Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-17

the Office Of the Commissioners Of the
District of Columbia yesterday and was
informed that 14th street was drst
1872. Previous to that It was paved
with mud, so that we see that for six
years at least the diplomatic corps
paid tribute. to the greatness of this
institution by making regular pilgrim
ages over the mtry ways Of old 14th
street and to this corner. One might
fairly claim upon such a record that
this is not only a national but an inter
national institution.
Shelters Children Of Every Nation.
And so it is in very truth upon an
other record. for children of every ma
ton have been sheltered beneath this
roof.
founded and developed by the two
great wars which occurred upon this
soil. managed and endowed by the de-
votion of many good women and some
few men, we pray for the blessing Of
the Almighty upon this institution. and
that there may be no further war call
on this continent for its services. The
ordinary calamities of life, when men
are trying to help one another and
fighting off death and disease, are more
than enough. with the rapidly fncreas-
ing population of this region, to oc-
cupy the services of such home as
this. 1t has been fortunate, not only in
it's managers, in the friends that 1t has
made and the service it has rendered,
but it has been fortunate also in the
matrons and the local executives OF
this institution.
Miss Wannel1 and Mrs. Wright and
others were the worthy predecessors OF
the efficient matron of today. MRS.
Squires. 1t is to be hoped that this
institution will go on with its work
through the years that are to come.
approved and supported by the genu-
Inc sentiment of its friends in the Dis
trict and in the neighboring counties,
and earnestly serving the cause of little
children with patient zeal and that
progressive intelligence which applies
each modern Improvement to their
good.
"There has never been and there
complacency in the service rendered
by this home
The children are the great ones
here. Service to them may open the
doors of eternal life to those VINO
serve faithfully and we'll"
Children Dance and Drill.
At the conclusion of this part of the
exercises. which took only a few min
utes, the large crowd passed to the big
yard at the side of the building, where
lime had been used unsparingly in
marking off circles and squares on
which the little men and women could
dance and drill. The guests took places
of vantage on the verandas and wit
messed the exercises and listened TO
singing of the children.
There were bleachers there, too, but
then it was an exclusive set that occu-
pied them. The bleachers were only
about foot high, but those who
watched the drills from them could let
their little feet touch the ground.
Those too small to participate in the
drills were allowed to sit on the seats
where they, could see everything going
on. And they enjoyed it. too. for they
clapping just as enthusiastically as
did the grownups, who were their
guests.
The little ones were introduced to
the audience In march over the drill
grounds, winding and winding them
selves up into a circle until there was
a maze of pretty white dresses, orange
sashes and the Stars and Stripes; for
each child, $50 in all, carried an American
flag And then they unwound them
the field. They sang America" when
they appeared on the field.
Sweeps and Bows of Colonial Days.
Then there was a dance full of the
sweeps and bows of the colonial days.
and the song accompanying it was en-
titled LAS 1t Was in Grandma's Day"
Calisthenics were next on the pro-
gram, and the boys and girls went
through them with vim that showed
remarkable training. And there was
not a und-shouldered boy or girl in
the group of 100. All heads erect,
chests out and chins in, and rudy
complexion for each one. Health was
everywhere among them, and they
didn't mind one bit the drizzling rain
which fell upon them as they drilled.
There was one competition which
for the want of better name might
be called a zig-zag relay race. There
were four columns of four girls each m
standing four feet apart. Behind each
column were four little boys. At a
given signal the first boy started out
and ran in and out between the girls
to the front of the column, then turned
and zig-zagged back, touching the boy
who stood behind him. He in turn ran,
until each of the four boys in the four
columns had a good run in and out.