50
 

SOUVENIR,
 

HEBREW   BENEVOLENT   AND   ORPHAN
ASYLUM  SOCIETY.
 

It is most interesting to notice how often in
life small and insignificant beginnings have
been the very causes of gradual growth and con¬
tinual enlargement. Such was prominently the
case  with  the   Hebrew  Orphan   xAsylum,   at
 

Seventy-seventh street and Third avenue, a
massive and commodious building. The neces¬
sary preparations for this purpose being at
once made, the City generously donated the
ground for the Asylum, and, moreover, ap¬
propriated an additional sum of thirty thous¬
and dollars for this object. It was a most
gratifying matter that the cornerstone of the
building was ready to be laid in September,
 

n
 

Hebrew Orphan Asylum.
 

One Hundred and Thirty-eighth street and
Amsterdam avenue, w^hich, from a very small
compass and dimension, has developed into a
vast and comprehensive Institution. Judg¬
ing from the records of the Asylum, it is
a fact that in the year 1861 the Asylum,
being then in its infancy and having its
home, if we mistake not, in Twenty-ninth
street, contained only the small number of
thirty-three children. Its beginnings may be
traced back to the year 1822. As the time
passed on, more suitable accommodations were
needed for this noble and humanitarian work,
and as more applications were daily pouring
in than orphans could be received, it was re¬
solved to construct at once, at  the corner  of
 

1862, and that, on November 5, 1863, the
Asylum's new building was duly dedicated in
the most solemn manner, in the presence of
a large concourse of people.

In the year 1868, the number of inmates
amounted already to one hundred and fifty-
one wards (one hundred and thirteen boys
and thirty-eight girls). It was, then, under
the presidency of that worthy gentleman,
Mr. Joseph Fatman, that the first attempt
was made, in order to encourage the trades
among the children, to start with "« skoe-
maki'ng- department.'''' However, this beauti¬
ful idea, so well adapted for children of orphan
asylums, and in general, also, for the rising
young of all shades of society, was enthusias-
 

a