The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-11-08
TIE SPLENDID WORK
 DONE BY TIE CRECHE
Important Meeting Will Be Held Thursday at the Home of the Pres ldent Mrs. A. T. London to
 Discuss Needs of creche"
BY ANNIE KENDRIcK WALKER.


 -HAT beautiful charity, the Greene,
 is maintaining, at present twen-
 \ ty-fve children at the Mercy Home. Nineteen of these children are in the public schools of the city The ages of the children vary from four to fourteen years of age; that is all the children at the Mercy Home with the exception of the babies in the nursery are dependent upon the Creehe.
 There are two dormitories. The girls dormitory was furnished and is main tained entirely by the Creehe The boys dormitory was furnished by the Jeffer- son Volunteers, in memory of Sergeant Phil Finch, who died in fever-strieken camp in the Florida Everglades. The Volunteers have continued by the Jeffer- Creche' in maintaining the boys dor mitory. Last spring, when the long sun- ny room on the western side of the Mercy Home needed plastering and paint the Volunteers gladly responded to this request of the creche. They never fail to give assistance when it is needed.
 The girls dormitory has also received recent coat of plaster and the Greene supplied the funds. Both of these dormi- tories are large and comfortable. Almost every one has visited them, and admired their spotess appearances Hundreds go to the Mercy Home on Anniversary Day, and even one visit there reveals to some extent the work that is accomplish ed from one Anniversary Day to the next.
 The special work of the Creche in con- nection with the Mercy Home is to care for the children of school age. 1t pro- vides their school books and their cloth ing. It provides everything except their food. there being no separate funds for this purpose from that of the Mercy Home.
 In addition to the other expenses borne by the Creche it employs a sub-matron whose duties supplement those of Mrs. Ramsey, who has been the matron at the Mercy Home almost ever since it was opened
 Fifteen dollars must come each month out of the Creche fund for the salary of the matron. Then there are twenty five children who must be clothed Every mother will know what this means. the number of shoes, the little wollen froeks for winter, the warm jackets, the little overcoats and caps
 The winter is here for the friendless little ones for whom the Creche appeals. They need warm clothing and the funds of the Creche are low It is entirely unprepared to meet the pressing needs of the large family of children. pressing because of the nearness of the winter which lays it's icy hands so cruelty upon tho poor and friendless.
 / The members of the Creche in one of their reports showed that they had cut and made two hundred and fifty garments in one year for the children in the Mercy Home. It is the most industrious of chari- table organizations. It requires a great deal of time to plan and cut and make little wooden frocks and cloaks and long sleeyed aprons. And besides this there are all the undergarments that the members of the Creche cut and make In order to even decently clothe these friendless chill dren the treasury of the Creche Is un- able at present to warrant any expendi- ture.
 Mrs. Alexander Troy London, presi- dent of the Creche, calls a meeting for Thursday morning. at Il o'clock, at her residence on Highland avenue. when the needs of the Creche will be discussed. Not only is a large attendance of the members urged, but the president in-