New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-07-07
Fresh Air Children Feel More
than Good Time" Influence.
REAL AIM OF THE WORK
Development of Healthy Bodies
and Cleanliness Results of a
Careful System.

The roaring, stamping braggart is not the
most important person in a play, even
though he may be the most conspicuous
The player on the world stage who keeps
most constantly in the public eye does not
have the greatest influence in the mould
ing of great events. In the same way the
most snowy results OF effort along a GER
tain line are not always the most impor-
tant.
The most appealing result Of the Tribune
Fresh Air work is that il annually gives
to ten thousand children a two weeks good
time: that il brings into their stunted con-
fined little lives d ray of golden sunshine.
If this were all the good accomplished the
LABOR expended would be amply justified.
The real aim OF the work however goes
deeper than this and seeks to give its bene-
ficiaries we'll developed. healthy bodies.
without which the greater good time of
life in general could not he enjoyed
That these results are attained there can
be no question. But there are several by
products. as they might be called. of the
Fresh Air work The children who go into
the country go either to homes where from
fifty TO three hundred and fifty other chill
dren are living. or they go to families who
have kindly extended a welcome TO them.
1t is highly necessary. therefore, that great
care be taken to guard against the carry
ing Of infection by any child To this end
system of careful examination has been
established Each applicant is subjected to
the eXactins scrutiny of a physician. spe-
cially employed for the purpose, before be-
ing sent away
In the first place. lists provided by the
Board of Health are searched to discover
whether any of the applicants come from
houses where there is or has been any
contagious disease. Residence in such a
place excludes child al once from con-
sideration. Next comes q personal exam
nation. Imagine the scene. At an ap-
pointed hour anywhere from twenty-five
TO three hundred youngsters line up to
await their turn And here comes in the
first by-product of the work. All have been
scrubbed to the glowing point. They are
clean now. if they never have been before.
This is the first requirement
When the matter of general cleanliness
has been disposed of the hair of the candi-
date Is taken into consideration Those
who have been through the test in previous
summers are always in better condition
than the others, for they know what is
coming and have probably been at work
for weeks preparing. Many child upon
whom damaging evidence has been found
will insist that nothing can be amiss, for
she has spent hours and hours" upon her
hair One mother, in the course Of an ar
gument intended to convince the inspector
that her eyes must be mistaken. disclosed
a novel explanation Of how such trouble
originates Her daughter, she said, had
never been troubled until one day she ate
some crackers and got the crumbs in her
hair
The hair having been passed upon, the
candidates eyes and throat are inspected.
II the slightest symptoms of disease are
found the child Is sent TO the dispensaTy
to be treated and told 10 report again in
two weeks for the final examination. Then
if the signs have disappeared the appica-
ton is granted. Thus many serious dis
orders are nlpped in the bud-a second by
product Of the Fresh Air work.
The anxiety with which the children
await the decision when the examination
has been completed Is touching. nod
and smile of approval sends one away
hopping and dancing, another receives the
dreaded refusal with tears ard pleadtngS;
but the inspector has 10 decide III accord
ance with scientific standard, not with
the dictates of the WOm2nly neart which
trings her into such work as this