The Beulah Home for Unfortunate Women and Girls — Wyman, Marlena

This home for unwed mothers and their babies was founded in Edmonton in 1909 by Maude Elizabeth
Chatham, who worked with Superintendent Mary A. Finlay and Nurse Olivia Eidsath. In 1911, Alex Ronald donated two acres of agricultural land at what is now 134 Avenue and 101 Street, and a purpose-built home was built. The house was decorated in a cozy, homey way rather than appearing institutional, and the Home welcomed the women and girls into the Beulah “family” during their stay.The Beulah Home emphasized compassion and forgiveness, and provided voluntary interdenominational Christian guidance for the women and girls as well as teaching them how to care for their babies. It was felt that many of these girls had not benefitted from a stable home life, and lacked education about the basics of life. In an attitude that was unusual, they did not blame the women and girls, but rather condemned the absent men who had led them astray. The Beulah Home was different than other institutions of the day in another significant way. It was
common practice at the time to pressure unwed mothers into giving up their babies for adoption, and in
some cases babies were taken away from the mother immediately after giving birth. Although the Home
arranged for adoptions, they also helped mothers to keep their babies if they wished to do so. An
enlightened view, well ahead of its time.

May God help us that this traffic against our women and girls will not thrive in the shadow of our silence, but that we may seek for information and put forth definite effort to rescue our fallen sisters…….Excerpt from Beulah Home report,1914