New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-12-17

cs1sennoint settlement, Faith Mission. Bureau OF
GnaTss STREET PTesbyteran Mission, WioT
Place Chapel wiloughby Ave1ue }lf F5iseoDai
church. Wyckkoff Heights Chapel CHURCH OF
3 3qen Te'hSF Mission aa Industa school oyss
Mission. Atlantic Avenue T MAPS; Gburch Meth
odst Episcopal Tabernacle SPANISH Mission Lna tbe
I Fa SS91G psm Desne WeTahdt Miss Jennie murphy
Mrs. D. Hebron; Miss Briggs Mrs. s.nd L. MsIs T. p
Club
There is one other Misrepresentation concernins
the work ~ the tribune Fresh Air Fund which IL
Is desired 10 correct here and Nis exists aAto9
even the best friends of fresh air children, -,
evidenced 10y the numerous letters recei'Vu -,
summer concerning places in the country W. We
fresh air children may be sent to board at q eH -,
rate Sometimes the letter is from persoh IA
the country making offer OF SUCH piae . 81.
times II Is from. a person in the city asA'i.o
children be sent to such place. ana as oi'e g
not II Is from a person inquirins the aou, -
the country boarding houses TO which the IiiD
une Fresh Air Fund sends its children III eeIS
case the same reply is made. that never uH -
circumstances does the Tribune Fresh AIT Fuiiu
No.. ,.rd for the children II sends the country
They go as guests and in response TO genuine IN
vitations that to them from people III vi.
country Sometimes these invitations coihe III 'Ho
form of an order from place for hundred OF
more children sometimes in request TOT siiidlle
number and sometimes in the shape OF personal
invitations to the children themselves but tneS
are always invitations. because the people IN tne
country who entertain children sent out py the
Tribune Fresh Air Fund receive no -consluerdtioh
for this entertainment. 1t is gift, pure ana
simple from country hosts and hostesses' and they
do II entirely a labor OF love Last summer
there were hundreds and even thousands Of people
scattered through 81 towns and villages IN the
country districts of half dozen different States
who offered this hospitality. To some IT proved a
light task to others heavy one, according TO the
disposition and bringing up OF the little guest IL
was not an Insignificant labor In any case, Tor TWO
weeks OF entertainment and tender care OF city
child unused to country ways requires unusual
soIicitude and attention. This care has always
been cheerfully given and fresh air children nave
been made to feel much at home with their
country entertainers they do with their own
parents.
1t is hardly necessary comment on the gener-
osity which has prompted all this well doing 20
CITY children by their more fortunate fellow beings
In the country; II has been great and bountiful
that words offer a poor means Of description The
children who received the benefit best tell
what far reaching work of charity it was and on
their behalf the Tribune Fresh Air Fund conveys
deep and heartfelt thanks to these benefactors of
the country.
In addition to these places where children are
entertained by twos and threes in the homes OF
private families. there few places where many
children are received time. The home at Ash
ford HILL n. Y. which is largely supported by
special contribution to the Tribune Fresh Air
Fund gives pleasure to fortnightly parties of two
hundred children each throughout the summer. and
the other places OF this sort st. Helens Home.
at Curtisville. Mass, which is supported by John
f. Parsons. OF this city, and entertains one nun
dred children a time, and Mrs ]. S. Lyles
Happy Land Tenahy N J., which enter
tains fifty children at a time.
Among the places whose people have entertained
regular fortnightIy parties throughout the summer
are Hudson and Claverack. n. Y. twenty-four chill
dren In each party: Fairfield. Conn. twenty-four
IN each party; Mddletown and Goshen. N V
which have entertained several parties Of fifteen
each. and Pittsheld. Mass. and nearby towns.
whose people have through the Berkshire Fresh
Air Fund provided for the entertainment at out
lying farmhouses OF five parties aggregating SsS
children. At Simsbury. Conn., Mrs. Norman W.
Dodge has given three weeks outing to several
parties OF twelve children each. In some Of these
places money Is paid for the entertainment OF the
children but It ir not paid by The Tribune Fresh
Air Fund. The people of these places pay II them
selves 10 the farmer or other person who takes
the children into his farmhouse and looks after
them for this consideration. II Is one way OF CIV
ing fresh air. and II is a helpful way where II Is
not feasible to take the children into private fam
lilies But It is ali the affair of the people in the
country. and It still remains true that no money
is paid by The Tribune Fresh Air Fund for the
board its children. and that they are guests In
truth.
The heavielt item OF expense in fresh air work.
the cost OF carrying the children 10 and from the
country. made lighter last summer by the
action OF some corporations with souls. With only
two exceptions all of the lines over which fresh
air children travelled allowed quarter rates for the
benehciaries OF this charity, and in addition
uniformly thoughtful and accommodating in their
handling Of fresh air parties. AS an allowance Of
quarter rates means that Just four times many
children he sent to the country, IL is easy
TO see what a great help this generous policy has
resulted IN.
Another kindly service In the work of transport
ing the children has been the assistance OF the
I,.yr, rfaA
the children TO and from the country. They have
done this entirely a work of charity. for only
their necessary expenses have been paid The task
of caring for a party OF children on a long journey
Is arduous and exciting and the work of these
travelling attendants Is here gratefully acknowl-
edged as a material and appreciated help
The last word concerning the work of The Trib-
une Fresh Air Fund for the summer of 1900 should
be of thanks to the contributing public. the
great body of people who have made this work pos
sble Just the swiftest Of transatlantic liners
would be but floating hulk without coal In her
bunkers. so would The Tribune Fresh Air Fund as
its very implies. cease to exist II there
no fund. And the many friends of fresh air chill
dren have taken good care that such state OF
affairs shall not come to pass. They have been
uniformly and continuously generous in their min
istrations fresh air children. and IL due
! them much as any one else that the work OF
The Tribune Fresh Air Fund smoothly last
summer. There only one time when Il looked
as though invitations from the country for fresh
air children might have be declined on account
of lack OF funds. That early In August, and
a short statement OF facts explaining the nature
of the trouble at once published in The Trib-
| une 1t could hardly be called appeal for the
| need was not yet desperate; but inside of two
days there was such vigorous and wholesale re-
Spouse that whatever fears had been felt We're at
once put rest 1t is this sort of thing which
| makes it possible TO do fresh air work with con-
| hdence and In the right and most economical way
| With a continuously steady and solid support as a