New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1901-06-28
CHILDREN AT CURTISVILLE.
A PARTY OF ONE HUNDRED, SENT BY
THE FRESH AIR FUND, GUESTS
OF John E PARSONS.

MIX dealers applaud the Weather Bureau when
It's efforts bring forth hot wave. Hot weather
makes milk sell. There other people who
don't like hot weather. The business man seated
in his office in of the lofty downtown buildings
thinks he suffers from it and must get away into
the country possible. But the top
stories comfortable places, with the breeze
blowing in through the open windows from the
sparkling blue surfaces of two rivers. and if the
man really suffers he possesses the to escape
to cooler cline.
Some cannot escape. however. from record break
Ing hot waves. They are the thousands who
shelter themselves in the tenement houses the
East Side. These have sky parlors in which
to sit and keep modestly cool with electric fans and
outdoor breeze. Where do the denizens Of the
two or three room flats obtain relief? those who
sit over sewing machines through the long day
and into the night working IL there would be
10 other day in which toll. the perspiration
trickling from their foreheads; the children
where do they go for breath of fresh air? Take
a car along East Broadway at 10 II o'clock at
night and observe the mothers seated the side
walk in front of the tenement houses. rocking
babies in their arms. the older children. who
Should have been in bed hours before. clustered
around. They cannot sleep in their sitting rooms
Roof gardens recreation parks and piers, baths
and day excursions help to alleviate the suffering,
but there is nothing like fresh air breathed among
the wooded hills to give vitality to the lives of the
children. The Tribune Fresh Air Fund provides
an opportunity for two weeks of this to thousands
of children in the of the summer months
Yesterday morning a party of fifty girls from
various parts of the city cut for Curtisville,
Mass. and this morning a party Of the
Der of boys will start for that place. They will be
the guests o: John z. Parsons, OF this city, and
will be domIciled at st. Helen's Home. which Mr..
Parsons has generously provided for their
Mr.. Parsons has entertained large parties there
for several years. and will be the host of five hun
bred children this year
Curtisville is a little village north of Stockbridge
and near the famous Stockbridge Bowl The home
consists of two houses, one with accommodations
for fifty boys and the other for fifty girls. They
are separated by a small brook that furnishes much
entertainment for the children. \ short distance
from the houses dam across the stream provides
shallow sheet of water for the water sports
which have been held in previous seasons.
In the boys house is a little theatre. where en-
tertainments given by the children and friends.
pleasure TO the villagers as well as the children
and they come from the surrounding country to at
Time never Iags with the children Something is
going on from a. when they rise until they 90
to bed at night. After dressing and washing in
the morning there is ten minute military drill as
appetizer. after which the girls and boys divided
into companies OF twenty-five each, in command of
seIsealltS appointed from among the children, line
up TO report, and march to the breakfast room
After breakfast. which is preceded by Bible read
ing anu d grace sung oy the children, letters are
written home and games of football and baseball and
fishing and herrying are engaged in The dinner is
In the evening there drills with guns and flags
ana the ceremony OF lowering the nag at sunset;
When all stand At attention about the haSpOle and
sing verse OF America and pledge their al
ieStance 10 the flag as IL descends into the Of
a girl waiting TO receive it, on Sunday all go 10
church. In the afternoon they go into the fields.
and in the evening meet on the lawn TO sing Gospel
The parties which go to Curtisvine this week re-
main two weeks, and then are replaced by other
parties OF hfty boys and fifty girls each party re-
naming fortnight.