The daily morning journal and courier., 1894-08-30
The Eresh-air Fund
From Harper's Weekly.]


 Willard Parsons, the clergyman Of a little church at the village of Sherman, Pennsylvania. inspired by genious Of the heart, came to the metropolis in the summer of 1877. and selected from its slums ten of it's forlornest children and took them to his rural home. His parishioners, to whom he had com municated his, intent, warmly well comed them to their houses, and gave them gratis of the best they had. At the end of fortnight they returned to town, refreshed and delighted with their new experience. Other children of like grade went to the same place and the same persons, and received the same generous treatment. The experi- ment succeeded beyond all anticipa- tions, and has produced excellent and abundant fruit throughout the coun- try and in Europe.
 In New York city alone more than lWO lluLO1 GU dSCI4SlNo oLC Ch6o6Cu III preparing summer outings for the need fest women and children. The agencies include charitable associations, church es, large firms, and benevolent individ- uals, all of them having seen what great good has resulted to the bene- ficiaries. Not all of the agencies are wholly charities Some of them make small charge for board, so as to pre- serve in the boarders a feeling of in- dependence essential to complete self respect.
 The primary object of Mir. Parsons was the physical improvement of the poor, whose health and vigor are neces- sarily impaired in. the tenements to which they are condemned by their unyielding circumstances. Months of solicitous thought and planning pre-. ceded the organization, in a modest way. of the Fresh Air fund, now SC soundly, established and so prolific o1 generous rivalries. In organizing il l three things were paramount-raisine the money, securing the temporary homes, selecting the children; and | each one was attended with difficulty But the difficulty was. duly removed by the energy and enthusiasm of MT. Par. sons and his associates. After the first season, during which about sixty cit, children were forwarded to the country the New York Post was persuaded te father the philanthropic scheme, anl continued it for four years, enlargine It's scope and increasing its contribu tions. The fund then passed into thu hands of the Tribune, with which i has since become entirely identified.
 There has been very little trouble if getting money. which has come iron numberless sources, from little ,chil dren's industry and self-denlal all tn way to the subscriptions of million aires The practicality and great valu of the charity have been made 50 mani fest by continual advertising, and tn dissemination of the striking fact tha three dollars will give a child a. fort night in the country, that the treasur. has been steadily supplied. The fun, has been excellently managed, an, with signal economy. No collector have been employed; no salaries or of flee expenses have been paid out of it and many of the helpers have veIun teered, and still volunteer, their servic es. The transportation companies hay made liberal reductions on their regu lar fares, and the disposition to aid tn enterprise has been from the start a general as commendable. ss5