New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-06-28
MOTHER ASKS AIR
FOR five CHILDREN
Pleads for Vacation Re-
lease from Gloomy Den
on East Side.
CAME FROM RUSSIA
TO AVOID SUFFERING
Case One of Many Thousands in
City-Fresh Air Fund
Their Recourse.

The Tribune Fresh Air Fund has been
asked to send 22.022 boys and girls 10
the country for vacations this summer;
MANY of the requests come to the fund
from the social settlements which are
scattered all over the city. The workers
of these settlements are in touch the
entire year with the people for whom
they Gsk vacations, and their knowledge
Of the needs Of these people is indis-
putatle. The following appeal TO q
worker at the University Settlement
shows a case typical of hundreds IN
which Tribune Fresh Air Fund aid IS
sought:
Maybe you can send me and the
children to the country"
Such is the appeal that is constantly
being made TO the visitor to the East
Side .enements, when il becomes known
that he really lives amid the tenement
houses and wants TO be a neighbor to
thos, inhabiting them.
Down in Essex Street a young man
and woman are making a brave hight TO
keep their little family together They
came TO this country five years ago
from Russia. Prosecuted there, they
sought freedom here and the opportu-
mites of education for their children.
ayes, many ways it was good by us
in Odessa" the young wife, Yetta, said.
There the eating and drinking was
| better and we have much fresh air.
have there piano by house and can
| play ten tunes. But we are not happy
! there: the persecution is terrible. So
my husband say: In America it is bet
! ter there the children shall have q
chance So we come by America
In two back rooms-one of them abb
solutcly dark-these two young people
live with their five children, the eldest
boy Of nine. The husband was sick
and out of work for six months last
winter. He is now partly able TO work
again. BY trade he is tailor. but not
being able 70 find any work in the
clothing line, he washes bottles for
three or four days week for syrup
manufacturer. His wages are 81 day,
and he works from 7 in the morning
until 9 at night.
The wife makes children's aprons.
! From in tbs morning till IL at night
she scws, stopping only to prepare the
meals for the family. In this way she
is able to make two dozen aprons day:
For her weeks work, consisting OF
twelve dozen, she receives 50, or trlne
over cents & garment.
Yet the family's rooms are surpris'
ingly neat anu the children do not show
signs of neglect. One of them took the
priz" at day nursery last winter The
three eldest are in school. The mother
also las taken course in night school,
where she has succeeded in learning
what English she knows.
Very white and thin she looked. and
there was an unspeakably wistful APP
| peal in the eyes as she asked about the
possibilities of the country for her
children this summer The whole fam
lily needs it-possibly the mother most
of all. The chance just to get away
from the drab monotony of their tene-
/ ment existence, out into the great open
spaces, where they can get fresh air
into their tired bodies and little in
spiration into their souls, would send
them back UNNECESSARILY refreshed and
strengthened TO take up their grim
| fight again.
Now, what does all this mean to you.
Mr.. or Mrs. Morning Reader, so soon
to start upon your sojourn at noun
tain. ocean, lake or river resort? Does
it mean something TO you that. as you