New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-08-10
FRESH AIR AIDS MODEST
Kind Hearted Persons Open
Their Homes to Youngsters.
SHRINK FROM PUBLIC PRAISE
One Woman Cares for Little Ones
on Their Way to Summer
Vacations.

The Tribune acknowledges daily the gifts
Of those " 10 make direct money contribu-
tons TO the support OF its Fresh Air Fund.
There are. however. many contributions
made indirectly 10 the success OF the work
which it is impossible to notice in the
daily column OF acknowled gments. In
many instances. moreover, where credit Is
given. the mere statement of the number
of dollars and cents contributed chroni-
cles only the least interesting side OF the
/ history OF the Fresh Air gifts.
/ There is, for instance, the work Of a
| kind hearted woman who devotes much OF
/ her time in the months Of July and August
each year to caring for Fresh Air parties
on their way to and from the country. For
this she accepts no pay
Several years ago her idolized son died
in childhood. She felt her loss so keenly
that she resolved TO make some sacrifice
in his memory. To this end she resolved
10 give up one month OF each year TO bet
tering the conditions OF little children.
BeinS a woman Of small means, she has
adopted this sort OF Fresh Air work az a
method of carrying out her vow. For
years now she has spent day after day in
the hottest part Of the year amid the dis
comforts Of railroad travel, increasing the
comfort and safety Of hundreds Of tene-
ment house children.
The people Of the country districts who
open their hearts and homes 10 the city
Youngsters are another class whose bene-
factions cannot he put down in exact
figures. but without whose aid The Trib-
unes Fresh Air work would have TO be
ohat
hundred kindly hosts have so far received
one or more Fresh Air guests into their
families These people usually give no
money but they provide food and lodging
and often sacrifice their own personal COM
fort and convenience in order 10 receive
their little guests.
Then there are such helpers in the Fresh
Air work as John s. Lyle, who main
tairs a home for Tribune children where
each year more than three hundred chill
dren have vacations az his expense. and
John l.. Parsons. who entertains annually
more than five hundred boys and girls.
The money expended by these philanthro-
pists receives no public acknowledgment in
The Tribune columns.
Other agencies still are continually az
work endeavorng 10 further the work Of
the Tribune Fund. Several places have
local Fresh Air committees. which raise
money 20 take care Of children sent to
them from New York Among these the
largest in point Of the number Of children
cared FOR are Binghamton, Utica, Delhi.
Cortlanl and Schenectady. y Y; but there
is a considerable number Of others whose
work is just az great in proportion TO the
size Of the place
A young woman OF spuyten Duyvil rep
resents another class OF Fresh Air helpers
whose efforts are effective, although they
receive no public notice. In years gone
by il has been the custom 10 hold fair
in Spuyten Duyvi, for the benefit Of the
Tribune Fund. This year however, this
could not be done. The young woman in
question thereupon took il upon herself 10
make n personal ca lvass for funds 10 take
the place Of the proceeds Of the annual
fair. The result was a collection Of more
than hundred dollars.
Sometimes the sum contributed does not
tell the whole story Of the givers attitude
toward the Fresh Air work. There were,
for example. the four boys who sent a
money order for four dollars and with it
note saying I'VE are glad that It can
take the place of firecrackers on this glo-
rious Fourth
Another letter, this one from man with
an Office in Wall street, showed how pow
erful is the appeal which the needs of the
children make in some instances. 1t read
iu part.
When I sent you a check for ;l5 on
July II ] hesitated about making II S2j, and
have not been able 10 sleep nights because
I didn't so to ease my conscience 1 now
inciose check for the other SO Credit II TO
CHrLDLESS.