Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-07-21
How the Little Ones Are Cared for
at Crittenton Home.
SANITATION, DRESS AND DIET
Three Cardinal Principles Faced
Every Day.
ONE TINY BOYS SMILE

How the babies are cared for in the
nursery at the Florence Crittenton Home"
was the subject of conversation a few
days ago between one of the officers of that
institution and a Star reporter.
There have always" the lady remarked,
been much skepticism and many misg1v-
ings in the public mind concerning the
| slightest approach to ideality In child life
anywhere outside the established home It
is fortunate thing for any public organi-
cation If it can offer by its methods a fac
vorable argument to the contrary: how
ever. its theories must be facts and Its
| facts open to acute investigation, II Il
would carry any weight"
| In the nursery of the Florence Crittenton
Home, she explained, no claim is made to
| ideality, nor are the best plans of the
managers yet fully perfected: but a good,
successful system has been established The
| lady claimed that it could not be success
| fully contradicted that few OF the babies
who spend their babyhood in the nursery OF
| the Crittenton Home would be cared for
more wisely in the average American home.
| No such law, she went on to say. the
| greatest good for the greatest number" ex-
lists. either in the theories or practices of
the home. The individual. with his individu-
al needs and idiosyncracies. is the prime
| factor in every case. Hence. while there
Is system, there are no ironclad rules max
| ing the fish for one fish for ALL
| The first consideration is, she said. santa
| ton, and this is regarded in its minutest
| details. In providing for the needs Of a
| baby, where and how 1t sleeps is second in
| Importance to what its food shall be. The
beds of the home nursery are the conven-
| uonal iron ones, white painted.
| A mattress OF hair Is the first accessory.
| This is smoothly covered with a white rub-
Der sheet. which is carefully sponged and
dried each morning when the bed is being
made up The usual muslin sheet covers this,
| followed by protecting pad made of mus
lin and cotton wadding This pad Is half
| the width of the bed, being designed
merely as a protection to the sheet The
outer covering is a white blanket, which is
evenly turned back from the head Of the
bed when unoccupied. Very young babies
can be laid three in bed with perfect
| comfort. Those of four months and over
sleep but two together. while those of q
year and older sleep alone. AS the babies
| for the most part have mothers, they oc-
cupy the nursery beds only during the day.
| Where the baby is motherless 1t is given
| to some reliable girl at night. Then the
bed covers are removed, the mattress turned
| on end. and the bed allowed to ar until the
next morning. The windows are lowered
| and plenty of fresh air admitted. A ther-
! mometer hangs in the nursery and great
care is taken to keep even temperature.
Careful Diet Rules.
The method of feeding the babies is prop
| erly systematized, and in cases where the
| mother does not nurse her child the most
exact care is employed in preparing va
| rious foods. 1t is found that one food does
not agree with every baby. and here as no.
where else is the individual need recognized.
| Various kinds of artificial foods are used
| and matted milk with cream is used sue
cessfully where modified milk fails The
| preparation of all foods is the sole duty of
one person. The nursery kitchen is fully
suppEed with all necessary appliances for
sanitary cooking.
The mothers who nurse their babies and
are at work in different parts of the house
| have regular hours when they repair to
| the nursery to supply the wants of the
| Inner man." woman, as the case is
| Lest a girl should overlook her hour names
and hours are written and put up wherever
| the girls are at work. In case of oversight
| the one in charge Of the nursery sends for
| the mother 1t is not easy to forget the tenn
| poral needs of the babies, as nature has
| provided all with vigorous lungs and a
| phenomenal instinct of self-preservation
| For children who are past the age of bot
| ties and nipples weekly bill of fare sub
| ject to revision, has been prepared under
| the doctors directions Milk, eggs, cereals
| baked apples and soups are given and the
more substantial meats only where the
childs stomach can properly receive them.
The Morning Toilet.
| Each mother dresses and battles her own
| child, and the larger ones are brought,
dressed, to the play room the first thing
in the morning. A second frock is pro-
vided for these, so the little garment
worn in the early morning can be changed
to a fresh one later by one of the nursery
attendants. Every girl has her own toilet
| articles in neat basket, and care is used
| to prevent the mixing of such small be-
| longfngs as wash cloths. Napkins are
marked with the owners name and piled
| on shelves over the corresponding name.
! Three girls are constantly on duty in the
nursery, and the head of the department
has stated hours for her work there.
What Patience Wrought.
That love and patience and judgment,
she went on to say, can and have wrought
wonders is indubitable. There is in this
home child who born an Ishmaelite
his hand raised against every man. his
| baby heart black with hate. He had but
one voice-a half-brute note of anger; but
one expression-scowling hate II any one
| greeted him with smile and kindly word,
he jabbered like enraged monkey and
turned sulkily away. The mother who
bore him hated him, and he in turn hated
all humanity. To add to the matter his
spine had been injured by the mothers
practical hate, and a preternaturally nerv-
Gus temperament was his misfortune. The
case was most discouraging. but God has
inspired some of His children with mex
| haustible faith and keenness of percep-
| ton. First, complete control of the child
was secured, the mother gladly parting
with him. Mrs Barrett determined that
| the baby should be given every benefit
| of love and patient care. Little by lit
tie the first intolerable attitude was over
come-he gave grudgingly of love to his
benefactress This was the opening wedge
his love grew and was extended. To-
day the most irresistible thing in the
nursery is that boys smile. The harsh
note is fast disappearing from his voice,
| and remarkable winsomeness is replac-
| ing 1t.
| The babies, the lady declared. can teach
| their seniors a lesson in patience at meal
| time. No one clamors rudely for anothers
| food; each waits his or her turn, and
| though the eyes look hungry, the lips keep
| a well-bred silence.
rs your new boarding place aristo-
| CRATER
Yes, very: when we begin to eat corn or
| the cob our landlady gets up from the table
and starts music box to playing.'-Cr
| cago Record.
To Poet.