Mercies and Miseries at Franklin's Long-Ago Orphanage

Where are they now, the scores of children who once resided in Franklin’s Catholic orphanage? The Franklin Historical Museum wants to know and invite them to a Sept. 13 seminar.

From the early 1940s to the early 1950s, an orphanage, operated by a Catholic religious order, occupied the Hayward Manor in Franklin, which had just recently been sold by its original owners, the family of a prominent textile executive. St. Theresa’s Home of the Little Flower (also known as the Home of the Holy Child) was never a large institution, with no more than a few dozen children at a time housed there, but it left a deep impression on many of them. Inmates included children from around the region as well as several from Franklin itself whose circumstances made it difficult or impossible for their families to care for them.

At the time the “social safety net” was all but non-existent and some children were rescued from a life on the streets, stealing food to survive, and given food , clothing, and education at the orphanage.  But the Bernardine sisters were not always up to the task, and some of those who lived there remember cruelty, a grim, unchanging routine, and a spartan diet. What’s more, the children mostly spoke English while many of the nuns spoke Polish – a formula for conflict and frustration.

Anyone who was ever a resident at the home or their family members are especially encouraged to attend. There will be a brief overview of history and newspaper stories about the Orphanage and those with stories to tell will be encouraged to share them. And, of course, the general public is always welcome.

On Sunday, Sept 13, 2026, the museum is open from 1-4 on Sunday and the program starts at 1:15. There is no admission charge but donations are encouraged and appreciated. Contact Alan Earls with questions at alan.r.earls@gmail.com or 508 560 3786.

.(Image used with permission of the Franklin Historical Museum)