The Washington times., 1915-11-16
Alec, as He Is Called, Is One Of
Fifty-two at Washington
Founding Home.
PLAN AN entertainment
For Four Hours Next Thurs.
day the Little Ones Will
Receive.


yet he links Washington with the great
war In Europe. possibly more closely
even than the suave ambassadors and
ministers who represent the nations
that are striving for each others deaths
across the Atlantic.
IIe is washington's only war baby.
Alec. they call him the IL Russian
and was named after the Car Alexan-
der): and he lives with the rest Of the
family at the Washington Home for
Foundlingsa
Alec came into existence Just a few
weeks before the war began. His mother
Had come to this country to prepare q
home for his father. who was serving
In the Russian army. and who was to
have obtained his discharge In Oc-
tober. 1914.
Alec's advent came almost simultan-
eously with the declaration OF hostili-
ties. And. as his mother was unable
to keep him-she had to work, to save
her pennies, that she might send them
to her husband so that he could join
her here..she placed him in the home.
/ There he stayed. while his little
mother worked and worked. and saved
and saved.
Father Goes To War.
And then came the news-Alcc's
father had gone to war-to take up
the cause Of the Scrbians with his
peasant brethren. The little mother
was desolate; the little home that she
had dreamed of was not to be. for some
time at least. but she only worked all
the harder.
She thought. of course. that the war
would soon be over-who Is there no
brave that he dare oppose the Czar?-
and she was preparing for the day
when. with the dawn of peace. her hus-
band would come to her.
But peace did not come. Neither did
her husband; and she could get no news
OF him.
Dark days followed for the little Rus
sian girl: she worked. but she was
working for the boy. Alec. her lie. She
visited the embassies here. she went to
the various officials; all were sorry. but
none knew Of her husband-he was sim
ply one of the tiny atoms fed into the
machine for Mars merciless sport.
But last week she received a letter.
Alec, Big Alec. the little war baby's
10 sther. had been taken prisoner early In
the war and had been q prisoner In
Germany ever since-disconsolste but
whole.
And now the little mother Is working
with 4 new light in her eyer rather.
the old one-waiting for the send OF tho
war. and OF her trouble.
Tea Next Thursday.
Alec is only one OF the fifty-tw6 little
fellows who want to entertain you at
the tea at the Washington Home for
Foundiings Thursday from to Z
o'clock.
tendent. Is inviting you too-but she -
only Incidental: at the home she Is the
me ther OF the biggest family In town.
but at the tea the babies are to be the
hosts and hottesses.
them. and to see how they are cared for:
as babies are cared for only IN real
homes or the A!cott books.
The home is one of the most delightful
places in Washington-if you can re-
member when you were young. or when
your children were.
Miss Schott. the graduate nurse. who
Is supeEinte ndent. outlined her work in
her office today, while two chubby
YOUNGSTERS tugged at. her skirts .i ana
stick. Let the story be told In her own
words:
This Is not an institution-an asylum.
1t Is really IA home. As you can see. the
children are allowed the freedom OK
the whole house-no. Bennie l haven't
your other shoe.
Offered As Substitute.
THE babies that we receive here
have been cheated out Of their birth
right of mother and father. uncles and
aunts, and a home-usual!y before their
birth-and we try to give them as good
4 substitute as we can.
We have nothing institutional here.
The children aren't dressed alike, there
are no rigid rules, and we try to love
them In the old-fashioned way. We
nave Montessori kindergarten here.
and the rules of hygiene are strictly OBJ
served, but we are not modern In the
generally accepted sense. We try to be
one big family.
"I can't understand how these orphan
asylums. with 800 and 400 inmates and
possibly one nurse for every forty chill
dren, are run. We really would like 10
have nurse. or mother. for every
single one Of them.
That of course. Is impossible; but
we do the best we can.
And we want the people of Washing
ton to come In and see us and help us.
As said. we have no institutional rules