The Home is managed by two Superintendents.
The second in order acts under
the first, who has from day to day the supreme
direction of the family. On the cheerfulness,
quickness, good-temper, firmness, and vigilance
of these ladies, and on their never
bickering, the successful working of the
establishment in a great degree depends. Their
position is one of high trust and responsibility,
and requires not only an always
accumulating experience, but an accurate
observation of every character about them.
The ladies who established the Home, hold
little confidential communication with the
inmates, thinking the system better administered
when it is undisturbed by individuals.
A committee, composed of a few
gentlemen of experience, meets once a month
to audit the accounts, receive the principal
Superintendent's reports, investigate
any unusual occurrence, and see all the
inmates separately. None but the committee
are present as they enter one by one, in order
that they may be under no restraint in anything
they wish to say. A complaint from
any of them is exceedingly uncommon. The
history of every inmate, taken down from her
own mouth—usually after she has been some
little time in the Home—is preserved in a
book. She is shown that what she relates of
herself she relates in confidence, and does not
even communicate to the Superintendents.
She is particularly admonished by no means
to communicate her history to any of the
other inmates: all of whom have in their
turns received a similar admonition. And
she is encouraged to tell the truth, by having
it explained to her that nothing in her story
but falsehood, can possibly aifect her position
in the Home after she has been once admitted.

The work of the Home is thus divided.
They rise, both in summer and winter, at
six o'clock. Morning prayers and scripture
reading take place at a quarter before eight.
Breakfast is had immediately afterwards.
Dinner at one. Tea at six. Evening prayers
are said at half-past eight. The hour of
going to bed is nine. Supposing the Home
to be full, ten are employed upon the household
work; two in the bed-rooms; two in
the general living room; two in the
Superintendents' rooms; two in the kitchen (who
cook); two in the scullery; three at needle-work.
Straw-plaiting has been occasionally
taught besides. On washing-days, five are
employed in the laundry, three of whom are
taken from the needle-work, and two are
told off from the household work. The
nature and order of each girl's work is
changed every week, so that she may become
practically acquainted with the whole routine
of household duties. They take it in turns
to bake the bread which is eaten in the house.
In every room, every Monday morning,
there is hung up, framed and glazed, the
names of the girls who are in charge there
for the week and who are, consequently,
responsible for its neat condition and the
proper execution of the work belonging to it.
This is found to inspire them with a greater
pride in good housewifery, and a greater sense
of shame in the reverse.

The book-education is of a very plain kind,
as they have generally much to learn in the
commonest domestic duties, and are often
singularly inexpert in acquiring them. They
read and write, and cypher. School is held
every morning at half-past ten (Saturday
excepted) for two hours. The Superintendents
are the teachers. The times for recreation
are half an hour between school-time
and dinner, and an hour after dinner; half
an hour before tea, and an hour after tea. In
the winter, these intervals are usually employed
in light fancy work, the making of
little presents for their friends, &c. In the
fine summer weather they are passed in the
garden, where they take exercise, and have
their little flower-beds. In the afternoon and
evening, they sit all together at needlework,
and some one reads aloud. The books are
carefully chosen, but are always interesting.

Saturday is devoted to an extraordinary
cleaning up and polishing of the whole
establishment, and to the distribution of clean
clothes; every inmate arranging and preparing
her own. Each girl also takes a bath
on Saturday.

On Sundays they go to church in the neighbourhood,
some to morning service, some to
afternoon service, some to both. They are
invariably accompanied by one of the Superintendents.
Wearing no uniform and not being
dressed alike, they attract little notice out of
doors. Their attire is that of respectable plain
servants. On Sunday evenings they receive
religious instruction from the principal Superintendent.
They also receive regular religious
instruction from a clergyman on one day in.
every week, and on two days in every alternate
week. They are constantly employed,
and always overlooked.

They are allowed to be visited under the
following restrictions; if by their parents,
once in a month; if by other relatives or
friends, once in three months. The principal
Superintendent is present at all such interviews,
and hears the conversation. It is not
often found that the girls and their friends
have much to say to one another; any display
of feeling on these occasions is rare. It is
generally observed that the inmates seem
rather relieved than otherwise when the
interviews are over.

They can write to relatives, or old teachers,
or persons known to have been kind to them,
once a month on application to the committee.
It seldom happens that a girl who
has any person in the world to correspond
with, fails to take advantage of this opportunity.
All letters dispatched from the
Home are read and posted by the principal
Superintendent. All letters received, are likewise
read by the Superintendent; but she