▁known ▁as ▁Spring field ' s ▁first ▁public ▁char ity . ▁ ▁Through out ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁century ▁the ▁home ▁continued ▁to ▁serve ▁women ▁and ▁children ▁end uring ▁some ▁type ▁of ▁difficulty ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁war , ▁imm igration , ▁physical ▁ab use , ▁sexual ▁ab use , ▁imprison ment , ▁ill ness , ▁drug ▁add iction , ▁and / or ▁un mar ried ▁and ▁pre gn ant . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 7 0 , ▁after ▁out g row ing ▁the ▁Union ▁Street ▁home , ▁and ▁after ▁the ▁don ations ▁of ▁many , ▁a ▁new ▁additional ▁facility ▁was ▁constructed ▁on ▁Buck ingham ▁Street , ▁a ▁Children ' s ▁Home , ▁and ▁its ▁grand ▁opening ▁was ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 8 7 1 . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁school ▁was ▁established ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 3 . ▁The ▁Union ▁Street ▁home ▁then ▁had ▁the ▁space ▁needed ▁for ▁females . ▁ ▁Ar ound ▁ 1 8 7 2 ▁Rach el ▁Cap en ▁Mer ri am ▁transferred ▁leadership ▁to ▁a ▁new ▁President , ▁Mrs . ▁William ▁R ice . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁following ▁dec ades ▁and ▁into ▁the ▁new ▁century , ▁the ▁troubles ▁of ▁society ▁commanded ▁growth ▁of ▁facilities ▁and ▁growth ▁of ▁don ations . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 7 , ▁a ▁home ▁on ▁Williams ▁Street ▁opened , ▁a ▁Home ▁for ▁Women , ▁and ▁an ▁addition ▁to ▁the ▁Buck ingham ▁Street ▁home ▁was ▁added . ▁ ▁By ▁ 1 9 2 6 ▁the ▁structure ▁on ▁Buck ingham ▁Street ▁was ▁demol