Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-19
H r e E miles beyond Congress
Heights, in little settlement called

HelghtS, In little settlement called
! Blue Plains, just this side of the
District line, lies the Home for the Aged
and Inf1rm. Here between three and four
! hundred Of the District INDECENT live in a
little community of their own. raise their
own vegetables. make their own bread
and live out their lives undisturbed by the
proximity of a great city.
The Home for the Aged is reached by
riding out to the end Of the Congress
Heights car line, and then walking in the
same direction along the road known as
Turner's pike. About halfway to the
Home 1t forks, tho left pranch leading to
Fort F'oote River View and Marshall
Hall Following the fight branch. the
road leads up and down hills. past farms
and orchards, and. should you follow it to
its termination, circles around the Indus
trial Home School and ends at tho Home
for the Aged. Those who know the way,
however. leave the road at stretch OF
woods near the Industrial Home School
and plunge boldly into winding path
which Is short cut to the home. Emerg-
ing in clear space in the woods, good
view is obtained of the Potomac river
flowing about half mile away. and be-
tween 1t and the path are the buildings
Of the Home for the Aged.
Three buildings compose the home. The
main one Is shaped like capital E, with
the short arm swung around backward.
The top arm of the f Is the male wing.
the bottom arm the female. and the up
right line has in the middle the dining
room, and on either side sun parlors for
the respective wings. The short arm of
the e is the kitchen. In between the two
wings is the administration build .ng,
which houses the matrons. the nurses
and the physician. Back Of the female
wing q the hosnital building.
The District OF Columbia provides res
ident physician for the almshouse, who
holds a daily morning dispensary. and Is
at all times within call, having his quar-
ters In the administration building. DR..
8. Boyce Pole Is the incumbent.
The hospital consists Of four small
wards, segregating the patients according
to sex and race. The usual number of
patients Is between six and ten, and DIR.
Pole sees daily an average Of twenty
cases. There are two trained nurses, one
being on duty from am. until 4 pm.
and the other from then until midnight.
Miss Amalee Sigafoose and MASS SOPHIA
Haskins are the nurses there at present.
Any resident of the District of Column
bia who is too old or too infirm to earn
has own living may become an inmate OF
the home by applcatlOn 10 tHe poaFo VI
charities. If the applicant has small
income from any source he Is allowed to
retain this when he enters the home, and
in this respect the institution differs from
others Of q similar character.
The daily life of an inmate is mapped
out for him to a certain extent. He rises
at $50 and breakfasts at z. After break
fast he helps clear up, and from then on
until O. clock in the afternoon, with the
exception of the dinner hour. n:45 to
1915, he does work suited to his ability.
In the summer some of the more hearty
old men are able to help cut the grass
and keep the grounds in order. Others
sweep and scrub the floors and do other
light chores. Some of the female inmates
are able to peel vegetables and otherwise
assist in the preparation of meals. From
2 o'clock on until quarter Of 8, the sup
per hour. and from then on until 8
o'clock, bedtime, they arc also at leisure.
Inmates Of the home are allowed to
leave the institution for two days every
month. when they may visit friends and
relatives. They are then provided with
car fare into town and driven up to the
end Of Congress Heights nue.
As might be expected. the old people
AZ tha hOyna Hvo lar0aly In tina mast In