Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Rosemary Children's Services of Pasadena, CA, upon its 80th anniversary.
In 1920, Mrs. Emma Spear and the women of the Pasadena Shakespeare Club established a shelter program for abused, neglected or abandoned teenage girls in Pasadena, because the only alternative at that time was juvenile hall. Rosemary Cottage opened in April of 1920 and could house 10 girls and a housemother. Their name came from William Shakespeare's "Hamlet" "There's Rosemary, that's for remembrance; pray you, love, remember."
In 1928, a new "Cottage" was built and made available to 19 teenage girls. In the 1940s, Rosemary Cottage introduced treatment services, improved their property and hired social workers to meet the United Way standards. Rosemary's group home program was launched in 1967 by the generous donation of a home from Robert Romberger. The group homes program was the first step in teaching independent living skills to teenage girls in placement situations. Since then, three other group homes have been acquired and can house up to 43 at-risk girls.
Rosemary Children's Services help hundreds of children of all ages. Along with their excellent residential program, they provide foster care to nearly 400 girls and boys in Southern California, many of whom have been the victims of neglect, sexual, or physical abuse. They sponsor a school that provides specialized education in a small structured environment and their mental health program includes out-patient services for teenage girls, individual and group therapy, exercise programs, artistic activities and training in various life skills.
I am greatly honored to recognize Rosemary Children's Services for its 80 years of loving care and support to countless children in our community, and I ask all Members to join me in congratulating Rosemary Children's Services for their remarkable achievements.