The herald., 1897-07-11
TREAT FOR ALL THE CHILDREN
City and Country Little Ones Ex-
change Homes for a Vacation

Philanthropists, and especially those
who are interested in the welfare of the
children, will be glad to hear of novel
scheme which is being adopted in Europe,
the object of which is to provide ample
physical comfort as well as intellectual
entertainment for children during the
most trying season of the year.
A lady, whose name has not been di-
lvulged, was the first to breach the idea,
and so warmly was 1t welcomed by the
public and the press that she al once
formed an organization, and soon was
enabled to make hundreds of children
happy. The home is in Denmark, ami
an account of her good work spread 50
rapidly that others throughout Scandi-
navia followed her example, and it is
even said that similar plan is likely to
be adopted in France and Germany.
This is what she does: She obtains
in each town or city from the parents or
teachers list of those children who
would like to spend their vacations in
the country, or who would be benefited
by country life. This is one part of the
work. The other part is done in the
country, and the plan adopted is the
same as in the cities. The farmers and
other country residents are asked if they
would like to have their children spend
their vacations in the cities Naturally
most. if not ALL Of them reply in the af-
firmative. Their children are weary of
country life and will delight in seeing s
the great sights of the cities. So they
consent, and on a given day their little
ones go to the cities and the city children
go to the country.
There is, so to speak, an exchange or
children. The farmers and villagers
take the city children into their homes
and act as their hosts during the weeks
OF vacation, and in return the little ones
from the country find temporary homes
with the parents of the city children.
| In the country the children amuse
themselves as country children have al
ways amused themselves, and in the
| city the children spend good deal OF
! their time in seeing the notable sights.
Thus the little ones from the country
are educated as we'll as entertained
| They see now famous buildings, splen-
did monuments and spacious parks,
which they might not have seen for many
years had they not obtained this chance
of spending their vacation in the city.
And many goodly lessons are also
learned by the little ones who now see
and enjoy the country for the first time.
The birds, the brooks. the flowers, the
trees, the patient domestic animals,
teach them many things they would
never learn in the city.
All the children, too, learn to become
| independent and self-reliant. They
Journey from their homes alone, being
crowded with railroad tickets. which
are pinned on their little Jackets. The
guards on the trains see that they are
furnished with every comfort, and they
are just as safe as though they were at
tended by a legion of parents and teach
ers Their hosts meet them at their
destination and quickly make them feel
at home. When the holiday season is
over all return to their various homes,
refreshed in mind and body and glad at
heart that the long weeks of vacation,
which otherwise might have been so
dull, have been spent so pleasantly
New York Herald.