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It has not been edited and may therefore contain several errors.

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Placing-Out Agent Clara Coi**stock
On November 20,1957, a luncheon honoring Miss Clara Comstock was held. At the luncheon the Clara B. Comstock Fund was dedicated to assist needy boys and girls with their education.
Clara Comstock was employed as a teacher at the Brace Farm, New York, July 4,1903. The Brace Farm, part of the New York Children’s Aid Society (NYCAS) was the beginning of a career for Clara spanning almost 43 years with the Society.
February, 1911, Clara became an Agent with the Society’s Emigration Department. She
Clara B. Comstock, Western Agent for the Children’s Aid Society. Photo and information courtesy of the New York Children’s Aid Scoiety and Ethel Lambert.
continued in this position until the placement of children in the west stopped.
However, Clara’s work was not finished. She continued in the foster care service placing children in New York state until her retirement June 30,1944.
Recalled from retirement May 1,1956, Clara served another eighteen months with the
NYCAS before final retirement.
The Clara B. Comstock Fund began with a gift of $1,500.00 from a man she had placed years earlier. Forty-six additional gifts from others who had been placed as children were added.
Many will remember Miss Comstock, others will have only heard her name. This issue of Crossroads honors her for her dedication, loyalty and devotion to homeless children.
George R. Cockle, research consultant, Union Pacific Railroad Company, sent copies of information in its files concerning the Orphan Trains. Among the material was the following article: [source believed to be the Northwood (Iowa) Anchor newspaper, 1913]
Homes Wanted For Waifs From New York
Miss Clara B. Comstock, Iowa State Agent for the Children’s Aid Society of New York, was in the city the first of this week arranging for a distribution of homeless children in Northwood and vicinity next Thursday, July 17th. The children for distribution come from the various Orphans Homes located in and about New York City and there will be about an equal number of boys and girls of various ages, possibly none running over 12 years. Homes are desired for those children both in town and country but they must be good homes where influences are of the best and under no circumstances will a child be placed with people who wish chore boys or kitchen drudges.
It is hoped to place the children with responsible married couples who will educate them while teaching them to work and become useful men and women of the future. This part of the distribution will be looked after by a local committee whose duty it is to see that the persons taking charge of a child are respectable, moral and kind, and that they are actuated by proper motives in assuming the care.
The Society which has these children now in charge is 60 years old and since 1853 has rescued and placed in homes 28,961 orphans and deserted children, has provided remunerative situations for 28,144 older boys and girls, has aided 48,588 persons, mostly children, to reach friends and employment in the west, and has restored 10,226 runaways to parents—115,919 in all.
The original 1913 Anchor article contained much more detail, including the names of 16 children brought to Iowa.
OTHSA would appreciate having a copy of the original 1913 article from the Northwood Anchor for the archives.
Ed. note: Materials submitted to Crossroads are subject to editing due to space limitations.
4 Orphan Train Heritage Society