rainy
days, a bright school room with two stands of
growing plants, and, beyond, the work room
where already these small boys have learned car-
pentry and are now making the beds for the new
dormitory about to be built.
There is routine, naturally, discipline, hard
work and harder study — all these must go to the
making of a man — but there is besides plenty of
play and even the refining interest of music.
Those little fellows are now learning to read
music and later there will be a band.
That they are happy and well their bright
faces and sturdy bodies show ; that they appreci-
ate what is being done for them and love the
donor none could fail to know who saw even
the babies of the kindergarten rush out to the
automobile, then turn back swiftly as they plain-
tively said, "We fot you was Mr. Hershey."
But those ideals of old Derry do not stop in
their fulfillment at the homestead. In the town
and beyond there is a great sociological work
going on that must be but briefly mentioned, yet
is comparable in its scope to that being done
140
through many agencies in our large cities. Here
it is the work of one man with a big heart and
a wise head.
The children of the town are not forgotten,
whether they romp the summer through in their
own special playgrounds in the park or attend
the free kindergarten in winter. The boys of
Hershey need not seek saloons — none in the town
by the way — when they have better amusement
in swimming pool and gymnasium at the Y. M.
C. A. building, fully equipped by Mr. Hershey,
or in the moving picture shows that are given in
that auditorium twice each week. The girls and
women are not slighted, for they, too, have a
gymnasium, a cafeteria, a library and rest rooms
in a Young Woman's Christian Association
plant that owes its splendid equipment to the
same generous backer.
There is no excuse to be uneducated in this
town that has sprung up on the "barrens of
Derry." If you cannot go to school by day, there
are night classes, supported by Mr. Hershey and
largely patronized by his people.
And in all of these benefits the congregation of
old Derry Church and of all the other churches
may share. Truly, those three strong leaders of
the church at its beginning, Parsons Anderson,
Bertram and Elder would say "Thank God" — for
they, too, believed in education and the uplift of
the people, despite their stern Calvinism and
sombre view of life.
141
HISTORIC PAXTON
Her Ways
"Will you go with me? We'll mend our dinner here."
— ShaJcespeare.
"Nothing lovelier can be found in woman than to study
household good, and good works in her husband to pro-
mote."— John Milton.
Page 54
Presented as published in 1913. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
There is not much red tapeism about this home. The child's father must be dead and the mother must be dependent ; after that preference is given to the orphans from Dauphin, Lebanon
and Cumberland Counties; and the boy must stay until he is eighteen, as his education could not otherwise be completed.
There are forty orphans there now. The tiny tots under six years are in the annex, with its two governesses and trained kindergartner and a well equipped kindergarten building near by, with a small hospital above it. The older boys are in the roomy old homestead, with not far off the large building that has a play room for rainy days, a bright school room with two stands of growing plants, and, beyond, the work room where already these small boys have learned carpentry and are now making the beds for the new dormitory about to be built.
There is routine, naturally, discipline, hard work and harder study — all these must go to the making of a man — but there is besides plenty of play and even the refining interest of music. Those little fellows are now learning to read music and later there will be a band.
That they are happy and well their bright faces and sturdy bodies show ; that they appreciate what is being done for them and love the donor none could fail to know who saw even the babies of the kindergarten rush out to the automobile, then turn back swiftly as they plaintively said, "We thought you was Mr. Hershey."
But those ideals of old Derry do not stop in their fulfillment at the homestead. In the town and beyond there is a great sociological work going on that must be but briefly mentioned, yet is comparable in its scope to that being done
through many agencies in our large cities. Here it is the work of one man with a big heart and a wise head.
The children of the town are not forgotten, whether they romp the summer through in their own special playgrounds in the park or attend the free kindergarten in winter. The boys of Hershey need not seek saloons — none in the town by the way — when they have better amusement in swimming pool and gymnasium at the Y. M. C. A. building, fully equipped by Mr. Hershey, or in the moving picture shows that are given in that auditorium twice each week. The girls and women are not slighted, for they, too, have a gymnasium, a cafeteria, a library and rest rooms in a Young Woman's Christian Association plant that owes its splendid equipment to the same generous backer.
There is no excuse to be uneducated in this town that has sprung up on the "barrens of Derry." If you cannot go to school by day, there are night classes, supported by Mr. Hershey and largely patronized by his people.
And in all of these benefits the congregation of old Derry Church and of all the other churches may share. Truly, those three strong leaders of the church at its beginning, Parsons Anderson, Bertram and Elder would say "Thank God" — for they, too, believed in education and the uplift of the people, despite their stern Calvinism and sombre view of life.
HISTORIC PAXTON
Her Ways
"Will you go with me? We'll mend our dinner here." — ShaJcespeare.
"Nothing lovelier can be found in woman than to study household good, and good works in her husband to promote."— John Milton.