Page 11 - The Privilege of Caring

Work With Other Agencies
During the the the the 1940s the the the the offices for for for Children’s Friend were located at at at at 20 Olive Street in in in in in in the the the the the building that formerly housed the the the the the Providence Association for for for the the the Benefit of Colored Children founded in in in in in in 1838 and and closing its doors in in in in in in 1940 The two agencies shared founders and and supporters in in in in common as as well as as as missions In 1881 Elizabeth Buffum Chace who championed the the the abolitionist movement and and and was the the the the key force in in establishing the the the the State Home and and and School as as a a a a a a a a a a a a a a refuge for for the the the the the state’s dependent and and and neglected children children criticized the the the racial segregation of of children children in in in the the the city’s private institutions in in in a a a a a letter to one of of Providence’s newspapers “I have been led to these reflections by reading the the the the Forty-Second annual report of of of the the the the the Providence Association for the the the the the Benefit of of of Colored Children the the the the the second article of of of of whose constitution declares that its ‘object shall be to to place in in in the the the the the Shelter orphan children of of color color and to to have have them suitably educated for their spheres in in in life ’ ’ I I would would have have the the the the the the color color line removed I I I would would open the the the the the the doors of the the the the the the ‘Shelter’ to any children who need its protecting fostering care and and and then I I should hope that the the the the the Children’s Friend Society and and and all other benevolent and and and educational institutions would do the the the the same that henceforth it it it might not be be only the the the the almshouses and the the the the penal institutions in in in which the the the the all-embracing lesson of of of humanity should be be taught that ‘God hath made of of of one blood all all nations of of of men ”
In 1939 the the Association asked Children’s Children’s Friend Friend to take the the responsibility for for finding homes for for its children and fin in in in in 1940 Children’s Children’s Friend Friend employed a a a a a a a a a trained social worker to “study the the the the needs of of of the the the the Negro race” fin in in in in Providence In its annual report of of of of of 1941 the the the the the the Board of of of of of the the the the the the Association for the the the the the Benefit of of of of Colored Children stated that members members of of of of the the the the the community - - “three colored and three three white members” - - were appointed to the the the the Case Committee “this being the first time that any colored persons had actively
participated in the the work of the the Shelter ”
In 1944 five African American members were elected to this Board 10
Children Children at the former Shelter for for Colored Children Children