In 1865 the Protectory purchased the William Varian 114 acre farm in the village of West Chester near St. Raymond's Church. A school and dormitories were built. The institution was an integral part of the parish until it was sold in 1938. Besides orphans placed there by the Charity Commission, and juvenile delinquents placed by the courts, the Protectory also accepted children placed there by parents or guardians unable to adequately provide for them. By 1878, the Protectory was serving over 3,000 children annually. According to Janet Butler Munch, "It effectively served as a safety net for children and families in need. The goal was not long-term commitments for children but return to their families when conditions stabilized. The sisters took care of all the girls, and any boys under ten years of age; the brothers had charge of the older boys. Unlike many similar institutions, the Protectory provided training in skills that would allow its charges to make a living upon leaving. It was felt that vocational studies should not be postponed until mature years, but should be commenced early, so as to accustom the boy to what may afterwards prove to be the means of earning his own livelihood when he shall have left the Protectory. The boys learned printing in all its branches, photography, tailoring, shoemaking, laundry work, industrial and ornamental drawing, sign-painting, blacksmithing, plumbing, carpentry, bricklaying, stone-work, baking in its different branches, and in practical knowledge of boilers, engines, dynamos and electric wiring. The girls learned to embroider, cook and make gloves, typewriting, and stenography.