Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-01-27
THE DAY NURSERY.
The Charitable Enterprise Conducted
at the LiscOln Ni.siOm-EEOW the
Children are Cared F0r-Ehe Origin
OF the Institution. &c.

OF the Institution, &c.
The Day Nursery, started last winter in con-
nectiOn with the work of the Associated Chari-
ties, has been reopened during the past three
weeks. and is regarded as permanently and sat
isfactorily established The nursery is located
In the upper ROOMS ofthe Lincoln Mission, cor
ner 18th and streets. The rooms have been
recently plastered and painted. and are ar
ranged as comfortably as need be. The main
room, the nursery, is large. we'll lighted and
clean. The floor is covered with cocoa mating
and around the walls are placed low settees
The walls are plentifully sprinkled over with
gay PICTURES newspaper cuts. etc, hung to
catch the Juvenile eye at the proper range,
and are naturally source of great interest to
the little folks. There are several low rockers
and easy chairs, and a big table. having eight
deep drawers on each side, where clothing,
books. papers and toys of every description are
Kept for everyday use The youngsters have
never happier than when rumnaging through
these drawers. The room is we'll heated by q
large stove, and is in all respects comfortable
apartment. Adjoining this is
THE DINING-RooN,
with long tables and benches. and everything
bright and clean. The main feature in the
kitchen is the large cook stove which also heats
the dining-rOOm. The matron's room and the
bath and store rooms are well arranged. The
rooms are In charge of a matrOn, who has
break fast ready every morning at s. Children
must be brought In prior to that hour. Lunch
Is given them at nOOn and at O'Clock dinner
is served Last winter 300 meals were given
10 children. and the average attendance was 81
Infants over six weeks will he taken and cared
for until the return of their nn,thers at night
From that age up TO twelve is the limit. The
larger children are taught to wait upon the
smaller and assist in the housework when re-
CURED. The meals furnished are wholesome
Breakfast consists of coffee. oatmeal rice or
huiniHy. with corn bread. aud for dinner beef
soup. with one or two kinds of vegetables
The average attendance this year is about eleven
children. all able to take care of themselves
and all except two go out TO school They come
early 10 get their breakfast ret urn for their din
ner. and stay at the nursery until called for
small Charge is made for the.r care Four
cents day for one child. five cents for two
children of the same family and seven cents
for three. The greatest difficulty is experienced
In gettingthe mothers of children to bring them
They regard the project suSpicOusiy and those
OF a different religious denomination imagine
the whole scheme is in the interests of the Lin
coin mission, when it has In realty Aothin. to
90 with 1t. ,E!th ft'>DfFS : E!|(
THE ORIGIN OF THE INSTITUTION
The founder of the nursery was Mr. Chas. e.
Foster, who, seeing the necessity for some
place where working mothers could leave young
children, started the work ut his own expense.
put up the cook stove, ETC.. and provisioned It
for the FIRST month. Then the Associated
Charities took it in hand an d 1t has since been
supported by the fourth and sixth sub
divisions The board of management are Dr.
H. T. Bigelow. DIR. Beac Mrs C.. b Foster
Mrs Z. Il. Babcoek from the fourth division. and
Mrs. Hood Mrs. L. ID. Terril and Miss Kate
Pratt of the sixth division. Mrs C. f. Foster il
the secretary and Mrs n. Tiers the treasurer
The ladies' contribute personally day
in each week the ingredients for the SOUP
for the nursery dinner They also take
turns in being at the nursery to supervise the
arrangements there. and contemplate much
wider scope in their field of work. In connec-
ton with the American Missionary associat ION
whose agent, Mrs. &. r. Babock has an Office. i'm
the building. a kindergarten school will prob
Ably soon be established The ladies have also
made purchases OF cotton and calico which the,
Intend having mafie up for the children in the
nursery. The plan will then be that ever,
morning when the children come in they win bt
bathed and dressed in entirely clean clothes
Their own clothing TO be replaced before the,
are taken home This is regarded as a necessary
precaution against vermin or disease and to in
sure tidiness in appearance. Thus far there ha.
been little trouble from sickness and all chill
dren are examined by physicians before beins
entered. II is thought that the nursery will b.
kept epen straight through the year. although
IL IL q more pressing pee0 IN the cold weather.
THE BUILDING
In which the rooms arc located was erected b,
the Freedman's bureau just after the war, an,
called the Lincoln Industrial Mission It wa
at first used IS q headquarters tor supple
sent from the north for distribution among tn
negroes, through the American missionary as
eociafion- The lower hall was used for religion
meetings and the upper rooms for sewing
wnere q lot OF women were kept employees
making and mending the clothing sen
tnem- 1t has since passed into the hand
Of other denominations. but has bee
Tor the last three years sgaiu under the care @
the association named, whose ministrations ar
confined to the cplored people of that immedat
section One OF the features is a weekly sewin
class Of eighty young girls who make end lBe,d
under direction and who are chare,ad a penny
week for instruction. Another ...ss j. ~ oil,
woIneG over sixty. who are xiv The
they make or patch.