ORPHAN children have always been considered suitable objects of compassion and aid; hence, asylums for their protection and, instruction have throughout modern times been favorite establishments of the benevolent. In many cases the condition of the half-orphan is quite as pitiable as the orphan, and has an equal claim on our charity. Its mother may have been left in great destitution or debility, or the father, the only surviving parent, may be insane or crippled. Many children whose parents are still living, but dissipated and reckless, are as badly off as either class before mentioned. No institution in New York opened its doors for the reception of half-orphans until January 14, 1836. An affecting circumstance led to the founding of this charity. A young widow of Protestant sentiments, unable to take her two children with her to her place of service, consigned them to a Roman Catholic asylum, and for a time paid all her earnings for their board. Unwilling to have them trained in a Romish institution, and unable to provide for herself and them in the city, she took them from the asylum and went into the country. The lady with whom she had lived was Mrs. William A. Tomlinson, and the courageous, departure of her excellent servant, from whom she never afterwards heard, produced a deep and salutary impression on her thoughtful and pious mind. The relation of the story to several benevolent ladies excited sympathy, and on the 16th of December, 1835, seven of them assembled to mature a plan for organizing a society. On the same night the most disastrous fire ever known in the city occurred. The First Ward, east of Broadway and about Wall street, was almost entirely destroyed. The Merchants' Exchange and six hundred and forty-eight of the most valuable stores in the city, and considerable church property, were consumed, inflicting a loss upon the community, besides the suspension of business, of $18,000,000. The society faltered amid these forbidding surroundings, but soon rallied, collected a little money, and began its operations. On the fourteenth day of January, 1836, a basement having been hired in Whitehall street, the directors threw open their door, and announced themselves ready to admit twenty children, and four were at once received. The conditions of acceptance were these: 1. The death of one parent. 2. Freedom from contagious disease. 3. A promise from the parent to pay fifty cents per week for board, unless satisfactory reasons were given why it should not be required. 4. No child received under four nor over ten years of age. The apartments being wholly unsuited, a house in Twelfth street was taken and the children removed to it in May, 1836, and at the end of the first year 74 had been received. The entire expense of the first year, including rent, furniture, salaries, medicine, one funeral, and all other household requisites, amounted to $2,759.06. At the close of the second year 114 had been received. The act of incorporation passed the Legislature April 27, 1837, vesting the corporate powers of the society in a self perpetuating board of nine male trustees, who were empowered to receive bequests, and hold property to any amount, the annual income of which should not exceed fifty dollars for every child received; and the appropriation of the income and the internal and domestic management of the Institution were committed to a board of female managers, consisting of a first and a second directress, a secretary, a treasurer, and twenty-six others, residing at the time of their election in the city of New York.