New-York tribune., 1907-06-19
OUTING FOR INFANTS.
Slum Children to Romp Tzoo Weeks
an Country Meadozcs.

With real summer weather on hand the Tribune
Fresh Air Fund sent away thirty perspirtng little
boys and girls yesterday for two weeks outing
In orange County. The children are to be the
guests of the people of Middletown and Goshen
who maintain at Mechanicstown. half way between
the two places. a convalescent home where last
tanned
1t would have been hard to find a number of
children who were more in need of just such op-
portunities the home offers. Most of them were
selected by visiting nurses who had watched
through the winter the decline of their little
charges. had seen the need of getting them away
from the city and had been only too eager TO grasp
the opportunity to send them to MddletOwn.
some of the little were almost too weak TO
carry the small bundles of clothing which their
mothers had provided. from disease or acci-
cent, but simply of the poverty they
mad been Obliged to face In their homes which
maze 1t Impossible for their parents to buy
simple food enough to meet their wants Others
VINO went had had to struggle not only against
poverty. but against sickness of one sort or an
other and according to the nurses who brought
I3en 10 the station, stood little chance of COM
piete recovery under the conditions which sur
rounded them at home.
One little fellow with a white drawn face was
brought by a nurse from the Presbyterian Hos
pta. He had had only short walk to the ferry
boat. but when he reached II he climbed to the
seat and dropped back into It, weak and exhausted
. GU see, he comes from one of our poorest fam
mes the nurse explained. THE father is plas-
terer' who is anxious to obtain work. but because
or strikes and other troubles he has had nothing
TO do for nearly year. He tried to to
,' uut JOINING another Anion He had no money with
which to do this. The mother has done the best
she could to help. by scrubbng and washing. but
sle mas not earned enough to support the family.
We found this little fellow last winter almost
starved. Since then have been feeding him
nl|cLl as we were able but practically all that he
has had to eat since we found him were the eggs
and milk which provided
over there is another boy whose condition is
much the same. If he could have had nourshment
enough he would be we'll any child. As
1t is: he is scarcely able to walk His mother s
T1-1,N hut. Gin
erly
These the kind Of children the Tribune Fresh
AIT Fund has been sending out TO MddletOwn and
other places in the country for several years and
from all sides come reports of physical improve
ment. From Middletown 1t was learned last year
that not one Of the children there had failed
TO gain in weight In some instances this increase
was amazing, reaching n pound day for two
weeks in the case of little girl. With this
went a corresponding increase in vitality spirits
buoyancy. and even mental ability.
Not only this, but children afflicted with disease
believed TO be incurable. We're actually made well
by two weeks visit 10 Middetown. Cases OF
st. Nitus's dance showed decided Improvement.
one OF the nurses Yesterday told Of two cases Of
recovery last year which particularly strk-
ing. One Of them. that of n little girl who so
III that the doctors said she could not live, was
sent to Middletown. where she remained for moro
than "A month. When she returned the doctor re-
fused TO believe she was the same child so great
had been the change. The little girl is alive to-
day and. according to the nurse. in good physical
condition. The other case that of boy whose
lie had also been despaired OF. A visit to Middle
town Strengthened him up. and this year he IS
looking forward TO a visit one Of the other
ffesh air homes where thanks TO his last years
trip. he will be able to play with the other chill
dren.
The people OF MiddletOwn and Goshen are MAX
ing preparations to do larger work this year
than they have ever done before. The capacity of
the home has been increased by nearly one third
while large playhouse has been built where the
chldren can amuse themselves rainy days.
There are two weak points in the fresh air work
Inc children are ready; are the homes operated
hy tho fund. The heat Of the summer is coming
on out the money TO send the boys and girls
away IS lacking. Next week seven hundred and
hfty children viii be waiting go away II there
Is 10 be no break In the work of giving them the
necessary outing generous contributions 10 the
fund must he received
Homes are also needed for the children The In
stitutions operated directly by the fund cannot he
gin 10 meet the demands OF the poor Of New
YORK. In the country are thousands OF people who
might follow tho example set by many in the past
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