New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-06
CHILDREN MADE HAPPY.
A LIVELY PARTY DEPARTS FOR CURTIS
VILE MASS.

THERE-THE DAY EXCURSION SEASON
II was a happy moment for forty-nine OF New
York's poorest and most forlorn little children
when they boarded the train at the Grand Central
Friday morning all bound for the country. fresh
air and good time They were A party OF IT'D
une Fresh Air Fund children. and were going 10
St Heens Home, at Curtisyilie Mass. That was
reason enough for the broad smiles. ana imagining
faces that were everywhere In evidence They were
a merry crowd of youngsters, and they MADE Things
lively until the train pulled out 1t is safe to say
that these same youngsters are making things just
exactly as lively a; Curtisville. However, that Is
what Is wanted and they will have good care
Every Tribune Fresh Air child who goes TO the
country gets healthy mixture OF good care and a
good time
ST. Helen's Home which receives the little ones.
is literally in the heart of the Berkshres On every
side the hills that have made this part Of the
country famous rise and roll away in the distance
In graceful Lndulating lines The beauty OF the
region cannot be exaggerated. The forests and
grdinields which the land the ricn valleys
and the deep mountain lakes which seem there
amos, as II by accident. make scenery that is we'll
nigh perfect. The reads hard. and the air is
clear and bracing Cursville is the foot OF
Stockbridse Mountain. and Stockbrdge itself is
only Il mile or so away. In another direction Is
Lenox and nearer still Lake Mackinac. one of the
prettlest bits of water in the region.
The Home. which gives city children short out
Ing is this ideal country, was founded four years
ago by John f. Parsons. and has ever since been
maintained by him with a generous hand Nothing
has been wanting from the first and owing to Mr..
Parsons generosity and personal interest the
charity has proved an unqualified success The Home
is managed by J. Frank Dechant. superintendent,
a Franklin and Marshall College graduate Miss
Edith Gladwin is matron. In addition there are
four attendants to look after the children and
x1oI a,,I "a into
trouble. and a force of six servants. The attend
ants are Miss Daisy Van Ingen. Miss May Sears,
NJ r. GOWN a Princeton man. and Theodore
Kinzer
St Helens Home may well be called a model
fresh air home. II lies at an intersection Of roads
I'm the midst of the little village of Curtisve. and
the grounds stretch out on both sides of one of the
roads Near the corners little brook flows under
a bridge and some yards further down. by means
Of a dam. wldens out into miniature pond The
banks sloping and grassy. the water shallow.
and on the little basin Is a fla t-bottomed rowboat
for the children to play in. There is not a minute
Of the day that the boat is being padded
around with load OF little passengers. who con
slider this place a perfect paradise and would be
content to dabbe in the water all day. The Home
consists Of TWO houses. one on each side Of IN"
brook The smaller building contains the boys
dormitory on the second story. and on the first
large playroon for rainy days There is 4 little
foot bridge across the brook. and on the other side
Is the larger house. This IS a fin" old hotel build
Ing large and roomy with a long piazza in
front. on the ground floor. as you pass N through
a wide hail. you see on one side an office ana the
attendants dining-roo on the other IS the chill
drcn's dinng-room and an interesting sight it is
when the 10 little tots gathered in there for a
meal The room is niled with low tab,es. and on
each side OF a table IS little bench one first
notices the rows Of white bowls. one before each
child with big bowl at the head OF the table. 1t
Is rather touching sight all these little unfortu-
mates Of the city gathered together here. in the
midst of perhaps the first real enjoyment that has
come into their lives. one is awakened u the fact
that they have appctites by noticing how the at
tendants have to hustle TO keep them supplied WIN
the ohjec, OF their common desire.
The upper part OF the house constitutes the girls
dormitory. Everything is plain and neat and.
above all clean and airy. The little beds are daz-
zlng in their whiteness In the font Of this house
there is A long balcony. and from it one can get
view Of what belongs 10 the house across the ROAD
There is only the athletic fed and the barn Al
one end Of the field Is row Of swings-"scups.
the children call them-and in another corner a
large tent The barn is a great place for rainy
days. because Of its roomness Most OF the neii
Many Of the littlc fellows are surprisingly good
players. and once in while game is PLAYED WIN WIN
The country boys. who ind. TO their dismay' that
the kids can play ball.
THE CHILDRENS DAILY LIFE.
The children's existence from day TO day is not
a haphazard one. Everything is carefully planned
beforehand. They rise at o'clock. and have break
fast :. Then the morning is taken up with
walk or a ball came. or search for "oullies'
This means bulfrogs. There is a boatman on Lake
Macknac which is by. who will give any
child a half-hour's row on the lake, or penny
apiece as the child chooses. for every buIlroS
caught Tho offer has proved the undoing OF the
"bulli.s" for the Youngsters can capture the war;
est al hsr "A ke
afternoon Is spent The children are treated to "A
bath in its waters every clear day. The walk
through the woods TO the lake IS a beautiful one
At one point is a large rock under which the little
little rock nearby nkewise marks the resting
place Of an Indian baby Ths ad9I 10 n aEoSe e
Every Thursday picnic Is held in the woods. ana
things are cooked over fire This is as good as
circus to the little folks
4 little Will ago The programme was varied. and
hills Three large hay-WaEons were p'eS1ed d, in1o
service and over 100 strong. they were all driven
Suechee Tho little people took luncheon there, and
guests Of h9lor watched the burnham 1 boys
a farmer 10y the roadside looked up from his work
in amazement a ,he 'hren oads oil singing b , InG
the party reached Curisyille again the yell or the
the way II runs
Fresh AIR Fresh Air.
sam, Helens Home
The regular time for supper is about o'Eock
safely tucked away in bed, In time for a long.
sound sleep ON sunday the whole household goes
to a nearby church
Thus DAY after day slips by In fun and happiness.
and many n child has shown the greatest surprise
when told that the two weeks were over. They re-
gret leaving the place a though II was their own
home and all clarnor to come back again next year.
This summer i'm the neighbOrhOOd Of 600 children
from New York and Brooklyn have enjoyed the
benefits Of the home This is fine record and II
could know the actual results OF such out
ings the little unfOrtunatcs who have received
them. ii would prove a lesson. indeed. congratula-
tons ana sincere thanks are merited by Mr.. Par
sons and his family for the making Of this home
into the paradise 1t has proven to many hun
dreds of tenement-hOuse children from the city
THE DAY EXCURSION SEASON.
The day excursion season ended with the excur-
sion of September 2. In the course OF the summer
there were twenty-six excursions. starting from