Jacksonville Baptist Home For Children (JBHC) Early History # 3
[Found in the papers of Attorney, Percy Leon Thomas, Sr. of Jacksonville, member and Deacon of the Main Street Baptist Church, Secretary and Vice-President of the Jacksonville Baptist Home for Children Board of Trustees. The author of this material is unknown but content is in the form of reports made to and/or by the Board of Directors for the Home]
M E M O R A N D U M
The very first record concerning the inception of the Baptist Home for Children has been found in the Minutes of the Jacksonville Baptist Association held in the First Baptist Church of Baldwin, Baldwin, Florida, October 21-23, 1924, in the Report of the Executive Committee of the Jacksonville Baptist Association for the year ending September 20, 1924, a part of which said report reads as follows:
"At the regular meeting in January, Dr. Mahon stated that Brother S.J. Highsmith had offered to the Jacksonville baptist Association a tract of land containing eight acres, situated on the Lem Turner Road, to be used for the purpose of establishing and maintaining an orphanage. A motion was carried that the proposition be taken under consideration by a special committee which committee should report at the next meeting. Dr. Mahon, Rev. J.S. Judah and H.S. Brokaw were appointed on this committee. The committee has reported at each regular session of the executive committee, and will submit a report to the Association at this session."
(See Associational Minutes for 1924, Page 13)
The next record we find is contained in the same minutes, and reads as follows:
Report on Establishment of an
Associational Children's Home.
"We, your committee appointed by the Executive Committee of the Jacksonville Association, to report on a proposal made by Brother S.J. Highsmith, submit the following:
Whereas, Brother S.J. Highsmith has offered to donate to the Jacksonville Baptist Association eight acres of land located on Lem Turner Road, approximately five miles from the center of the City, valued at Ten Thousand Dollars, on which to establish a Children's Home, and
Whereas, there is urgent demand and pressing need for an institution of this kind for orphans, half orphans, and destitute children who are not orphans, and
Whereas, many children of Baptist parentage are now being cared for and taken under control of institutions that are not baptist,
Therefore, be it resolved that the Jacksonville Baptist Association accept the proposed gift from Brother S.J. Highsmith, and that Ten Thousand Dollars in cash and pledges be raised to erect the first building and make such needed improvement as may be necessary for the first unit of the institution; also that the Executive committee of the Association be intrusted with the execution of the requirement and spirit of this resolution.
Respectfully submitted
(signed) W. L. C. Mahon."
(See Associational Minutes 1924, Page 27)
A motion was made to adopt the report, and after discussion by Dr. W.L.C. Mahon, J.S. Judah, W.A.J. Moore, and Mrs. M. A. Robertson, was carried.
(See Associational Minutes 1924, Page 27)
We further find that on Thursday afternoon of the same Associational convention the following:
"The following resolution was presented:
Resolved, That in order to put into effect the resolution adopted by the Association to establish a children's home, a committee of five consisting of W.G. Jones, First Church Jacksonville; A.E. Ogilvie, Callahan; A.C. Shuler, Calvary; T.F. Rivers, Woodlawn; A.R. Colcord, Riverside; be appointed to raise the $10,000.00 suggested by the Association, also this committee be authorized if necessary to employ a man to raise funds.
(Signed) W.L.C. Mahon"
A Motion was carried to adopt the resolution.
(See Associational Minutes 1924, Page 29)
The next record we find is the following excerpt taken from the Report of the Executive committee of the Jacksonville baptist Association for the year ending September 30, 1925, made to the regular associational convention at the First Baptist Church, Jacksonville, Florida, held October 20-22, 1925, which reads:
"Reports were submitted during the year showing the progress being made in the collection of moneys for the establishing of a Children's Home in the jacksonville Association. W. G. Jones resigned as chairman of the committee in charge of this Work, and J.R. Castine was appointed chairman in his stead. A motion carried that this committee, consisting of J. R. Castine, W.G. Jones, A.C. Shuler, A.E. Ogilvie, T.F. Rivers and A.R. Colcord, be created trustees of the Jacksonville Baptist Association, to accept deed to the proposed orphanage (or Children's Home) property and to apply for a charter for the establishment of the orphanage on the property to be donated by S.J. Highsmith"."
"At the meeting held on April 28, S.J. Highsmith was added to the board of Trustees for the Children's Home."
(See Associational Minutes 1925, Page 14)
We next find the following report made to the Association at the same session that received the report above referred to:
"A motion was carried to hear the report on the Jacksonville Baptist Children's Home. The report was read by Dr. W.L.C. Mahon.
"Report of Trustees, Jacksonville Baptist Children's Home.
"To the Jacksonville Baptist Association:
From February 1st, 1925, to September 30th, 1925, after the Trustees were elected, the president called a meeting at 624 Graham Building, and the following officers were elected: Vice President, A.C. Shuler: Secretary-Treasurer, A.R. Colcord. At this time the board took up the matter of field secretary and through the good work of Dr. Mahon, we succeeded in getting Rev. G.E. Jones to accept this position at $200.oo per month; Brother Jones to furnish his car and pay all of his expenses. He was also granted the privilege of confirming his evangelistic work; all funds from such meeting to be turned over to our Treasurer.
Brother S.J. Highsmith gave to the Home eight acres of fine land, and very suitable for the purpose, a Children's Home, located five miles north of Jacksonville, in Lem Turner Park. The Main Street Baptist Church gave the Home a building for a receiving home, downtown. The trustees accepted this give and voted to purchase a lot on Cottage Avenue for $3,000; $500. cash and balance over three years. This lot has already practically doubled in value. Owing to labor conditions, we were unable to get the building moved on our lot and now seems that we will have to move it by way of Main Street. However, we hope to have the building on out lot in the very near future.
Quite a number of churches have made a good response to this work but on account of previous obligations, a number of them have been unable to assist any, but there is no doubt there will be greater response in the coming year.
The following is a financial report:
Subscribed, $2,731.15; unpaid, $1,235.16
Cash Received $2,416.28
Total Disbursements 2,166.25
Cash in Bank 250.03
(Signed) John R. Castine, Chairman.":
An annual report of G.E. Jones was recorded.
"A motion was made to adopt the report. Discussion followed by Dr. Len G. Broughton, Chas. G. Dilworth, W.C. Sale, C.E. Jones.
"A substitute motion carried that definite action on the adoption of the report on Jacksonville Baptist Children's Home be deferred until Wednesday, 1:45 o'clock.
(See Associational Minutes 1925, Pages 16 and 17)
Wednesday afternoon: The Special order deferred from previous day on discussion of Jacksonville Baptist children's Home was announced by the Moderator. Discussion followed by G.E. Jones, and the motion to adopt carried.
(See Associational Minutes 1925, Page 27.)
In the report of the Executive Committee of the Jacksonville Baptist Association, made to the Association held in the Phoenix Baptist Church, October 19-21, 1926, we find the following:
"At the meeting on Nov. 9, the Trustees of the Jacksonville baptist Children's Home were requested to submit a report at each regular meeting of the Executive Committee during the year. A verbal report was submitted by Brother Castine at the January meeting, showing the progress of the work. No further reports were submitted."
(See Associational Minutes, 1926, Page 23."
We next find that the report of the Home was read on Wednesday Afternoon in the same Associational session by Simon F. Williams. The report follows:
"Report to the Jacksonville Association:
"The Trustees of the Home beg to report that our building on Cottage Avenue, near Main Street is being rushed to completion and we hope to have it finished before December 1st.
"A committee was appointed in August to go into the possibilities of building at once. Brother J.S. Ramis, S.J. Highsmith and J.R. Castine served on this committee. The Trustees had purchased a lot in June 1925 for the purpose of building a receiving home and day nursery. The committee recommended that we build on this lot.
"This building will have two Dormitories, a basement and a roof garden. Constructed of brick, with 16 inch walls. It will be worth about $15,000. when completed, but we hope will actually cost less than $10,000. We have several very liberal donations. One firm gave every window and door frame for the building. We also have a large heating stove and ice box.
"At the August meeting Dr. W.L.C. Mahon and J.R.Castine were appointed to negotiate a loan if possible for $3000 with one of the local banks. This note was made for 90 days and the money placed to our credit. Interest rate 6 per cent.
"We now have a field worker, Mrs. T.H. West, who started to work October 15th, and has already brought in some nice checks.
"We expect to get out 5000 circulars before November 1st, explaining our work and also attaching to each one of the circulars an invitation to contribute to the work.
The Chairman of the Board has made some extensive investigation as to how to operate the home and what is the greatest need. There is a great need here for a day nursery for children under three years of age. The next most pressing need if not the most is a home for girls from twelve to seventeen years of age. In the last mentioned need there is unlimited possibilities of good work to be done if we could work out some way to handle this on much the same basis as the Industrial School run by the Methodist Church at Thomasville, GA., where a number of Florida girls are being sent now.
"Our present balance in bank is $1498.21
"We recommend following changes on Board of Trustees: Percy L. Thomas, in place of J. W. Hudson; John T. Reagin, in place of R.H. Beasley; Joe Hammond, in place of C.S. Dubbs.
Yours very truly
(Signed) JOHN R. CASTINE,
Chairman of the Board."
"Pending motion to adopt the report it was discussed by J.R. Castine, Jas. S. Ramis, Lee McBride White, Chas. G. Dilworth, and carried."
(See Associational Minutes 1926, Pages 26 and 27.)
|
