The Nebraska Children's Home Society was founded in 1893 by Dr. E.P. Quivey. Dr. Quivey had become convinced by his experiences as chaplain at the Iowa State Reformatory that juvenile delinquency could be forestalled or eliminated by placing young boys in decent homes rather than in reform schools. He and his wife arrived in Nebraska seeking to establish a child protection organization that would provide that service.

They became affiliated with the National Children's Home Society, a federation of 26 state child-placing societies. In Nebraska, Dr. Quivey found between 60 and 100 children housed at “The Homes of the Friendless”. He also discovered two other service groups interested in forming child-help facilities. Mobilizing this network, Dr. Quivey convened the initial meeting of the newly formed Nebraska affiliate of the National Children's Home Society on August 10, 1893, where a constitution was adopted and plans were laid for incorporation.

The first year was a struggle. Membership was granted upon the pledging of funds to support the new Society's work. Although $20,000 was pledged the first year, only $1,798 was actually received. Undaunted, the governing body held to a shoestring budget and squeaked through the year with only $1,711 in expenditures –– leaving $87 with which to begin the second year's efforts.

In order to service the needs of the entire state, local boards were formed. That first year saw 90 local boards established and four district managers named throughout the state. Mrs. Quivey was named manager of the Beatrice district, a position she held until her retirement.

The Society survived its early years largely due to the determination of those district managers to attract to the Society’’s cause some of the most influential citizens and organizations in the state. Key figures in Nebraska history include General Charles M. Manderson, Reverend T.J. Mackey, Herman Kountze, The Honorable H.H. Baldridge, and Dr. W.F. Milroy. The Union Pacific Railroad was granted special recognition for its supportive work in transporting wards of the Society.

In the years before home studies were conducted to evaluate potential placement homes, the members of the local boards were responsible not only for locating neglected or abused children, but also for recommending child placement. By 1908, there were more than 800 local boards assisting children and recommending their placement with hopeful applicants. A child would be placed in these homes for a three-month trial period, after which final approval could be granted.

The Nebraska Children’s Home Society, originally an affiliate of the National Children’s Home Society, began to assert its independence from the very start. It refused expenditures imposed by the National Society, and in 1896, it began publication of its own newsletter, The Homeless Children’s Advocate. The Advocate carried everything from local and national news items to donors’ lists and advertisements.

It was to Dr. Quivey’s enormous credit that he never refused to accept a child because of mental or physical disabilities. He also insisted that every adoptee be made aware of his or her status as an adoptee, but he did not insist on disclosure of a child’s status to the birth parents –– a stance which contributed friction to his often stormy relationship with Nebraska’s Juvenile Courts.

Dr. and Mrs. Quivey retired and moved away from Nebraska’s difficult winters to the more tolerable climate of Hollywood, California. Dr. Quivey died in 1927.

Taken from Nebraska Children’s Home Society Web site: History
http://www.nchs.org/aafinal/about_nch/history/history.html