New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-08-07
MANY CHILDREN AT SHERMAN.

TIE ORIGIN OF MR.. PARSONS woRK-PENNsYL-
vANIA FARMERS WHO ARE EAGER TO ENTER
TAIN THE CITY YOUNG FOLKS
trRoM SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE rEIBUNEl
SHERMAN Wayne County, Penn, Aug D." This
Is the birthplace of the Fresh Air Fund" said
farmer yesterday TO THE TRIBUNE correspondent
who accompanied three carloads of city children
from New-York There Is the church that the
Rev. Mr.. Parsons built" continued the farmer, land
there is where ne lived" pointing to small house
near the church Continuing, the speaker SAID 1T
Is now nearly six years since MIR. Parsons conceived
the idea OF saving the suffering children OF your
great city. thought the parson had undertaken a
pretty big Job HIS first party not a large one,
not at all comparable with tue one that you have
lust distributed There ouly nine children
poor weak and crippled suffering from whooplng
cough. consumption and most OF all from Lack OF
suitable food He reached Sherman about o'clock
in the afternoon of July 20, 1877, and succeeded
in finding homes tor part of them; and the rest
he took 10 his own house Just here occurred
funny incident which has not been generally known.
II was at the time the railroad strlk that the first
children came and IT impossible TO buy any
-four here The stores had sold all they had, and
In fact had about run short of all provisions. Mr..
Parsons borrowed a small quantity of flour, bought
fifty pounds of corn-meal and ham from one of the
neighDOrs. ! assure you the children did not
suffer and at the end of the two weeks SIX Of them
went back greatly benefited by their visit the other
three remaining fortnight longer. The people
here were much pleased by the result of the ex
pertinent they were willing to try 1t again; and
again Mr.. Parsons went to the tenement
houses and brought the little sufferers
away from the bad air and worse food. This
time he had increased his work until
he had d party of seventeen boys and girls. How
many did you say you had III your party Two
hundred and seventy Well, you can how the
work has grown.
Many of the children the first year or two would
have astOnlshed you beyond measure. Taere is a
wonderful difference now. Two boys and a girl
from family came TO my house in the second
party, aud truly believe they had never sat at a
table before. The of a knife and fork was as
foreign 10 them the use Of a moving machine was
j remember the first day they the moment
anything passed Them at the table, of 1t would
go into their laps-meat, bread, potatoes, anything
except milk. Then they would put the food In
then mouths with their fingers How do
i account for the change now Why
that is easy. From many families one or
more children have been IN the country in some
farmers family and thsy have learned better. But
that is not all. When they have returned 10 the
city they have not gone back 10 their old style OF
living Ia many they have reformed the
mode of life III their own families, teaching the
other children how the farmers live and how they
eat, etc. This is theory of mine. Ii Is a fact.
Nor does the influence stop with the one family
directly benefited bat other children and other
families learn many things from the bright. intel
lgent children who are allowed the privilege OF a
visit In the country | know a little girl who was
sent here b. Mr. Parsons the second summer, who
was 50 much pleased with her new home that she
wanted u remain in IT. Her parents consented TO
let her stay one winter AMI the next summer, Oh the
condition that She would return 10 the city IN the
iail. She did return, bat she was so homesick and
unhappy IL The city that she allowed to return
70 sherman- She has good home and has
I~eh The name OF her foster parents and Is one of
'ne onsDtest little grls hear this village"
ihE Ak1BUNE correspondent had some difficulty
~ satisfying the inquiries Of the Enthusiastic crowd
'1''s surrounded hin and his young charges. How