Rosine Association Semi-annual managers' report

SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
MANAGERS
OF THE
ROSINE ASSOCIATION
No. 204 North Eighth Street.
OCT. 9, 1851.


PREAMBLE
TO THE
CONSTITUTION OF THE ROSINE ASSOCIATION.

When we consider the present state of society, the many
instances that come to our knowledge of deviations from the
path of virtue and propriety, of woman, losing first her self-
respect, then becoming indifferent to the opinion of others, casting
off the restraints of decency and morality, and abandoning
herself to a life of crime and shame, we feel we are called upon
to inquire, why is it so ?—and also, can no remedy be applied ?
We know they are questions of grave importance, and while we
are led to perceive that a deficient education, the want of proper
remuneration for services, and the neglect of suitable maternal
and sympathizing care, on the part of parents and others, in
whose charge young girls are placed, exposes them to temptation ;
we also discover that the prejudices and habits of social
life are often the causes of woman falling into error, and afterwards
yielding fatally to the despair caused by the influences
around her ; she feels she has lost her caste ; she can no more be
received into respectable society ; the finger of scorn and the
word of reproach are now to be her portion, and in her hopeless
misery she abandons all that has been dear to her, and becomes
an alien to her friends, and an outcast from the sympathies and
charities of the good and the virtuous. But we cannot suppose
that, sunk as she may be in vice and degradation, she has lost
all the finer, better feelings of woman's nature ;—we believe
there are few such instances. The customs and prejudices of
society have, after the first fatal step, accelerated her downward
course, and we, who are her sisters, whose hands ought to be
stretched forth to support the fallen victim of error, have heartlessly
abandoned her in her misery and guilt. But a better day
is before us ! We believe the lost may be reclaimed ; the fallen
one may be restored to society and usefulness ; that we may say,
as did our blessed example, "Go, and sin no more !" We feel
we may cast a round her elevating influences; we may teach her
to estimate herself properly; inspire her with principles of integrity,
industry, and independence ; and while we surround her with
moral advantages and religious instructions, which may animate
her to live a right life, we may awaken her faculties to perceive
the dignity of her nature, and her duties as a responsible being
to her Father and her Creator.

With these views we propose associating ourselves together,
that we may establish an Institution for the reformation, employment,
and instruction of females, whose habits and situations
have precluded them from the sympathies of the virtuous part
of the community.


2

EXTRACT FROM THE CONSTITUTION.

To secure from vice and degradation, a class of women who
have forfeited their claim to the respect of the virtuous—to
prepare and maintain for them an asylum, which, by its system
of religious instruction shall elevate their moral nature—teach
them how to gain an honest living "by the work of their own
hands"—and eventually to render them useful members of the
community —an association has been formed, and denominated
the ROSINE ASSOCIATION of Philadelphia, for the government of
which the following constitution is adopted.

ARTICLE 1.

Every woman on the payment of not less than one dollar annually,
shall be admitted as a member of this society ; or, by paying
the sum of twenty dollars, shall be a member for life. Every
person may become an annual contributor.

MANAGERS.

PRESIDENT.
ANNIS P. FURNESS. Pine, seven doors beyond Broad St.
VICE PRESIDENT.
SARAH TYNDALE, Corner of 9th and Sergeant Streets.
TREASURER.
MIRA TOWNSEND, 101 Arch Street.
SECRETARIES.
MARY M. HASTINGS, N. 24 Schuylkill Eighth St.
LYDIA GILLINGHAM, 54 N. Fifth St.

ANN S. CAMPION, 27 Branch St.
SUSANNA LOWER, 254 N. Seventh St.
LYDIA LONGSTETH, 272 N. Third St.
RACHAEL WRIGHT, 273 Green St.
ELLEN LORD, West Penn Square.
ESTHER HANCOCK, 100 Wallace St.
ANNE M. NEEDLES, Twelfth and Race Sts.
SOPHIA LEWIS, 119 Wood St.
ELIZABETH HUNT, Fifth below Green St.
SARAH J. WEBB, 244 Green St.
MARGARET SKILLMAN, 94 Wallace St.
REBECCA C. GHIM, S. E. Cor. of Sixth and Wager.
ELIZABETH CARR, 440 N. Fourth St.
ABIGAIL ELLIS, 246 N. Seventh St.
ELIZABETH HUTTER, 180 Race St.


SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE MANAGERS OF THE
ROSINE ASSOCIATION.

Philadelphia, Oct. 9th, 1851.
Another half year has passed away, and again we are called
to report our progress to the Society, and to our contributors.—
Again are we asked, what have you accomplished ? what is your
success ? and again we must reply, we are sowing,sowing—sowing
on all soils, and beside all waters. We have not turned from
the hard and stony ground because we saw little hope of reaping
a luxuriant harvest, for we have seen even the strong tree standing
upon the almost earthless rock, and sending its roots in a
wonderful manner in search of sustenance, and the tree thus
supported has given its fruit and its shade; therefore, we know
that He who put us into the vineyard, and bade us labor, has a
higher knowledge than ours, and that the seed cast upon the
rock, or by the way side, may be watered by the showers and
the dews, the bright sun may warm it into life, and the Lord of
the harvest may bless it, and cause it to bring forth fruit, even
an hundred fold. Feeling thus, there can be no cessation of
labor, but ever hoping and trusting, we dare not consider any
soil too barren, or any rock too bare for the creative hand to
fertilize, and crown with uses and beauty. And when the
homeless, friendless outcast comes, weighed down with griefs
and iniquities, apparently so degraded and hardened that we feel
there is little soil to receive the seed, who can say that this
despised one may not be elevated to the condition of an angel?
Who of us can read in the book of destiny the mercies in reserve
for this individual ? We believe such have been received into
this Institution. Three are now laid silently in the earth who
came to us thus. Two of them had long been familiar with
crime, and they had drank, to its very dregs, the cup of iniquity.
But the hand of disease rested upon them, and they lingered upon
the bed of suffering, until the Father said, "It is enough." Kind
and virtuous women bent over their pillows, read to them the
words of inspiration, and pointed them to the home where the
weary rest, and the heavy laden may enter through the gate of
prayer. The medical attendant who prescribed the physical
palliatives also spoke of the healing power of the Physician of
Souls, and the words of exhortation, of prayer, and of praise
were breathed beside them, by those who preach glad tidings.


4

Thus surrounded by good influences, the profane and reckless
Woman became the humble, patient child, brought through Divine
mercy into a new phase of existence, preparatory to the translation
to that state where temptation may no longer assail. We
had the consolation to believe that in each of the three cases
an evidence was given of the acceptance of their prayers! One
believed, she experienced a foresight of Paradise, and the dying
words of the one last buried, were, "Jesus, I come ! I come !"
Need we make other comment than to say, if the Rosine had not
opened its doors to these women they would all probably have
passed out of existence in houses of immoral character, and
under the care and influence of those whose steps lead down to
destruction. We cannot limit the power of the Almighty, and
we believe even in such abodes of wickedness His voice is heard
and known, but can we suppose, in such circumstances, their
minds would have been led to seek through prayer the door of
hope? Surrounded by all the horrors that congregate in such
scenes of infamy, their last words would probably have been
imprecations, and their last sighs groans of agonized remorse.
If the Rosine House had been the agent of no other good than
thus to cast its blessed influences over these unfortunate wanderers,
it had done a good work, but we believe many other
minds have been awakened to a sense of their condition, and
brought to the footstool of mercy, some of whom have continued
walking consistently from the time they first came under our
care, nearly four years since. In our last Report we mentioned
that one of our former inmates had $50,00 placed at interest,
the savings from her wages since she left the Institution. Since
that period we have received $30,00 more from her, which has
been added to the $50,00 making $80,00 now at interest. She
is also a contributing member of the Society, one of the seven
former inmates who have been elected members by the Managers.

A few days since, one of our Board visited a woman in the
Penitentiary who kept the house where this young woman lived
in her days of infamy. She was taken exceedingly ill while
there, and the mistress of the house fearing she would die, came
to one of the Managers of the Rosine, requesting her to come
and see the girl, saying, "I could not bear that she should die
without some good person seeing her." Providence blessed the
deed ! the girl was restored and taken by her new friend to the
Rosine House. After remaining some months at the Institution
she was placed at service, and the $80,00 alluded to have been
the savings from her wages since that period. These facts were
related to the convict in the Penitentiary, and a ray of pure
feeling illumined her face as she said " I have never heard from
her since she left my house; you make me so happy ! I am so
glad I could cry." Here was a treble benefit conferred, on the
fallen one who had been raised to usefulness and respectability,
on this unfortunate woman, who, in the seclusion of her cell

5

had thus unexpectedly had one of her good deeds brought before
her, in such a manner that her heart was filled with rejoicing,
and she felt, that, in the true balance of the Almighty, this one
redeeming act which had been thus blest might outweigh a
multitude of sins. And she who had been the instrument of
Providence, to give the hand to one, and now to speak the word
to the other, felt her heart filled with gratitude, and her faith
strengthened to persevere without yielding to discouragements
but to continue to sow in all soils, and beside all waters.

190 Women of this unfortunate class have been received as
Inmates since the opening of the Rosine House, and to a great
number of friendless and destitute women, of [italicized] respectable character [/italicized],
a shelter was given, previous to the opening of the
Temporary Home, which Institution was founded and brought
into existence by the Managers of the Rosine Association. Of
the necessity of both these societies it is now needless to speak.
A preventive and remedial institution are equally needed : the
one to save and protect the innocent and friendless, the other to
snatch the erring from the grasp of iniquity ; to raise the fallen,
to place within their reach the means of honorable existence,
and to point them upward and onward to that higher and better
state, where they may glide imperceptibly into the social and
holy relations of life.

507 Women and Children have been provided with homes and
employment, from the Temporary Home, since the house was
opened one year since, and 1195 from the Rosine, since this
Institution and Intelligence Office came into existence. Total
from the two Associations 1702. These facts reply to the queries,
"What have you done?" " What are you doing?" and we may
add further, that in one or the other of these Homes, every
woman who is able and willing to work, and whose object is to
maintain herself honestly by the labor of her own hands, may
be sheltered and protected, and, whatever may have been the
errors of the past, if a disposition is shown for amendment and
future rectitude, she need no longer say, "I have no home, no
friends !" for both home and friends are offered to the deserving,
as well as to those who evince a disposition to become the deserving.

Upwards of 50,000 copies of our various Reports have been
circulated—18,000 of them in pamphlet form. They have been
our missionaries, speaking for those who could not speak for
themselves, awakening sympathy, telling the reader his duties
and responsibilities, for verily we are guilty in this matter concerning
our sister, if we can aid her cause, and withhold our
hand. She is our sister, even if she be covered with rags and
iniquities, and from the fact, that the Almighty has opened hearts
and hands to provide for these, we know that their cries have
ascended to Heaven, and the Angel of Mercy has been sent with
his dispensation of love, to overshadow those to whom the [blessings]


6

[blessings] of this life have been granted, and give them a new heart
and a new sight, that they may read afresh, and understand the
doctrine that was given to the world long ago, but which was
read apparently without understanding; for when the people
read, "Do as ye would be done by"—"Go, and sin no more"—
"There is more joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth
than over ninety and nine just persons," and " Inasmuch as
ye have done it to the least of these ye have done it unto me;"
they professed to believe it, and to be the followers of Him who
preached these doctrines, yet still the prisons were unvisited, the
detected violator of the laws and the weak and erring woman
have been cast aside, (perhaps by those equally guilty,) with
"Stand off, I am more holy than thou." But this angel of mercy
has awakened heart after heart* and made them interpret these
passages, and see they were meant to be the every day experience
of men and women, and a Howard, a Fry, a Dix, and others,
were inspired to show the people that the dead can still be raised—
the dead in sin—that the lost may be found, and that the fatted
calf may still be killed, in rejoicing over the repentant prodigal.

The miracles and parables were full of meaning. They were
not intended solely for that time, but for all time, not only for
that people, but for us and all coming generations, and, as we
show in our lives the manifestations of our faith, we prove in the
only way our discipleship, for it is now as of old, " By their
fruits ye shall know them." Reading thus anew these doctrines,
we have sent our missionary pamphlets, to say, our eyes have
been in a degree enlightened, and we are trying to live these
doctrines in our own experience, and already we can say, in a
degree, we understand them, for we have said to the erring
woman, "Go, and sin no more ;" and behold, we have seen her
clothed in the white robe, and in the peace and harmony of our
own spirits, some of us can testify, that we have known something
of the joy of Heaven, over the sinner that repenteth.

But, with all our efforts, we feel oppressed with the magnitude
of the work that ought to be accomplished, and with the knowledge
that we are surrounded by sources of evil, that in every
square poison the atmosphere, and generate vices of every
description. The injudicious system which our law-makers have
adopted, of increasing our revenue from licenses to sell liquor, is
producing the most alarming effects in our community, and our
statistics show, that the expenses of supporting our prisoners and
paupers are increased, in consequence of the indulgence in liquor
in a far greater ratio than the receipts from the sale of licenses.
Prior to the change in the License Law, in April 1849, the
licensed houses for the sale of spirituous liquors were 750, and
they now number 2432. Thus we see 2432 proprietors are
making a living for themselves and families, by the sale of
intoxicating drinks, to pervert the manners and morals of our
citizens—bring disease, poverty, wretchedness, and disgrace
into their families, and produce not only in themselves, but in


7

their off-spring, those downward tendencies that unfit them for
the uses and virtuous enjoyments of life. In examining the
cases of our inmates we find many of them are the children of
parents addicted to this vice, and as we believe that scrofula,
consumption, and insanity may be transmitted from parent to
child, we must believe that the disease of intemperance may
descend in a similar manner. Dr. Howe says, in his Report to
the Legislature of Massachusetts, that the parents of 306 idiots
under his care, were habitual drunkards. We know children
partake of the tempers, disposition, and appearance of their
parents, and that the drunkard not only enfeebles his own system
but frequently entails mental disease upon his family, and, when
this intemperance becomes a fixed habit, a disease, it brings with
it an irresistable impulse, which draws it unhappy victim into
practices and positions equally disgusting and degrading, and his
offspring must by their very organization be pre-disposed to vice
and unhealthful stimulants. Within the past week a young girl
was received into the Rosine, whose parents were both drunkards,
and her whole narrative proved, that she had imbibed the
poison at the breast, been subjected to its deadening, debasing
influences, and finally was brought to ruin by a comrade of her
father's, in the presence of her mother, who was lying drunk
upon the floor. Did our limits permit, we could give other
startling facts, at which humanity revolts, but to bring the subject
fully before our citizens we must refer to statistics, which affect
the pecuniary interests of every one.

The money now paid into the Treasury of the Commonwealth,
for licenses for taverns, distilleries, breweries, beer and eating-
houses, amounts to about $60,000 per annum, while the annual
expenditures to support our Prisons, Almshouse, Houses of Refuge,
Court of Quarter Sessions, City and Marshal's Police, are about
$550,000. To every reflecting mind it will not be necessary to
state, that these expenses are caused mainly, either directly or indirectly, in consequence of the use of stimulating liquors.

Of 5000 cases admitted in one year into our Almshouse, 2,323
were intoxicated when received, 281 were cases of mania-potu,
thus shewing that more than one half of the number admitted
were the direct victims of this injudicious system, and we may
safely draw the inference, that a large proportion of the other half
were indirectly paupers, from the same cause. When we refer
to the Report of Marshal Keyser, of July, 1851, we find the
number of arrests, by his police, to be 7,131; of these 73 were
for vagrancy, 636 assault and battery, 135 fighting, 625 intoxication,
and 3,622 for breaches of the peace. During last year
5,987 persons were brought before the Mayor for drunken and
disorderly conduct. The great majority of these individuals
have families, into which they carry poverty, disease, and
degradation, and the professed benefits derived from it, are,


8

the reception of $60,000 into the treasury, and the support of
2,432 rum-sellers.

Some of our Members may perhaps enquire, why these statements
are made in a Report of the Rosine Association, and what
particular connexion they can have with our inmates. We
believe a knowledge of these circumstances, and of their effects,
is of vital importance in our reformatory movement. When
case after case comes before us, of women, whose minds appear
to be weak, where we find little or no principle, and scarcely a
perception between right and wrong, we must look for the causes
of this imbecility, this absence of principle, these deviations from
correct conduct. We find the solution in many cases to be intemperance,
in one or both parents, the consequent deterioration of
the mental faculties of the child, the degrading scenes it witnesses,
and the debased associations into which children are
brought from the dissolute habits of their parents. Thus vice
and recklessness become familiar, and they are pre-disposed by
their organization and position to enter at an early period into
the soul deadening career. At almost every house of immoral
character liquor is sold, and to enhance the profits of the keeper
the unfortunate inmates are tempted to drink constantly, to benumb
their own sensibilities, so as to enable them to endure their
wretched existence, and prompt them to induce their visiters to
enter also this fearful road to ruin. Thus the fondness for
stimulants is cultivated, until the whole being is debased.

When an inmate is received into the Rosine House the Temperance
Pledge is usually administered, and when they depart,
we have reason to believe they generally intend and desire to
aim at a higher, better life. But the dram shop under its varied
names is in every square, the temptation on every hand, and [italicized] in
almost every case, when those who have been under our care
abandon the situations in which they have been placed, and
return to their former haunts, we find the first temptation has
been the fatal cup, in some professedly respectable drinking-house [/italicized].
Have we not reason then to investigate this subject, and urge
our friends to assume their duties, in endeavoring to remove this
fruitful source of evil, which is pervading with its poisoning
influences our whole city, demoralizing our community, rendering
nugatory in a great degree the efforts of our benevolent
institutions, and draining our pockets in the form of taxes, to
support our Courts, our Police, our Alms-House and Prisons.—
Two-thirds of our charitable institutions might close their doors
if the sale of intoxicating liquors was prohibited.

But, amid the regrets and disappointments to which we are
thus subjected, we have much to cheer us. During the past 18
months, our family has been larger than ever before, and the
continued good conduct of many of those who came under our


9

care nearly four years since, gives us the best evidence that we
have not labored in vain. The tokens of affection we are constantly
receiving from some of these poor friendless children is
highly gratifying. Occasionally a note bespeaking their feelings
is quietly slipped into our hands. On last Valentine's Day, one
of our managers received seven of these pledges of love and
gratitude. Some of them were with difficulty deciphered, as
the authors probably were ignorant of a letter, when they entered
the house, but they all breathed a consciousness that they were
better women than they had been, and that the Rosine had been
the instrument of making them so.

'We will refer to a circumstance illustrative of the kind and
generous feelings which is sometimes evinced by our Inmates.
A woman from Ireland deserted her husband and two children,
and came to this city. Here she sank herself down step by step,
until one of our Managers found her in the prison, and brought
her from there to the Rosine. After a course of good conduct
for several months she wrote to her husband, informing him
of her situation and expressing her penitence. He replied
immediately and invited her to return, assuring her of his
forgiveness. Her anxiety to be re-instated in her home and in the
hearts of her husband and children was now so great, that her
companions became deeply interested, and called a meeting
among themselves, at which they addressed a petition to the
Managers for work, by which they might in their leisure moments
earn something towards defraying her expenses back to Ireland.
Their petition was granted, and about ten dollars was thus earned
by over-work.

During the past six months the number of
Garments made for Customers has been 533, bringing $202 06
By Inmates for their own emolument, 57, " 11 62
To pay for the Irish woman's passage, 24, " 10 00
For the use of the Inmates and Institution, 170,
Total, 784

190 Women have been received [italicized] as Inmates [/italicized] since the opening
of the house, besides a great number of respectable women, to
whom a temporary home has been given, until they could be
placed in permanent houses. Of the 190 Inmates, 79 have been
placed at service in respectable families, 2 have been sent to their
friends in New York, 1 has returned to her relations in Scotland,
5 have married—one marriage took place in the Institution,
5 have been restored to their parents, 3 have died, 11
were sent to the almshouse, 3 were received, and went
to housekeeping again with their husbands, 58 have
been dismissed as unsuitable cases, or left, with, or without [permission]


10

[permission], and 28 are now in the Rosine House. Our family is
sometimes increased for a few days, by the return of some who
have been at service, when they have occasion to change their
places. At such periods we always encourage them to come
back, as to a parent's house, and other situations are then procured
for them.

Our Expenses within the six months have been
For Rent, Salaries, Clothing, Marketing, &c, - - $868 81
Cash Returned, borrowed previously to our last Report, 127 50
Total, $996 31

Our Receipts have been

For Work Done in the House, — - — — $202 06
Interest on Loan, — — — — — — 86 91
Annual Subscriptions paid and Donations solicited, — 587 50
From the Committee to Celebrate the Arrival of the
Steam-Ship City of Glasgow, — — — — 70 00
Board of Inmates Working on their own Account, — 23 00

Total, $969 47
Deficiency in Income, — — — — — 26 84

Certificate by Auditors,

The undersigned having been appointed by the Board of Managers
of the Rosine Association to examine the Accounts of the
Treasurer, Mira Townsend, have attended to the duty assigned
them, and find the Books have been accurately kept, and are
correct in every particular.

MARY M. HASTINGS.
ANNE M. NEEDLES.

9th Month, 19, 1851.

It is exceedingly unpleasant to have to refer in our Reports
to our pecuniary necessities, and to be forced to solicit from door
to door the means of supporting our Rosine family. We have
still hoped that amid our wealthy citizens some hearts would be
opened towards these poor outcast children, who would feel the
necessity of endowing such a Home, where they could be sheltered,
protected, taught "to support themselves honestly by the
labor of their own hands," their minds cultivated by educational,
moral, and religious influences, and where finally they might be placed in positions to be good and useful members of the community.

The Rosine is no longer merely an experiment; it is an [italicized] Incorporated
Society [/italicized], taking place amid other benevolent associations, and


11

second to no one in its necessity and usefulness, in the earnestness
of some of its laborers, or their devotion to the interests of
these unfortunates. We feel that our purpose is a high, a holy
one, and that we have a claim upon the sympathies and purses
of our citizens, to aid us in effecting our object.

Our duties are numerous, and highly responsible. To receive,
examine, and judge of every case [the?] presents for admission ;
to administer to the various necessities of our household, and
cause our Inmates to be mentally and physically instructed ; to
provide homes for those who are prepared to leave; to visit
houses of immoral character, the alms-house and prison; to
receive numberless calls from persons on business, connected
with, or relative to the Institution ; to receive and reply to numberless
letters; attend to the numerous out-door interests of our
Inmates, and lastly, to raise funds to support the Rosine House
and family.

Our friends will perceive that these varied duties consume a
great amount of time, and some of us feel, when we are required
to go out day after day soliciting funds, that this is not our [italicized] proper sphere [/italicized]. Some of our other duties must be neglected, that we
may have time to solicit contributions ; for our family must be
fed and clothed, and our other expenses paid, or we must say to
these friendless ones, we have no longer a home for you.

And now, in less than another year, on the 31st day of next
July, our lease will expire, and by an agreement with our landlord,
we may then become owners of the property, by the payment
of $5,000. The price of the house is $6,333, $1,300 of
which sum is now invested in a mortgage on the house. $1,750
we have out at interest. Will not our friends aid us in raising
the $3,000, that an open door may be secured to these, "the
poorest of the poor." We acknowledge the kindness of our
friends in their contributions, both in goods and money, but the
cause is not our cause alone, it is their cause also : it is the cause
of purity, virtue, morality, charity, justice, and religion.

☞ The Treasurer would be much obliged to our members
and contributors, if they would pay their Subscriptions to the
Store-Keeper, at the Institution, or at her residence, 101 Arch Street..


HOUSE-KEEPERS
ARE REQUESTED TO TAKE NOTICE THAT THE
ROSINE ASSOCIATION,
believing, that many YOUNG WOMEN when in search of
situations have been sent by designing persons to houses
of immoral character, have opened an
INTELLIGENCE OFFICE,
FOR
WOMEN AND CHILDREN,
AT THE
DRY GOODS AND TRIMMING STORE
OF THE
INSTITUTION, No. 204 NORTH EIGHTH STREET.

Persons desiring permanent situations for Orphan,
or other Children, may find respectable homes for
them upon application to this office.

Ladies who become [italicized] Members of the Society [/italicized] and pay
their [italicized] annual contributions [/italicized], are entitled to get Domestics
from the Intelligence office gratuitously.

☞ Individuals and Families can have their tailoring,
mantua-making, shirt-making and general sewing
done in the Institution.

Ladies are taught Fowler's system of Dress Cutting
in Three Lessons, by a Lady in the Parlor of the Institution.

DRESS SCALES FOR SALE.