To the Editor of the "NonrH-CHINA Dary News"
Six—The sympathetic reference to the plight of the children at St. Tichon's Orphanage, in your social column a few days ago has constrained me to ask the hospitality of your paper so as to put the true Position of the Orphanage in front of your readers, With so many appeals t the present time I feel that the thing to do is to state the plain facts and leave it to the generosity of the Shanghai public to help us to such extent as they may feel that they can.
At the present time there are 144 children in the school, of whom 105 &re boarders and 39 day-scholars; 37 of these children are orphans and Jove no other possible home but the Orphanage. There are 25 children who håve parents but whose homes are places where it is impossible for them to live, for reasons such as drunkenness, prostitution and entire absence of supervision. The remaining 82 children have one parent, but such parents are completely destitute and cannot support the children at home.
It should be noted that the majority of children when they come to the Orphanage are weak and undernourished as a direct consequence of their previous life, Usually groups of such children are placed in special Wards of the Orthodox Hospital where for from one to three months they are fed gratis, The Orphanage has just sufficient funds to last until the end of November but cannot carry on after that time unless further support is forthcoming. The utmost economy has been instituted during the last few months and apart from milk donated so kindly by Sir Victor Sassoon the only food which we have been able to give the children has been rice and potatoes. Shorfage of boots and shoes is having a bad effect upon the children and warm clothing and under wear are very badly needed. The question of heating will raise another serious problem unless those who have so generously given coal in the past will do so again this year.
These then are the plain facts and it is hoped that sufficient support will be forthcoming so that tha orphanage will not be forced to close and these children be driven on to the streets.
E. F, Harris Chairman, St. Tichon's Orphanage 770 Route Bourgeat.
Shanghai, Nov,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.