In Memoriam

In Memoriam. . , "We all called him dad" , Feb. 3, 1867 June 28, 1947 , Jr. Home Superintendent 1901-1944 , "…I will be a father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters." , II Corinthians 6:18 , Dr. Charles H. Kernan , The National Orphans Home (1896-1944) was a haven for children of deceased members of the Junior Order United American Mechanics, a fraternal lodge. Tiffin was selected from among 12 sites for the orphanage. The first four children, the Van Arsdale Family, arrived at their new home, a small unpretentious frame house, on August 18, 1896. The Jr. Home commonly known as "The Home", struggled mightily until Charles H. Kernan, 34, an orphan boy himself, and a New York educator, arrived as superintendent Sept. 1, 1901. He was greeted by 92 children and is employees. He oversaw the rapid growth of the tiny institution on the banks of the Sandusky River, into the largest orphanage in this country. The Jr. Home attained a peak population of 150 children in 1931-32. , And over 5000 children resided there until it closed on Sept. 28, 1944. There were 52 buildings on the 1200 acre campus including a chapel, hospital, library, nursery, dining hall, gymnasium, grade school, high school, 1000 seat auditorium, power plant, stadium, greenhouse, cannery, laundry, bake shop, post office, bank, outdoor pool, and a large dairy farm. Some 500 acres were under cultivation scattered amid the spacious campus were 23 residential cottages. It was a self supporting, self-sufficient village. The home operated an innovative academic-vocational school system which elicited great praise from state and national educators, and was the forerunner of school systems widely used today. Vocational trades included printing, carpentry, wood-working, weaving, shoe repair, baking, plumbing, auto mechanics, farming, gardening, painting, nursing, home economics, and domestic and secretarial sciences, business, commercial and per-college academic courses of study were available. Paramount in the regimen of child to adult development was repeated emphasis on family centered life precepts of God, country, virtue, liberty and patriotism were instilled through a large professional staff of dedicated teachers, instructors and counselors. The physical and spiritual well being of the students was not neglected, as a medical staff and chaplain were available. Legendary football teams, military rands, choral groups, and a succession of outstanding graduates brought wide acclaim to. The Jr. Home alumni gather here each labor day weekend for their homecoming, the former campus is just minutes from this site. , In memoriam to the junior home alumni who made the supreme sacrifice for the honor and glory of their country , Walter Adams . James Bolen . ralph bowling . L.A. Curtis . Maxie Denny . Worley Dugger . Claude Fuqua . Thomas Gardner . Lewis George . John Harris . Allan Johns . Hugh Johnson . George Josey . Charles Langdale . Bernie Lett . Randall Little . Charles Louman . Raymond Thompson . Ravel Hal . Thomas Lynn . Warren Mason . Lonnie Morgan . Hebert Mullinex . William O. Chis . Marion Parker . Leon Pearce . John Perry . Donald Pollock . Lester Potter . Earl Powers . Archie Rici . Everett Rhley . Carlos Stalsworth . John Thompson . Harry Unger