Protestant Foster Home

The Protestant Foster Home Society was founded in 1849 and was situated at 284 Belleville Avenue in Newark. The Society's all-male Board of Trustees managed the finances and legal affairs, while an all-female Board of Managers oversaw the Home. Their mission was to "train homeless children so that they shall become good men and women." New York architect Thomas Stent designed the new residence for the foster home; construction of the home on Broadway was complete in 1875. The facades feature polychrome masonry detailing, ogee arched windows, and steep gabled wall dormers with open stickwork. The main facade has a three-bay recessed central portion containing the main entrance and topped by a mansard roof with three dormers, flanked by single bays with steep gables. The entrance portico had been replaced by the 1980s and was simpler than the original. A brownstone water table divides the basement from the first floor. The building was U-shaped in plan, with the northern rear wing shorter than the southern rear wing. A rear porch led to a courtyard between the rear wings and a larger yard beyond the building; a parking lot later took up some of the backyard space. In front of the building at curbside was a carriage step inscribed on top with "Foster Home."

The annual meeting of the home's Board of Managers was held in the home in May 1908. The attendees were entertained by the children, who performed an "exhibition of calisthenics" after a great deal of practice. The northern rear wing was added onto, along Van Wagenen Street, in 1908-1909, funded by a donation by Mrs. Robert F. Ballentine. The wing was furnished from donations by Mrs. Charles Bradley and Mrs. John O. H. Pitney. A grand reopening reception for the public was held at the home in May 1909, with decorations of palms and flowers. The donated items displayed on tables were eagerly purchased by the visitors, including the items made by the children, displayed on a separate table. A "pleasing program of songs, recitations, dialogues and choruses by the little ones was carried out in a highly creditable manner." With the addition, the north wing was longer than the south wing. The three-story addition was based on plans by Hurd & Sutton, donated at no charge and similar to the existing house's Gothic style. The wing was clad in brick with limestone trim. The basement was designed to be a playroom, and a large classroom occupied the ground floor. The upper floors were dormitory housing for girls with rooms for attendants to sleep. Exterior doors from the rear wings led to fire escapes.

The manager of the classrooms at the home, Mrs. Richard Allen, donated funds in memory of her late husband in 1909 to improve the classrooms; new floors were laid and the walls were repainted in both school rooms. Miss Julia Macdonald managed the home in 1909, with her assistant Mrs. Anna Warden; teachers were Miss Cole and Miss Hamilton. Miss Sproul took care of the nursery children, and Mr. Husk taught Sunday School. The two furnaces were renovated at no charge by Peter Campbell, and new linoleum floors were laid in parts of the house. A group calling themselves the Crazy Jane Society made hundreds of garments every year to donate to the home's children. The 63rd annual meeting of the managers in May 1910 was held in the parlors of the North Reformed Church; the group noted that a "substantial sum was realized from the sale of fancy and useful articles, dolls, toys and flowers." The anniversary meeting at the Protestant Foster Home in May 1913 was "postponed indefinitely because of the illness of several of the children with measles." The annual sale by the home's Auxiliary Society was held that month as planned, at the home of Mrs. Robert Ballentine at 37 Washington Street.

The owners of the building since the 1970s, Youth Consultation Service (YCS), is an organization that was incorporated in 1956 as a private nonprofit non sectarian social services agency. The agency provides social services throughout New Jersey and uses the former Protestant Foster Home as its headquarters.

Anonymous. "Young Society Folk Honor Miss Hensler." The Star and Newark Advertiser (Newark, NJ) May 1st 1908. Evening ed, 5-5.

Anonymous. "Will build a Three-story Addition to Foster Home on Belleville Avenue." Newark Sunday Call (Newark, NJ) November 22nd 1908, 5-5.

Anonymous. "New Addition to Foster Home is Formally Opened." The Newark Star and Newark Advertiser (Newark, NJ) May 12th 1909. Last ed, 3-3.

Anonymous. "Foster Home Anniversary." Newark Evening Star and Newark Advertiser (Newark, NJ) May 12th 1910. Last ed, 5-5.

Anonymous. "Family of 115, Describes the Foster Home." Newark Evening Star (Newark, NJ) May 6th 1911, 16-16.

Anonymous. "Society." Newark Evening Star and Journal (Newark, NJ) May 3rd 1913. Home ed, 8-8.

Geisheimer, Glenn G. Protestant Foster Home, Newark Care Facilities: Old Newark. January 1st 2020. Accessed February 1st 2021. https://newarkcarefacilities.com/protfoster.php.

New Jersey Historical Society. Manuscript Group 1087, Newark Orphan Asylum (finding aid), NJHS Archives. Accessed February 2nd 2021. https://jerseyhistory.org/manuscript-group-1087-newark-orphan-asylum/.

Youth Consultation Services (YCS). Inside YCS. The YCS Journal. December 1st 2020.

Zakalak, Ulana D. NRHP Nomination of Protestant Foster Home, Newark. National Register. Washington, DC. National Park Service, 1985.