A History of Children’s Aid Society
in Clearfield County
Children’s Aid Society in Clearfield County, an auxiliary of Children’s Aid Society of Western Pennsylvania, was organized on October 17, 1890 as the first child welfare agency in Clearfield County. Its original purpose was “to provide for the welfare of any destitute or neglected children who may come under its control, by such means as shall be best for them and the community”. The group first met at the home of Mrs. William W. Betts, the Society’s first president.
Although every effort was made to keep families together, much of the Society’s work was to place children in carefully selected suitable homes and prevent them from spending their young lives in the county Poor House. Beginning the late 1890s, the Society also participated in New York City’s Fresh Air Fund, which found vacation homes in the country for city children each summer. Visiting homes throughout the county was challenging in horse and buggy days, especially when the weather was poor. As the number of children needing services increased, a formal location seemed be the best solution.
On March 17, 1915, the Society rented a small house at 215 Spruce Street and equipped it to house 10-20 children with Mrs. Josephine Rowles Kelso as matron. The small house was soon outgrown, providing services for 96 children in the first year. In 1917, benefactors Asbury W. Lee and John Wrigley, two prominent Clearfield businessmen, anonymously built a large, three story brick building for the Society along South Second Street. The Home was called the Mystery House while being constructed as no one knew the builders or its purpose. The building was presented to the Society on July 20, 1918 with the stipulation that it always serve children, and it was known as the “Children’s Home”.
An undated, historical photo of children in the Children’s Aid Society playground.
The opening of the Home was delayed as the local Board of Health requested in October 1918 that it serve as an emergency hospital during an influenza epidemic lasting several months. The first regular meeting held at the new Children’s Home was on May 29, 1919. Miss Grace Hoyt, and later Miss Mary Pope, served as matrons. Children were placed in the Home for many reasons and each child had a different experience. Some were returned to their family after brief stay due to illness of the mother or temporary need. Some stayed for long periods, moved to foster families, were placed on farms, or sent to institutions like Girard College or the Milton Hershey School for boys or Carson College or Indiana Industrial School for girls. Between 1919 and 1925, school was conducted at the home. Children later attended school in Hyde and later Clearfield Public Schools. The Home often had 40 or more children in residence and 20 or more cared for in foster homes. There were also numerous adoptions over the years.
Several auxiliaries of Children’s Aid Society were organized in Ansonville, Clearfield, Coalport, Curwensville, DuBois, Kermorr, Mahaffey, Osceola, Smith Mills, and Winburne. The auxiliaries were helpful in fundraising, investigating homes, and visiting and keeping in touch with children placed in their communities. Finances were always challenging. Tag days, special drives, and bequests brought in help as needed to purchase bonds. In the early 1950’s the last of the bonds had been sold, and the agency bank balance was down to $75. The public was notified, and with no organized solicitation, $7,500 was raised.
Until the 1940’s Children’s Aid Society was the only child social service agency in the county. It provided an orphanage, foster care, and adoption services, almost all of which was done on a volunteer basis. When the state entered the social service area, the Society helped set up the County Children Youth and Family Services and has always held a seat on their advisory board.
We are grateful to the long line of board members and staff for the love, care, and commitment they have shown to children and families over the years. Businesses and community members have always been supportive. It is our hope and intention that we can continue to provide quality services for children and their families for the next 135 years!
The current Child Care and Early Learning Center (the original Children’s Home), at left,
with the administration building pictured at right.
Children’s Aid Society now provides services throughout central and western Pennsylvania. The original building is now a bustling child care and preschool center. Over the past decades we have added a wide array of parenting and relationship educational classes to help strengthen families. Although we do provide loving foster families for children in need through our Foster Care program, the Together project, Triple P – Positive Parenting, Parents as Teachers, and the Nurturing Parenting Program all work to keep children from ever entering the foster care system in the first place. This past year we served 1,089 people through the following program areas:
-
Adoption & Foster Care
-
Child Care & Preschool Services
-
Family Support Services
-
Youth Mentoring