Martha Home, 1913-1959
Ogden Barber’s Union and children with new haircuts
Blanch Wagner and two boys at the home
Ella Bingham, Alice Hetzel, and Gwen Williams
The Martha Home was opened in 1913 by the women of the Martha Society, a club committed to charity work and community service. It functioned as a home for orphaned children and a daycare for the children of working mothers who paid only a minimal cost. Average attendance at the Martha Home was 50 children per day. State funding helped cover some of the costs, and additional funds came from the Martha Society’s fundraisers such as the annual Martha Ball.
The day nursery operated from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Volunteers supervised children on the playground and served them one meal a day. In 1926 the Ogden Barber’s Union offered to provide free haircuts to the children. They gave over 570 haircuts in 18 months.
In 1938 the home closed due to federal changes for orphanages. It remained closed through World War II, but reopened in 1947 after the Martha Society had been reformed as the Welfare League. At this time the League no longer operated the daycare, but children came to the home through welfare agencies because their parents couldn’t care for them. The home cared for 12-14 children at a time, and most stayed for a short period until their home situation was corrected or a foster home was found.
The children were given free dental and medical services, and the women purchased clothing for the children. A recreation room and library were also available to the children. A kindergarten was established at the home; older children attended school at Mound Fort. The Martha Home finally closed in 1959.
Frances Smith and Gladys Jones