Home to be Maintained by Association Members; Will be Dedicated Free of Debt

Thursday the new Holland U. B. A. home on East Fulton street will be formally dedicated.

After that date all the inmates in the old home on Michigan street will be transferred to the new home, and the new inmates will locate in their quarters. About 20 new inmates have been enrolled, making the total number 70. Every room in the new home with the exception of one, has been assigned, and it is doubtful if even the new home will be large enough to accommodate all.

Herstein New Manager

January 1, the new manager, J. C. Herstein, will take charge of the administration work and finances of the new home. With his assumption of the work an entirely new policy for managing the home will be adopted.
Heretofore the home was kept up with the money which was received from the inmates and those funs which the friends and members of the association felt like giving. Hereafter a more business like system of maintenance will be adopted. Every member of the association, which already numbers 600, and all friends will be given cards upon which they will state what their annual gift will be. These cards will be filed and the amounts collected.

Dedicated Free of Debt

The new home will be dedicated free from debt. The plot of ground upon which the home is built was bought for $6,500, and is paid for. Besides this, Rev. K. Boer, the financial agent of the association, has turned over $15,000 into the treasury. A gift of $5,000 was received from one of the prominent Hollanders in Rochester, N. Y. A committee is at work collecting $7,500 from the various business men of Grand Rapids. According to C. Dosker, the head of the committee, indications show that the amount will be fully collected. The old home on Michigan street, which is valued at $7,500, will also be sold. The new home and grounds will cost $46,500.

The home is modern and well equipped throughout. The laundry plant, the dining room, the reception parlors and the private rooms are most carefully arranged and most beautifully furnished. Most of the furniture has been donated by the different American women and the members of the Holland Aid society. The home is surrounded by enough ground that in the summer time many of the industrious old men can find occupation in taking care of their little gardens. In this way it is expected that much food for the institution will also be raised.

Inmates Pay What They Can

Nobody can enter the home younger than 60 years. All applicants are treated as to age and physical conditions. if there is a church which has an old person for whom no home can be provided, it sends him to the home and then gives whatever sum it can afford for that person's support. No required sum is demanded. If a person outside of the church wishes to enter, that person must be either recommended by some church or person in good standing. What the inmates have to pay is determined according to their means. If one has the means, he either buys a life membership or pays so much per week. Those amounts are usually very small. In 1893 one old man bought a life membership for $300. He has been there ever since. Sometimes the inmates pay as much as $2.50 to $3.50 per week. An aged Holland couple a short time ago had a home which they sold for $1,100. They offered the $1,100 to the board for life memberships. The board only asked $1,000, and the old couple had a home for the rest of their lives and $100 besides. About 18 per cent of the money received for the support of the inmates is received from donations, about 40 per cent from the members of the associations, and the rest from the inmates themselves.

Miss Cornelia Kriems, who for the past four years has been matron at the home, will continue in that capacity. She has made a most careful study as to the treatment of old people.

Although the home is not supported by any individual church society, it is almost entirely supported by members of the Reformed and Christian Reformed churches. This is the first and practically only enterprise where members of these churches have joined to work for one common interest. The members of the board as well as the officers include members of both churches.

Religious services for the old people will be held at the home every Wednesday afternoon and Sunday evening. Wednesday afternoon they will be led by a minister of one of the two churches, and Sunday evening by some laymen. Some of the old people also worship with different churches.

$2.87 a Week Per Inmate

Last year it cost the board $6,500 for the support of the inmates, but with the increase of numbers and new conditions it is expected that the maintenance will cost over $8,000 next year. According to the lowest estimate, it costs $2.87 a week to support each inmate. It is hoped, however, that after a farm has been cultivated in connection with the home, that it will cost less.

One of the objections that the association had to purchasing the present property was that the street cars did not run up to the home. This objection has been removed, for the street railway company will extend the tracks.

The present officers of the association are: President, S. S. Postma, Sr.; vice-president, J. Kloete; secretary, J. C. Herstein; Treasurer, H. Verhoek

Friday an opportunity will be given to all citizens and friends to inspect the home. Refreshment will be served and band music will be furnished.

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John Kloete was last night elected president of the Holland U. B. A. Home association. James Heyboer was chosen vice president, Justus C. Heyboer, secretary, and Henry Verhoek, treasurer.
Mr. Kloete has for years been prominently connected with the home. He succeeds Sipke S. Postma, who recently resigned.