The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-12
German doctors amuse. as we'll
as cure, soldier patients.

as cure, soldier patients.
this Initiative is establ shed. and Il Is
a fact that the wounded are therefore
able to leave the hospitals all the
sooner.
But psychology is achieving benefi-
cent ends among others of Germany's
wounded soldiers. The cripples are
not the on.y ones needing the stimula-
ton of cheer-the convalescents with
their bodies whole have to be con-
sidered toe.
There are two reasons for this work
or Fastening recovery. First. that the
man may be entirely restored and able
TO take up his task in the world again.
and. next. that his place in the hospital
may be available for another more in
need OF medical attention.
The average sick man Is apt 10 be n
pess!nist. He hasn't the philosophy
OF a woman under like circumstances.
He Just instinctively lies there and
frets and pictures the dismal days to
come. II he is married he asks him
self, How shall l support myself and
my family? What earthly good will
be with a shattered body?" The
longer he broods in this fashion the
worse for his wound-an injury that
PROBABLY does not mean ultimate
physlcaI disability. II is plain that
medicine won't help: the only likely
tonic is c~heerfulness.
The Red Cross OF Berlin recently
undertook to find a way TO effect This
end. and It's work with the patients in
the hospitals there has met with great
success. The aim has been to Interest,
the wounded in learning certain light
crafts and by thus keeping their hands
BUSY TO counteract the mischief caused
by idleness during the weary weeks of
convalesCence.
me originator OF this helpful en-
deavor is Fraulein Margot Grupe. an
artist Before the war Fraulein grippe
was art adviser at the Pestalozzi-
froebel House~a very large kinder
Sarten in the German capital-and she
- g known in professional circles
the world over by reason of her books
on arts and crafts.
When war broke out Fraulein
Grupe volunteered as an assistant
nurse in the Red Cross and was
promptly sent to one OF the large hos
pitfalls at Neubabelsberg. What she
saw there soon convinced her that
something more than medical skill and
/, nursing We're needed TO bring the pa
dents around.
Diversion was needed. but lust what
was the problem. 1t was Their that
, her Kindergarten experience came in
good stead, and she lost no time In
suggesting to some OF the GONZALES
cents that they try their hands at
pasteboard work and kindred light &C.
equations. The eagerness with which
they responded and the interest they
displayed, as we'll as the rivalry
aroused among the men. assured her
that she was or the right track.
II next step was 10 notify the head
OF the Red Cross in Berlin and TO rec
ommend that manual instruction as an
aid 10 quicken recovery be intro
duced in all OF the military hospitals.
Prlvy Councillor Whiting appreciated
the worth Of the scheme at once, the
military authorities were responsive
and the P~estaloZ2!- F'roehel House un-
dertook to train the teachers needed
for this work among the sick.
The course is one of six weeks, with
daily instruction lasting from three
TO four hours, The third term is now
practically at its close and more than
fifty teachers are actively engaged in
the various hospitals.
Among the things taught arc light
woodwork, basketry and the like,
pasteboard modelling, b%oxmaking,
knitting Of Jackets. caps, &C., flet
work and hammock knitting, the
making of nets, bags, &C., the weaving
OF pillows and other articles by a sim
pie Swedish method and the fashion,
ing OF different kinds of games. The
very easiest sort OF manual effort is
demanded and the fields OF application
are varied enough so that each patient
may find something to his liking and
within h scope OF his skill. The
materials furnished are of the best;
and MS all OF the articles made are of
a useful sort the patients bend every
effort TO turn out creditable objects.
Originally the intent was TO sell the
things so made, but this was soon
abandoned out OF respect for the
wounded. II was feared that some of
the invalids might misconstrue the
object Of the movement and conceive
the nOuon tnat tley were being
taught 10 do these things with an eye
to fitting them for their future life
work or that they were being made
capital of.
To dispel any such roneous no.
ton the Red Cross OF Berlin has obli-
gated itself 10 deliver all Of the neces-
sary materials free of charge. What
ever the soldiers fabricate becomes
their own property. n as a result
they work with an eagerness that
makes them forgetful of self and
which hastens the day of
Indeed tho experiment has sue
ceedcd beyond all expectation. Cen
orally the loved ones at home are the
FIRST in line for gifts from the soldier
invallds, Friends AT the front are
also remembered and not i%nfrequentIy
"A fellow sufferer who cannot work Is
the beneficiary. This has u decidedly
cheering effect upon the less active of
the patients because they take an In
terest in the light labors Of their