BELOIT LUTHERAN CHILDREN'S HOME BEGINS NEW CHAPTER  - The last chapter ended as the Church in convention in 1944 decided that the Beloit Lutheran Children's Home at Beloit, Iowa, should be relocated.  The fact that the buildings were altogether obsolete and some of them even approaching the "fire trap" stage entered into this decision by the Church.  Inasmuch as this Home was expected more and more to serve Iowa children, it was recommended to the relocation committee that a more central place than Beloit should be considered.

RELOCATION COMMITTEE HAS INTERESTING ASSIGNMENT - The records are evidence of much loyalty on the part of circuit groups and chambers of commerce in the tall-corn state.  Cities and villages vied with one another in telling the "advantages of their city and community."  The committee weighed very definitely all the arguments and added up the advantages and disadvantages of every city or community which had been proposed.  The committee decided on Ames.  Beautiful, up and coming, clean and progressive Ames...

LAY CORNERSTONE FOR CHILDREN'S HOME - Almost 300 persons watched the laying of the cornerstone for the Lutheran Children's home administration building Sunday afternoon at the site, north of Thirteenth street and west of Grand.  Rev. G.W. Lokensgard of Des Moines, president of the board of directors, presided at the dedication.  The congregation sang hymns, heard Rev. Paul Boe read the scriptures and give the prayer and listened to an address by Ross Wilbur, director of Child Welfare, Division of Welfare, State of Iowa.  He stressed that organization's willingness to cooperate and appreciation for the modern type home which is being constructed.

Greetings were expressed by George Westby, executive secretary, Lutheran Welfare Society of Iowa; Mrs. Albert Lehman, president of the Women's Missionary Federation, Story City Circuit Brotherhood; Harold Simmerson, member of the Board of Charities of the Evangelical Lutheran church, spoke and brought a letter of greeting from Rev. M.A. Dahlen, of Minneapolis.

A. S. Bragstad of Ames, the superintendent of the home, gave something of its history since it was established at Beloit, Ia., in 1890 through 1945 when it was decided to move the home to Ames.  He mentioned the suitability of Ames as the site for the new home.

"The city of Ames was chosen for a number of reasons," he said, "but principally because it is a wholesome city for children to grow up in and offers facilities for educational advantages as well as a well-organized and growing church of our synod.  Geographically, also, it is ideal since it is easily accessible from all parts of the state and is close to Des Moines, headquarters of our Lutheran Welfare offices as well as the Children's department of the State of Iowa."

A copper box containing typical literature of this time was sealed into the stone.  Among the items placed in the box were a copy of the Lutheran catechism and a book explanation of the catechism, a copy of the 40th anniversary booklet of the home and a copy of a charities issue of the Lutheran Herald, and a copy of the Ames Daily Tribune of Oct. 8, 1948.

Plans are that the administration as well as the four cottages will be ready for occupancy by next summer.  There will be a capacity of about 52 children, and by housing them in the cottages in groups of from eight to 16, Bragstad said they plan to simulate family living circumstances.

It was indeed a pleasure to be present at Ames for a period of three days when our national board of charities met in your fair city.  We shall not, at this time, list all the splendid reasons why we chose Ames for the relocation of the Beloit Lutheran Children's Home.  Maybe we can leave that to the new superintendent, the Rev. D.L. Jacobson, as he will relate to the press from time to time and to your local Chamber of Commerce.

Suffice to say that our board members as they were in attendance from different parts of the country and even Canada were tremendously impressed with your city, its fine people and the evident spirit of welcome and cooperation found everywhere... Casework services to this home are rendered by the Lutheran Welfare Society of Iowa.  It is intended to serve the entire state.  This is a continuation of the home which was located at Beloit, Ia., and is owned by the Evangelical Lutheran church.         M.A. Dahlen, Executive Secretary, Board of Charities, ELC

TO DEDICATE NEW CHILDREN'S HOME AT AMES - A number of North Iowa Lutherans are planning to attend the dedication services for the new Lutheran children's home at Ames Sunday afternoon at 3, at which talks will be given by the Rev. Magnus A. Dahlen, executive secretary of the board of charities of the Evangelical Lutheran church; the Rev. T.T. Thompson, Decorah, and the Rev. D.L. Jacobson, recently named superintendent of the home.

Installation of Mr. Jacobson in this new position will take place at the Bethesda Lutheran church at Ames at the 9:30 a.m. service Sunday.  Open house will be observed at the home from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday.

Operated by the Evangelical Lutheran church, the home will offer a special type of service for disturbed children from 5 to 12 years of age.  All field work, including referral of children to the institution, preparation of records and bringing of the children to the institution will be done by the Lutheran Welfare society of Iowa through its Des Moines branch office.

DEDICATE LUTHERAN HOME SUNDAY -  . . .Completing the day's events, a testimonial dinner will be held at 12:30 in the Sheldon-Munn hotel in honor of the home's past superintendent and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur S. Bragstad, and an open house at the home will be held between 4 and 6 p.m.

At the afternoon dedication, speakers will include Rev. Torger Thompson, Decorah, Ia., former superintendent of Beloit (Ia.) Children's Home; Mr. Gragstad, under whose supervision the home here was constructed; Rev. Jacobson, the new superintendent, and Rev. Dahlen, Minneapolis, Minn., who will consecrate the new home.  The first three speakers will talk on the past, present and future of the home, respectively.

Rev. Jacobson was formerly the pastor of Grace Lutheran church at San Francisco, Calif., and has studied this year at the University of Chicago in preparation for his assignment here...  With his wife, Gretchen, and their three children, Jo Ann, 7; John, 6, and Gretchen Marie, 8 months, the new superintendent will reside on the second floor of the administration building.

Construction of the present three buildings began a year ago, with two units already completed now and the third to be finished shortly.  Future plans call for the construction of two more residence buildings similar to the present ones.

The home is situated on 24 acres about four blocks west of Grand avenue, and north of Thirteenth street.  Two units are 2-story buildings of similar structure while the third is a 1-story cottage.  The building to the east is the administration building, containing offices, lounge and staff dining room on the main floor.  Also in this building are staff quarters, hospital unit, laundry and superintendent's residence.

The west structure, called cottage 1, will house 16 boys while the one to the south, cottage 2, will accommodate 10 boys and girls for the present.  The older boys will be in cottage 1.  Each housing unit contains sleeping quarters for the children, study room, kitchen and dining room and a recreation room.

With a starting staff of six, including Rev. Jacobson, the home will receive some of the children next week.  Ages of the children will be between 6 and 13 years old.  ...The past home under the society was located at Beloit, Ia...

DEDICATION SERVICES - At three o'clock over a thousand people were on hand for the dedication of the new Beloit Home...  The Junior Choir of the Bethesda Lutheran Church was on hand to bring praise in song.  As the children are received in the new home, many will also from time to time join the children's choir in the local church.

One of the most fortunate lot or land purchases the Church ever made was when it purchased the twenty-four acres of land just on the outskirts of Ames.  That is about three years ago.  We owe much to Mr. John Dahl of Ames, who was so concerned about our project and who watched opportunities for the Board.  A self-seeker could have waxed rich in a short time had he bought up those acres for himself and sold them as individual lots in that area, which has now developed into one of the finer residential districts in the city...