New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-16
FRESH-ATR WORK ABROAD.
EXCELLENT RESULTS OF A MOVEMENT
BEGUN IN ZURICH.
THE IDEA ORIGINATED WITH SWISS CLERGY
MAN NAMED BIoN-THOUsANDs or chill

THE IDEA ORIGINATED WITH SWISS CLERGY
MAN NAMED BIoN-THoUsANDs OF chill
DEEN ALL OVER EUROPE BENEFITED.
Washington Aug l5.-The benevolent movement
started for the benefit Of poor children in Zurich
Switzerland twenty years ago has grown to such
PROPORTIONS and been emulated by so many Euro
pean countries that the American Consul at Iurich
has sent the State Department an elaborate report
on the subject of the vacation colonies. 10 when
school children in need Of recuperaton are taken IN
summer The founder of the system was a clergy
man named Bion. who found on moving to the city
that the environment In summer did not suit MS own
five children. who were accustomed to the pure air
of their native mountains. For several summers ne
took them away 10 their former home for four
weeks vacation, and found that they returned in
varlably with greatly improved health and spirits.
This led him to consider the good that would como
10 the poorer children II they could be taken away
occasionally from the putrid air OF the narrow city
streets pocr food and scany fare The result of his
study was an advertisement which he inserted in the
Zurich daily press asking voluntary contributions to
carry out the project The first responses were dis
couraeing but eventually he secured subscriptions
to the amount of 1868, which enabled him to send
sxy-eght boys and girls divided into three colonies
to three places In the Canton Of Appenzel, each
colony remaining fourteen days.
The growth OF the movement in Switzerland is
shown by the fact that forty-nne colonies number
ing LIS chill iren, sent away in 1886. and the
Increase steadily continued until in 1895 2l9S chill
dren divided into seventythree colonies. had four
weeks vacation - the country
The means Of the managing committees not being
equal TO all the demands. another division Of the
movement. which has now been in operation sixteen
years was started This provides for the issue Of
fresh milk and bread twice a day 20 the poor chill
dren a. a compensaI zion for the loss Of their
ton trip. This aid has already been extended 10
o. 2i6 children. 49,
In Germany 1875 cities have now adopted the Bion
system OF colonies, statistics showing 1897 German
children 50 cared for in 1888 and y 25 in 1895 Spain
Italy. Austria Hungary. France, the Netherlands.
England. Denmark. Belgium and Russia have taken
up the movement. and on this continent the Argen-
tine Republic and parts OF the United States
have tried the experiment. win unqualified success
In Switzerland close attention Is paid to the bene-
fits derived from the change from the periodic out
lngs and scientists have found that the increase in
weight OF the colony children mas been from seven TO
eight pounds. Observations on thirty-four children
showed great increase in the number or the blood
corpuscles and cOloring matter due TO these vaca-
lions The children always accompanied to the
colonies by their teachers. and remain under their
supervision. ono Of the Zurich colonies mas been
transformed into a regular sanitarium, where last