The Washington herald., 1913-07-20

81 just can't leave that baby for q
minute. Miss Katherine Hope. trained
nurse. paused beside the little, white
crib with resignation. She had offered
to explain the good points of one of the
Baby Hospital Camps most interesting
boarders when Elmer entered a heart
rending wall of utter disapproval. The
reporter had to conduct a clumsy investi-
CATION of the feature baby all alone.
Babp Camp lies about three-quarters
of a mile north of the terminal of the
Fourteenth Street car line, hidden away
in i cozy recess of Rock Creek Park.
The baby camp is Just a short distance
beyond Camp Good VIII.
There are eleven little mites at the
baby camp. All of them come from
homes in the cOngested parts of the city.
In their. homes. the hot, sultry, air. flies.
wrong foods and inattention add more
than is just to the woes of babyhood.
Some of them reach the camp so wasted
that their little arms and legs seem
hardly more than bones with skin
stretched thinly over them. The camp
is there to give these babies a fairer
start in life.
Most of these little babies start life
handicapped. There never is a time
when they tyrannize over a willing
father or claim every waking minute Of
a mothers attention. Their handicap Is
miserable. neglected babyhood. 1t
means broken health, perhaps defective
eyes. twisted legs, and other malforma-
tions in the baby that grow with age,
stealing from il that birthright of every
baby-a future filled with splendid
achievement-the possibility of making
others happy and of sharing happiness.
Baby Camp is a much more important
place than it is thought to be. 1t is
there to secure to these little tots their
birthright.
ONLY Shnre Mothers Care.
Mrs. A L. Simon is superintendent Of
Baby Camp In telling the stories Of
her charges. the same thing was repeated
about nearly every one of them. 1t was
that their mothers We're compelled TO
share the work of wage-earning and
were forced to leave the baby in the care
of some neighbor or in the hands of some
little girl who could be hired cheaply.
The haphazard care that they received
was witnessed in their pitifully emaci-
ated bodies
After the reporter had finished his in
expert examination of the feature baby
and had seen with his own eyes that Il
was genuine baby, small soft, difficult
to take hold Of and right up to time with
a pair of convincing lungs and the will
to use them-the baby had let out a lusty
kept it going until he had beaten a re-
treat-Miss Hope explained about Elmer
Elmer is a year and a quarter old. His
mother has to work, and he is left in the
care of himself and grandmother.
When Elmer first came to Baby Camp a
few days ago. Miss Hope said he seemed
afraid Of every one. He shrank away
from his new friends as though he had
already learned enough Of human cruel
ty to make him suspicious of his kind.
He came under the care of Miss Hope,
and found that she not only did not in
tend to hurt him. but that she had a
capital view of life. for she taught him
how to play and enjoy himself.
Although their acquaintance has been
short, Elmer has decided that this young
woman. who never slapI, who confessed
ly enjoys his company. and who has time |
to play with him. is a good person not |
to let out of ones sight. Therefore, |
when Miss Hope leaves his side when he |
is awake he emits a series Of howls that |
can be heard over the hills OF Rock |
Creek park and far away.
Elmer to BE Made Fat.
He is a puny little baby. and regards |
strangers fearfully. When he was first \
weighed at the camp the scales regis /
tered little under twenty pounds. A
proper weight for a baby OF his age IL |
twenty-four pounds or over. When he
leaves the camp at the end of the sea-
son he will, be a fat baby, the nurse as
cured the reporter. His confidence in life
will be restored. He win be fortified
against baby sickness. He will have