The Washington herald., 1913-01-17
BY FRANCES sHAFFER.

Last year when it was announced that
the girl graduates from one of the pub
lie schools in New York City had formed
an alumni association for the purpose
of providing poor children with clothing
and food to enable them to attend
| school, there were some folk who skep1
tically asked how long that would last
For, you see; instead of having
| dances and merry little social affairs,
these girls, all of them well under TWEEN
ty years, canvass the many blocks Of
tenements nea- the school from which
they graduated, and get in touch with
the very poor, whose children lack suf-
ficent food to nourish their bodies and
clothing to make them comfortable or
even presenta BILE. And the skepttcs freely
prophesied that their youthful enthus-
iasm would soon die out and their zeal
be turned to something that had a
stronger tang of pleasure.
EnIIsted Sympathy.
But during their year of work the
girls found scores of boys and girls who
were not attending school because they
had not food enough to sustain them or
clothing to wear. They enlisted the
sympathies and cooperation of the pros
porous merchants and residents in that
section, saw that the children were prop
erly clothed. fed and sent to school.
This year they arranged a bazaar to
continue the work, and they did not go
about II in a half-hearted way. They
canvassed the district very thoroughly.
and not a resident there remained ignor-
ant of the work and its object. Neat
little announcement cards were carefully
distributed among the folks whose lit
tie ones are never held back for want
of breakfasts or lunches, and never
know what it means to be shoeless. and
coatless, too. Moving picture shows dis
played announcements of the bazaar
upon their screens, and every one in
the vicinity with a purse and heart
inclined toward childhood was asked TO
lend a hand in the work of providing
suitable clothing and food for boys and
girls who Were missing their school OPP
portunities through extreme poverty.
Thier appeals were met most generously,
and they had a great supply of goods
that were turned into dollars to be
spent for the little inhabitants of near
by tenements.
Likely to Last.
And the association gives promise OF
lasting, for there is something in its
spirit that seems to guarantee that. 1t
seems particularly fine that these girls
have turned to the work nearest at
hand ana are making II possible Tor
poOrs boys and girls to go TO the very
school from which they so recently
graduated. There's a hint in 1t, too. for
girl graduates from other schools and
in other cities. for there always is an
unfortunate fringe OF children sadly in
need of some one to help and to push
them along.
They do not cell themselves big
sisters" but that really is what they
are.
And while they are seeing that these
underfed and scantily clothed children
are given good. warm breakfasts and
nourishing lunches, as well as something
to wear, they are unconsciously training
themselves to look at life in the broader
way that realizes responsibilities not
made by ties of blooo.
And in this period when women are
identifying themselves with civic work,
in one way and another, II seems a par
ticularly womanly and gracious thing
to turn TO the little folk who need their
help, and need II badly. All over the
country money is spent for fine school
buildings, and much thought is given
to the caliber of the teaching staff, but
the sad fact remains that many, very
many, little children are kept out of