The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-06

kEx7EM and help than does the Eleanor
S@ HOSPITAL and il is a hard-heart-
ed person indeed who is not responsive TO
its demands when once the attention is
reached. But the rub lies in reaching the
attention of people who are apt TO forget
that up on Capitol avenue there is hos
pital designed especially for the sick chill
dren of the poor who will find there the
healing and the comfort which are brought
to the little invalids of more luxurious
homes. 1t is not only the people who might
help in the work of the hospital if only their
interest were caught. but who are likely
to be too occupied with their own concerns
TO look up other peoples troubles. whose
attention Flower Mission workers find diff
ficult to enlist; it is the very people for
whose help the hospital is planned who are
frequently unresponsive to its work because
they do not understand it's mission. The
word hospital is bugaboo to many of the
mothers who have not had the opportunity
to become acquainted with the beautiful and
helpful work done by the children's hos
pitfalls. They distrust the efforts OF the mis-
sion workers and the nurses TO take their
suffering little ones away from them; they
imagine that to put them into a hospital
means to give them up forever; that the
people who want them brought there only
TO experiment on them. This pathetic
opposition of the mothers is one of the
chief obstacles that the workers in the
Flower Mission have to overcome in look
ing after the sick children among the poor.
But those OF the mothers who do bring
their children TO the Eleanor Hospital soon
change their attitude toward the hospital
idea. The gentle care and its good results,
the quiet life and pleasant surroundings,
and the attachment which the children
themselves form for the hospital and the
nurses are convincing proofs that the in
stitution is a power for good. not for evil.
The Eleanor Hospital is primarily a char
liable institution, though pay patients are
taken, some of the parents preferring to
pay a part or all of the expenses for their
children.
The hospital, with it's big. bright rooms.
it's spacious grounds, is an ideal place for
those unfortunate little ones who have not
the dover of strength and health that
happier childhood possesses. The rooms are
all plainly furnished. but they are exquis-
itely clean and fresh.
The William n. Jackson room. me-
loved and honored. is the sunny north room
where the children have their toys and
dolls, where they play in winter-though II
is quiet enough playing the poor little tots
do, as most of them who are able 10 be up
and come into the room are crippled in
one way or another. In the mornings a
kindergarten teacher comes In aud the chill
dren are taught the songs and games. and
a little of the work of the kindergarten, all
in this same sunny north room dedicated 90
the man who loved children. Across the
hall is the girls ward. full Of little white
beds, and the reception room, dining room
and a number of other rooms are on the
ground floor Upstairs are a chain OF
bright rooms opening one into another, all
full of little white beds. sweet. fresh and
clean.
The three babies OF the hospital-one a
wee tot, only two weeks old-are tucked
away in beds in different rooms. We never
keep the babies I'm the same ROOM" said
the nurse, because one crying baby in a
room of babies means a whole roomful OF