Parsons Child and Family Center.

In 1829, the first orphan asylum and oldest charitable institution in the City of Albany was opened and would continue to the present day, having provided food, shelter and attention to the physical, emotional and educational needs of over 20,000 children. Founded by Mr. and Mrs. John G. Wasson and other prominent Albanians, through the efforts of Mrs. Orissa Healey, the first superintendent, it proved to be a model child care institution.

The original name of the institution was the Society for the Relief of Orphans and Destitute Children, and its first home was a house on Washington Street (Avenue). In 1832, another home was built which lasted about 75 years, when the New Scotland Ave. campus was built to accommodate the cottage plan system used by the asylum. In 1959, the present facility on Academy Road was completed.

The Parsons Center has been governed from its beginning as the Albany Orphan Asylum, by the Board of Managers and operated by a Superintendent (now the executive Director). Throughout its history it has been financed by private donations and by monies received from county poorhouses, presently the Albany County Department of Social Services.

Because of the large number of orphaned children, a system of indenturing the orphans to families was begun as early as 1831, children from the age of eight being bound out. The history of this system can be traced in various volumes of records of indentured children and in the case files of correspondence. Other materials of special interest for research are the annual reports of the Superintendent, the Board of Managers minutes, the volumes entitled, "Record of Children" and the file of the Parsons Center, newsletters and brochures. Researchers should be advised that sections of these files may be restricted to protect the privacy of individuals mentioned in the records.

From the description of Records, 1831-1930. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122578166