The 1950s brought another name change for the Orphanage – in 1951, the Charter of the Porter Home and Leath Orphanage was amended to change the name of the institution to the Porter-Leath Home.
At that time, the institution was in general disorder and disrepair and had experienced trouble finding a director and sufficient funding. In October 1951, Paul J. Sawrie and his wife agreed to run the Orphanage for thirty days until a permanent director could be found. They served in their “temporary” capacities for the next fifteen years. During that time, under the direction of Mr. and Mrs. Sawrie, the Home underwent a number of positive changes and improvements.
Also during this period of time the Orphanage children attended Memphis Public Schools with several of the Porter-Leath Home children attending Humes School two blocks south of the Orphanage on North Manassas, also referred to by many Memphians as “Elvis Presley’s school”. Several of the neighborhood children attending school with the Porter-Leath Home children came from impoverished homes. Quite often some of these children would come home with the Porter-Leath Home children after school. These guests were allowed to stay for supper, play in a peaceful and safe environment and often stayed over on weekends affording them access to an environment not enjoyed in their own homes.