New-York tribune., 1909-07-19
IT'S HAPPYLAND INDEED
Mrs. Lyle's Monument to Her Good
Works, at Tenofy, n. j.

John S. Lyle of TenSf1y, y. J., was one OF the
first of those interested in fresh air work to
ceive the idea of building home designed es-
peciaIy the entertainment Of the Fresh Air chill
dren Near his estate at Tenafy home was
built fourteen years ago, and every summer since
$50 children have been entertained there The house
occupies a site the top Of a hill, commanding a
view OF the country for miles around 1t is a
large roomy home. which accommodates fifty chill
dren At one time. with ample room to spare
Here. under the personal direction of Mr. Lyle,
everything is done give the little visitors good
time During the vacation OF two weeks each OF
the six parties which annually en-
tertained there is taken for long ride through the
country, and given picnic well on the grounds Of
the home OF their henefactor nnotorboat has been
provided TO take the children for ride the
small lake on the estate and during the time that
they at Tenahy Mr.. Lyle 10 II personally
that nothing is lacking 70 contribute 70 the happi-
ness Of his guests. Every Sunday the children re-
paw his hospitality by visiting mis- home and sing
ing to him for an hour
The equipment of Happyiand is complete in
every detail. small hospital has been built. sep
arsted from the Of the house where sick chill
dren may he taken care Of in peace and quiet. II
has never been found necessary 10 use the hospital
but once however Nevertheless. medical supplies
and equipment ready for any emergency which
NAV arise. The rooms large and airy. and
everything about the home is Immaculate
until three years ago Mrs Lyle had charge Of
the home and looked after the children personally
management Of The Tribune Fresh Air Fund. Mr.
Lyle pays the expenses Of administration and main
tenance. The fund furnishes the children and
lects the superintendent and caretakers The home
IS now in charge Of Miss Emma V Tantrun
teacher Of Painheld. and her two assistants Miss
Anna NJ Kellogg and Miss Helen Crane both Of
Mount Holyoke College. Each Of the assistants has
twenty-five girls to look after and the children are
constantly watched.
When the Fresh Air work was first started al
ofrT
between the ages Of fifteen 70 eighteen Years but
TOT tne last few summers only the smaller children
have been entertained there John E Parsons
once said. in speaking Of the Fresh Air Home at IN
terlaken that II nothing had been accomplished
the outlay OF fourteen years at St Helen's Home
would have been justified by the influence the work
there had upon the lives OF OF the guests
who returned in later years and told all that the
Home had meant 70 them. Similar testimony vas
given by Mrs. Lvle- Not long before her death she
expressed the belief that in the lives ~ two Or
three OF her visitors in earlier years the money
used for all children had been returned a. a wise
investment
The lives OF the children a. the Home are care
fully regulated and everything Is done thar the in
nuence which was infused into the work by the per
soHaty II Mrs. Lyle may be maintained The
visitors rise az 80 in the morning and have break
fast a. = Then they are taken for q walk through
the country After dinner. which comes at u
oclcck, they spend the afternoon pIaJ-inE IN the
shade OF grove OF oaks which has been e11ipped
as playground Swings. seesaVs and spring
boards have beer ser Up the grove Here the
children run and jump PLAYING games ~ every de-
scription- on hot days they sit under the trees
and listen 70 stories told BY the attendants They
usually retire about o'clock
What Do you Ike best about the country one
little girl vas asked
"Ths ice cream" replied a chorus OF voices Who
overheard the question.
No. the chicken soup said one little girl on
rhs edge Of the group.
"Oh. no. the tee cream IS the best" said the
others, jumping Up in anticipation Of the Sunday
dinner which was drawing near. The one dissent
ing vote was finally swung over in favor OF ice
cream.
Plenty OF bread and milk oatmeal and meat and
vegetable stew form the regular diet OF the chill
dren. except on Sunday. when chicken and other
special dishes are provided.
The children have lively Imagination and derive
the keenest pleasure from the games that they
make up themselves Last week the attendants
were formally invited to birthday party for which
the girls made elaborate preparations. They worked
lndustrously one morning making mud pies Of all
kinds and when afternoon came everything was IN
readiness for the entertainment The attendants
were waited upon bv committee and invited 10 the
party which TO be held in the little summer
house on the Fairgrounds. The house was deco
rated With leaves and daisy chains There were
birthday cakes Of mud. The pineappIas were pine
cones. eggs were the stones which the children had
gathered. There were ham sandwiches made OF cak
leaves and mud Ice cream and many other make
believe dishes prepared
The attendants were received and treated with all
due attention 70 form and etiquette After the
past entertainment was provided There were
dancing singing and reciting Annie MuHgan be-
gan the exercises with a short poem entitled The
Pert Little Sparrow Annie Is young woman
with little confidence in her own histrionic abil
ty and she reclted the poem with proper regard 10
gesture and infection II IS follows
A Per, little sparrow sat in a tree.
A little boy came with bow and arrow
And said: IN shoot that pert lttle sparrow
Ills body viii make nice pie. too
oh no" said the sparrow, that will DO
SO he spread out his wings and away he few
But Annie didn't care for those light comedy
things judging by the she took hold Of the
under the name Of The Captains Daughte-.' and
II told a wild tale Of shipwreck. Annie tackled IL
with full confidence. and she duly Impressive
with .he lines:
We vver cabin:
would dare sleep.
midnight the waters.
And a the deep
Tis fearful thing IN winter
Re shattered by the blast
And hear the rafting trumpet
Thunder: cut away the mastr'
When Annie reached the line Isn't God upon the
waters Just the same on the Iand?'' she got her
full need OF applause.
Annie not only has inclinations toward the stage
but is very much interested in natural history She
has mania fo- catching grasshoppers and crickets
which she is going TO take home for her brothers
10 play with All jumping insects called
frogs by the children and even the most care
full explanations given by the teachers sometimes
fail to make the distinction clear.
Never before have the children taken much
f,av-a har in Ifu-