New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-09-12
TELLS OF 10y OF LIVING
This History Void of Dark Pages
and Uninteresting Chapters.
SKETCHES FRESH AIR WORK
Summer of 1910 Made Glorious
for 1O,824 Children Sent Out
to Get Close to Nature.

The history Of the Tribune Fresh AIT
Fund is history written in letters OF
streaming sunshine across the wide spread
ing fields OF the green countryside II eH-
tends from the year 1877 TO the present day
i1,1r the end is not vet Unlike the annals
of most moverpents, II has no dark pages
no tedious chapters Throughout It's length
the tale is full OF life and the 10Y OF living
In Tune of the year ISL the Rev. Willard
Parsons pastor of d little country church
in the pleasant little Pennsylvania village
OF sherman. became impressed with the
idea that he was his brothers Keeper
rather. the keeper of his brothers children
Nj Parsons was not one of those persons
who 20 through life with eyes open, but
seeing nothing He had looked out over tile
verdant hills OF his parish with dehgh'- ne
had also peered down the dirty streets ana
alleys Of lower New Yorks worst sections
and pitfsd all the dwellers in them But
like everybody who sees them, he pitied
the helpless, innocent children most
Then one day his mind made an associa-
ton of ideas Instead of picturing the nils
around Sherman glorious, but deserted, II
showed them TO him with the same beauty,
but dotted with scamper1ng cmidren' dAU
he said to himself: Tenement children
playing upon a thousand Nils WHAT
sight for men and angels 10 contemplate
The next Sunday. much against the ao-
vice of = warm friend. he preached a ser
mon in which he bluntly told MS cohsFe
CATION that he believed It their duty to
give some OF the poorest or the chiaoFen
from the tenements chance 10 rornp and
grow strong on the hillsides ABOUT 'lFH
homes, that scarcely knew the touch OF
u his -Axf me OH
quoted passage: "Inas11uch as ye nave
done it unto one OF the least of these my
brethren, ye have done it unto ne
Brought Little Group Of Nine
The response Of his parishiouers was I'M
n,Adiare and the next day tne man VINO
came in after years 10 be the great apostle
OF fresh air for children set out for Ne"
York with funds and a commission 10
bring nine Of the neediest youngsters ne
could find back 10 the homes and care OF
his friends L was an experiment that
could not fail and Mr. Parsons made other
trips 10 the city that summer. until, II ALL
sixty children who had never heard rooIn
call or listened TO the babble OF 4 brook
learned to know of these things and many
others as delightful
From that time Mr.. Parsons became the
great leader OF q great movement The
New York Evening Post heard Of his idea
and joined with him for short time IN tle
work. but soon turned its share over TO
The Tribune, which he's ever since $1,000
sponsor for the work
During the summer Of 1873 the number
of children taken into the country jumped
from So TO 1915 The next year these as-
ures were more than doubled. and by 1852.
80 rT-a the total
for the summer reached $3.50. In six years
r7,ore-that is by Isse-thfs total had been
practically doubled again, having reached
1880 Around this figure the number sent
our annually has lowered ever since.
For thirty years the originator OF the
Fresh Air idea remained at the head OF
the work OF the Tribune Fund. during
that time with great satisfaction ne saw
others take UP his cry and his work ON
their own account. Life, The Christian
Herald and in New York City alone more
than seventy other organizations followed
the lead of The Tribune.
When. after three decades of exacting
service, the health of Mr. Parsons failed
and he was forced 10 resign his leadership,
the Rev DR.. John Bancroft Devins was
called TO take up the work where us
founder had left it. And since 1906 ne has
carried 1t on with the same loyal devotion
shown by his predecessor
Established Fresh Air Homes.
Al first Mr.. Parsons's scheme contem-
plated nothing further than the entertain
rnent OF city children in private homes
wherever generous men and women would
throw open their doors and their hearts 10
them. But the greatness Of the need 10 be
met soon led to the establishment OF Fresh
Air homes. where many children could be
taken care of by corps OF skiitui attend
ants In the period covered by the Tribune
Fund work twelve OF these Fresh Air pal
aces with capacities ranging from twenty
five 10 three hundred and fifty children,
have come under its control
The season OF 1910 is the thirty-fourth in
the history of Fresh Air activity During
II 10 s24 benef1ciaries have been sent out TO
get a new conception OF the world in which
they live. a world for them hitherto bound
ed by FIRE escapes festooned with bedding
and a narrow strip of smoke-dimmed sky.
This total shows increase of l,5S0 over
that of 1899 II is. moreover. the largest for
seventeen years. and has been surpassed by
only the totals for five seasons IN the his
tory of the Tribune Fund.
Tie first party OF the season was sent out
on .Iuue 5, and since that date there has
been u steady tramp, tramp OF childish feet
down wharves, through railroad terminals
and wherever conveyances for the country
might be found Nor has the procession
ended vet. OF TIE trampers, 6,113 have gone
70 Tribune homes-to Ashford Hill. 2.07s: 10
shepherd Knapp, 1.179: 10 Eunics Home |
sz5- while St Helen's has received 5r-. Paul |
Devereux SSS: krom Farm, sos. Goshen |
27s. Happy Land, rs; Pittsfield. 81: Elm |
Cottage. 12S; Benaway Home, 1893 and the
Seymour Home. for Older boys which was
onened for the first time late in the Sea !
son, 81.
The remaining 1851 have been received (
INN private homes and cared for by peo-
nIe whose only motive was the welfare OF 4
their guests In some cases large parties |
U-ere entertained as the result Of the united 1
effort of q whole town. in others single |
children were asked for by persons urged /
nv nothing but their own knowledge Of the /
good 10 be done.
Towns Take Care OF Angels
Eighteen towns in New York and neigh
boring states took care of GOT angels
from the tenements- OF these. Binghamton
was the leader. with 254, while Utica and