Our Museum

 In the spring of 1870, the state senate passed, by a single vote, a bill converting the home into a state institution.  Since Lucy exerted pressure on her legislative friends to have the measure approved, she received considerable credit for the senate’s action.  The last night of the session, Democratic senators made a final effort to negate the bill by blocking confirmation of the proposed Board of Managers.  What followed must have been one of the wildest nights in the history of the Ohio Senate, an evening the Ohio State Journal labeled “A High Fling in the House.”  With the hour of adjournment for the session predetermined, opponents knew that if they could prevent confirmation of the Board, the Orphans Home could not operate as a state institution for at least a year. Since an even number of senators from each party was present, the Republicans tried to return Sen. Moses D. Gatch from his home in Xenia to break the tie and the Democrats looked for their missing member.  In the meantime, Sen. Michael Goepper, a warm friend of Lucy’s from Cincinnati, carried a filibuster in German, French, and English until the carriage sent by Rutherford to the depot arrived with Senator Gatch. Noting the arrival of Gatch, opponents tried to flee the legislative chamber to prevent a quorum from being present for the vote.  Several hid in the water closet and others bolted out into the street.  An alert assistant sergeant-at-arms captured one senator and brought him back, much to the chagrin of his copartners, who accused him of being too drunk to stay out of sight.  The Journal (Republican in sentiment) called the legislators’ conduct, “unjustifiable, undignified, unmanly, and ungentlemanly.”  The vote, when finally counted, confirmed the Board of Managers as proposed  by Governor Hayes, and the state-supported institution, so important to Lucy and Rutherford, had weathered its first storm.” Also displayed in this room is the Association of Ex-Pupils Hall of Fame – We Honor These Members For Mighty Deeds of Mind and Heart (established July 6, 1985).  Another plaque on display is a layout of the Cemetery that is located behind Collier Chapel and it includes the name and location of the people buried there.

Artifacts on exhibit in this room are from Collier Chapel, the Peter Pan Cottages and cottage name plates and photos from some of the demolished buildings.​ A description of life in Peter Pan from a girl’s perspective follows: The Peter Pan complex consisted of an arc-shaped building with seven doors. Doors for Pans 1, 2 and 3 were to the left of the center of the front of the building and were designated for boys.  Doors for Pans 5, 6, and 7 were to the right of the center of the building and were for the girls.  The doors in the center of the building led to the office of the Dean of Peter Pan, the dining room, and kitchen. There was a wading pool to the outside of the kitchen.  The building was adorned with shutters on the front windows. A weather vane and other decorations reminiscent of young children also accented the building. Each Pan housed up to 20 children. There was a large play room with banquettes under the windows for storage. Toys, games, and dress up items were kept in the banquettes.  The children slept in a dormitory in child-sized beds.  A dresser between each bed was shared by the children.  Each child had one or two drawers for folded clothing. Hanging clothes were in a wardrobe. The children’s bathroom was also appropriately sized for children. It contained one bath tub made from green one-inch tiles, two shower stalls of the same tile, three toilets and three sinks. Each Pan had a living room that had normal sized furniture and, generally a piano and a television.  Across the hall from the living room was the supervisor’s apartment consisting of a small living room, bathroom and bedroom. A typical day for a Peter Pan child was to be woken up by the supervisor or the whistle, make beds, get dressed, face washed and teeth brushed and off to the dining room for breakfast.  The dining room had graduated sized tables and chairs depending on the age of the children.  It was somewhat humorous to see the supervisors sitting in the small chairs, but no one laughed.  After breakfast it was a walk to school or play in the recreation room.  In good weather it was time to play outside.  After lunch it was time to “rest.”  After rest it was go outside again. There were swing sets, slides and other games to play. Summer time was time to play in the wading pool.  After cleaning up it was back to the dining room for dinner.  After dinner it was again outside for a short time.  Next came baths, brushing teeth and pajamas.  The supervisors would read a story or the children would watch an hour of television.  Many supervisors also held devotions for the children.  The Peter Pan children did not go to the Chapel for Sunday services.  At times, the children were bused to a church outside of the Home grounds. During inclement weather the children would walk through the cottages to get to the dining room.  Other than the hired cooks, the servers in the dining room were girls from campus working “detail.”  The boys made food deliveries to the kitchen and storage rooms in the basement of the kitchen. Children in Peter Pan were generally ages 5 to 8 or 9.  At times, younger children were admitted. In the late 50’s, two buildings were built adjacent to Peter Pan. These buildings were identified as Taylor and Washington cottages. Children ages 8 to 10 or 11 were housed here prior to moving to main campus. Each building was divided into two cottages – A and B.  Each cottage consisted of a large living room, a supervisor’s apartment, a bathroom and a dormitory. In the dormitory each child had a bed with a closet that contained a dresser, a toy chest and a place for hanging up clothes. Up to 20 children could be housed in each side. The basement had a large recreation room and a full sized kitchen. While these children played behind the cottages and on Peter Pan grounds, they ate their meals in the main dining room. A girl child, aged 5, entering the Home could be expected to start in Pan 5 as a kindergartner, Pan 6 during first and second grade, Pan 7, for third grade and Taylor B for fourth and fifth grades prior to moving to main campus. Once on main campus, the child could expect to move two more times prior to a move into Hayes Hall for her senior year

What's something exciting your business offers? Say it here. Artifacts on exhibit in this room are from the farm, the hospital, and the biology and health classroom of Jack Newhouse. Band photos and uniforms from different decades are on display. The trophy case includes 197 trophies organized by decade (1922 - 1993) and represent achievement in: band, baseball, basketball, color guard, cross country, drama, football,  hymn singing, military field day, rifle, scholastics, softball, track and field, and volleyball. The exhibit of Flossie Quick uniforms was donated by Mary Kay Impson Gillespie (Class of 1945). Miss Quick was admitted to The Home in 1908.  She was the mother of Mary Kay and Robert Impson (Class of 1941). In 1881, the Association of Ex-Pupils was formed and they have held a three-day reunion annually since then on the grounds of the Ohio Soldiers and Sailors Orphans Home/Ohio Veterans Children’s Home. Memorabilia from these annual reunions are also on display.