Jasper County Democrat, Volume 10, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 March 1908 — IS IT NOT AN IMPOSITION? [ARTICLE]

IS IT NOT AN IMPOSITION?

The Democrat is always ready to assist in any worthy charity or give its endorsement to anything that tends to the betterment of the people or the upbuilding of Rensselaer. But it can see no occasion for going into ecstasies over the so-called “Monnett Childrens Home,” which is a recent acquisition to our city. Miss Monnett donated SIOO,OOO worth of real estate adjacent to Rensselaer to the Chicago Training School, which is generally known. It wao believed by many that a big school was to be established in our city and that a large and modern building would be erected here and maintained by the parent school in Chicago. This, however, is not the intention at all, nor has it been. All but the Monnett residence and some ten acres of ground the Chicago school expects to sell, and all the proceeds of such sale will be taken to Chicago, leaving the “school” here a charge upon the charity of our people. The Order of Deaconesses will have charge of this school, but it has no money and it is expected that our people will dig up for its support. Not only this, but the children that are being taken care of are from other states. The "school” ground will also likely be exempted from taxation. Therefore Rensselaer people are to be asked to support orphan children that may be dumped in here from other states and no doubt provide, public school facilities for educating them, as they will likely be sent to the city schools. There are worthy people of our own who deserve our charity, and our people are taxed to keep up Indiana’s numerous charitable institutions. We are under no obligations to take care of the orphans of Chicago or Illinois or other states, and instead of going into raptures over the establishment of a “children’s home” here that seems to be intended to care for orphan girls from other cities and states instead of our own, that has no endowment nor no prospect of any, it seems to us the proposition should be looked upon more as a white elephant and frowned upon rather than encouraged. ‘ This is not intended to be a heathenish view of the scheme by any means, but is a clear business observation and a belief that charity should begin at home. Everyone who calmly considers the matter must agree with this view of it.