Evening star., 1909-07-18
CAMP GOOD WILL LIFE
Mothers Chat and Watch
Their Children at Play.
FOOD, AIR AND FR0LIC
Best Conditions for Recuperation
of Tired Human Bodies.
ADJUSTMENTS OF ALL SORTS
Second Party of Fifty Will Re
turn Wednesday After Fortnight
of Restorative Benefits.

More than loo mothers and children are
enjoying themselves at Camp Good VIII.
Outdoor life. fresh air, wholesome food
and amusements and oportunty for rest
and recreation make for renewed vigor
and health and contentment of mind.
A party of fifty arrived at the camp
Wednesday and is already at home in the
new surroundings. The mothers sit III
small groups under the shade trees or as
sembly tent. watching their babies. Older
children, from those who can Just toddle
To boys and girls of twelve or thirteen
years, play about the grounds at the nu-
mcrous games and amusements that have
been provided for them.
The camp is in Rock Creek Park. about
three-quarters of a mile from BrlshtWood
1t is located on high ground. commanding
good views of the surrounding country,
and covered with many shade trees. The
tents are laid out in two fields. surround
ing farmhouse. in which the superin-
tendent and her assistants live.
Camps Ideal Location.
The camp is easily accessible from the
car line and yet isolated enough to be
noyance of frequent visits or inspections
creek it offers excellent bathing oppor-
tunities to the boys and girls.
With the present tentage and other ia
cities the camp will accommodate about
100 mothers and small children They
are taken from the city in groups of fifty
by representatives of the summer outings
committee of the Associated Charities and
remain for two weeks.
The fifty who were brought to the camp
July l returned to the city Wednesday,
showing plainly the good effects of their
outing. The change in the smaller chill
dren especially was remarkable. Many of
the little ones who came to the camp pale
and thin returned after their two-week
vacation with ruddy compilations and
rounded cheeks.
A second. group of fifty was taken out
July and'will return home Wednesday.
BY taking out fifty every Wednesday for
period of two weeks there are always
100 visitors a the camp. There are
usually about fifteen mothers, and the
rest are children. ranging in age from
two months to thirteen years.
Before being taken to the camp each
mother or child is examined py a rhysi-
clan to make certain that none are suf-
fering with contagious diseases. A ply
siCian visits the camp every day, exam
ines any of the visitors who are i'll and
camp are strictly enforced.
Infants Given Special Care.
In the farmhouse in which the attend
ants live there is a dispensary. Particu-
lar attention is paid to the milk prepared
for the babies, and many of the infants
receive at Camp Good Will better nour-
ishment than they have ever had before.
The mothers are also instructed in the
proper preparation of infants food, so
that the children will not fall back after
returning home.
The children and mothers who are in
vited to spend two weeks at Camp Good
VIII are selected by the workers of the
Associated Charities from among those
who are In most need of rest and recrea-
ton in the country but have not suf-
ficient means to go themselves or send
their children
In some cases only a few children from
one home are selected and in others
entire families aH brought to the camp
Some of'the mothers have seven or eight
children with them.
In many cases just one woman from
the neighborhood will go. taking her own
children and several of her neighbors'
youngsters with her. All these will camp
together in one or In adjoining tents.
The length of the visit is two weeks,
but some of the children who are par
ticularly delicate and seem to be de-
irving great benefit from their outing
are permitted to remain for longer
period. There is SO much fun for them
at the camp that few children get home
sick and nearly all are sorry when the
two weeks are up.
The camp is laid out in two fields ad-
joining the farmhouse. The tents are
wall tents covered with q fly which makes
them absolutely waterproof. They are on
high ground are ditched and have board
floors, SO that even during rainy weather
they are perfectly dry.
Six Sleep in a Tent.
The women and children sleep in cots,
six to tent and have good blankets
pillows and sheets The nights in the
open air are cool While people in Wash
ngton are uncomfortably warm, the
women and children in Camp Good viii
require blankets at night.
The best of order prevails in the tents
and the women and children are encour-
aged TO keep everything about their cam
vas homes S neat as possible.
When the weather is good the tents are
rolled up during the day, allowing the
fresh air and sunlight to enter so as to
keep everything in a clean, sanitary con-
dition. Trunks, bags and bundles are
arranged neatly under the cots. and the
clothing of the children is hung up on
lines stretched from pole to pole.
The boys who play they are Indians
take great pTlQe In looking after their
tents. The youngsters who have been
there for a week teach the newcomers
how to .roll the tents, and tighten or
loosen the guy ropes.
In the center of one field is a large
assembly tent. containing many rocking
chairs. where the mothers, surrounded d
by children, gather after dinner for even
ing exercises. which consist of singing.
recitations by the children, and q lecture
by the superintenden and always ter
inmate with prayer for the protection
of the camp. Before the evening exer-
cises The children get the lanterns for
each tent and place them lighted in a
circle around the assembly tent.
The dining hail. which seats more than
lW>personS, is wooden addition to the
farmhouse. forming a kind of covered
garden screened in, to avoid flies and
other insects. The camp has it's own
garden. which keeps the table we'll stock
ed with fresh vegetables. Particular at
tention is paid to the meals. as plenty OF
wholesome food. with good milk, is re-
gardad as one of the principal means of
building up the physical condition of the
women and children. The diet of the
children is regulated according to their
ages.
A Day in Camp.
At $50 o'clock in the morning the
campers are awakened by bell and
breakfast is served at Z. Dinner is at u
O'Clock. except Sunday. when it is serv-