New-York tribune., 1911-09-24
BOXES AND B0YO
Furniture for Babies Made by
Their Brothers.


on East sSth street. overlooking Carl
schurz Park. and has been spending her
summer teaching the boys Of the neighbor-
hood how to make furniture out OF old
wooden boxes Unfortunately for the al
liberation in "B" however. truth compcls
one to add that there were two more inn
portant elements I'm the making Of this
exhibitlon-namely. Park Commissioner
Stoyer and a wagonoad Of white paint
friend OF the cause which Is known tech
nically az the Home Thrift Association. of
which Miss Brigham is director made the
boys present OF the paint 800 worth. and
with II they have been able 10 make their
handiwork shine so that it seemed shame
10 keep ii hidden there, unCsr a Jushel, as
It were. I'm the old Mansion House Of the
park.
"Aw. say. Miss Brigham" cried the boys.
cant We have our mothers and fathers
over to see the things
That's a fine idea" cried Miss Brigham
wen do 1t. You invite all your parents
and friends. and I'll invite all mine, and
wen have an exhibition
Exhibition" groaIcd the boys. Gee!
thath mean wear our sunday suits
However, SO It was settled, and yester-
day was the opening day Of the Exhibition.
Park Commissioner Stoyer had previously
been invited 10 inspect the box furniture,
and was so impressed By the value Of the
work that he gave permission FOR the house
10 be lsed all next winter for the purpose.
IL is even 10 be kept open until ~ O'Clock
at night to satisfy the eager boys who ma
the afternoon hours after school too short
20 accomplish anything really worth while
with boxes This will mean some repairing
on the house, az we'll as heat and light for
the house. which was a sne one IN its day.
with large rooms and massive fireplaces. has
been deserted for years, watched over only
by the park sparrows and is now rather
diIapidated and melancholy looking all but
one room. which is as cheerful a field
Of daisies on a June morning. This is the
room where the exhibition is being held.
The walls have been treated generously
with white paint until they shine like snow
on the mountains. or white tiles la a new
bathroom. The windows are hung with
/ long white curtains. made by admiring lit
/ tie sisters Of the box boys Every little
/ piece OF furniture CLEANS with that same
! white paint, and the boys CLEAN, too
not with the paint, however, because they
have changed their clothes Their CLEANS
come from smiling faces and flashing white
teeth Truly 1t is a cheerful room Tor an
/ old ruin of a house.
In the centre of all this whiteness stands
a cradle. a cosey pink and white cradle,
! all ready for sleepy, pink and white baby.
II was made out OF old packing boxes, with
interviewer ropes for springs. Yet f. looks
inviting enough for the most precious baby
! in the world. the kind most people have.
! Near the cradle is something TO delight
that baby's heart when he wakes up-a 1T
| tie white rocking rabbit made Of two
slabs Of packing box cut out and painted
! 20 represent the side views OF a rabbit,
with a nice little box seat between them,
whereon baby sits enthroned There is o
little square white pen, to put him In when
/ he shows a tendency to toddle of alone
down the street There are tiny chairs.
| and swings, and racks for Dabys bonnet
and cloak hung even now with tiny, real
baby clothes loaned by the important small
boys who owned baby brothers and sis
ters There are wonderfully convenient
little dressing tables and clothes presses
and mothers aids" made after original
designs to fit the needs of particular babies
of the cass's acquaintance.
These neighborhood babies, IL will be re-
membered. were one OF the original four
elements which contributed to the Exhibit
of the Four BIS" Without them. the foun-
tain heads of inspiration might have dried
I'D, and the baby" course have been sbaH-
doned for something less interesting, Ike
shoe boxes or potato bins.
As it was, those boys who had no babies
of their own were forced 10 beg or borrow
them, All through the summer, for exam
! pie little Billie Burke" toiled on that
beautiful pink and white cut, thinking how
nice 1t would be for his little cousin IN
| Brooklyn, for. alas! Willie had no baby OF
his own Now IL is all done, with its Shin
ing paint and filed with its soft pink coy-
| els. What a lucky baby in Brooklyn, you
say All. there's the rub That pink and
white cradle holds a tragedy for little VIII
q, lie II his baby were only in New York.
! instead OF in Brooklyn That's long way
| To send a clean. white cradle. Supposng &c
! should get drtied Then, supposiug soma
very big boy should say TO Willie:
Hi, kid! where's that cradle l heard
| you made?"
II Willie could. answer. Here in my
house come and see" all would be well;
but II he has to answer, over In Brook
lyn," the chances are that the very ols
boy would be moved to unbelieying de-
rsion. So Willie feared yesterday morn
ms anyway, and the question OF what 70
do with his cradle is the one sad note III
the otherwise joyous exhibition.
The other boys are radiant with ior
sure brothers and sisters at home, wat-
ing for that white baby furniture. so thsy
smile proudly as they display their treas
ures to the amazed and admir!ng guests
among whom are not a few Of those "ho
could buy gold furniture for their babes
they wished.
The Home Thrift Association was organ
ized recently by friends OF Miss BrghAin'
to finance the work. and includes ahio"'
its directors Mrs j. Borden Hartman
Mrs. John Henry Hammond, Mrs. Marvin
! b. Yangzetell and Mr. and Mrs kas'"'
Tefft. II is planned 10 extend the worn
other cities. and for that purpose
! Brigham is soon to start on trip 10 ~
South and West She will have an eN'.s'
tion at the state Fair in Mississippi III Nv
vember and one later I'm Chicago -,
! The exhibition here In New YORK OT .n
this afternoon. and will continue uhu'
Wednesday at p. m. IL Is reache" -
seth street crosstown cars.
| oonerccIOMAI WOMEN TO MEEl'