El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-02-12
80 Children Cary american
Flags and Sewing Ma
chimes in Long Flight.
GREAT BUILDING OF
INSTITUTE 4 MYTH
Children Lire In Three
Tents In Side Yard OF
Russian Hospital.

HALONIKI GREECE. Feb. 12-The
y rockingham Children's institute
has ended its long anabasis in Sa-
loniki. The clean white walled building.
so full of light and flowers that was
planned for erection in Belgrade does
not exist The sufficient endowment
carefully placed, that should ensure
the education and rearing of a hundred
Servian boys and girls. orphans OF the
three wars that have DESTROYED their
tatherland- scarcely serves to provide
three tents in the side yard Of the Rus
sian hospital at SalOniki and nourish-
ment for 80 Carvian children to whom
the wretched miseries of war are all in
the days work. Old before their time
tried in the fire Of sacrifice and suffer
ing, the 80 set up their common house
for the fourth time within a month
and hang up the American flags thew
have brought with them through all
their wauderings as cheerfully as if the
world had not crUmbled under their
tiny feet.
Ruin Was Not Anticipated.
For when John W rockingham. Of
, Tarrytown, and Albert White, Of New
York. and a group Of their friends con-
ceived and formed the Frothingham
Childreu's institute of Servia, no one
dreamed Of the ruin and desolation that
has fallen upon the country since. II is
( true that, as Servia was at war with
Austria and Belgrade somewhat too ex-
posed to attack or bombardment the
first resting place of the institute
temporarily, at least was Uskub. Then.
when the capital was moved to Nish it
was thought best to establish the in
stitute there. The 80 youngsters in
their boy scout and girl guide uniforms
obediently moved the vet meager be-
longings Of the institute to Nish. They
remained there just three days Tt was
evident almost from the first moment
that the Servian army could not hold
even this temporary capital-that it
was n mistake to have brought the
children there-that it would be far
wiser TO send them as far TO the rear
as possible that they might remain in
peace. SO the rockingham Children's
institute moved q second time-this
time to Ghevgheli, almost on the Greel,
frontier
They remained in Ghevgheli just
three weeks The impacable advance
Of the Bulgers Slowly drew its net
around the eager but Inadequate French
force that had been sent to the help Of
the Serbs. The British reinforcemcnts.
daily expected, remained tranquility i'm
Saloniki awaiting orders from London.
failing which they could only play the
role Of critical spectators Of Servia's
death struggle The king Of the Greeks
held the leash Of his army. while the
Serbs and the French withdrew steD by
step from Belgrade, from Nish, from
Uskub from Neles-and finally from
GhevgheH and Serbian soil.
Garry Beds to SalOniiNi
The children Of the rockingham in
stitute We're dispatched to Salontki in
time. Unlike thousands of their COM
patriots thew were able to transport the
white metal beds Of the Youngsters. cases
of clothes and provisions, and the
American sewing machines. which purr
today i'm the work tent of the insti-
tute under the hands of refugee wom-
en- fashioning bed ticking for the straw
mattresses Of the thourands Of destitute
women and children. l. IS fortunate than
the orphans Of the F. othingham insti-
tute.
The head of the rockingham Chill
dren's institute. in its final tent home
is a plump little woman or Pheasant
features-Dora Grouitch, known to her
charges nv the affectiOnate diminutive
of her given name. "Darinla." and her
secretary and first aid in Marcelle Reed.
of Legrande. oregon, who with her hair
and her skirts cut short ana her hlSh,
mud covered Servian boots her flannel
shirt and broad brimmed cowboy hat,
is one Of the busiest persons IN TINS
world Of disaster.
Waiting to Get Settled Somewhere.
"If ONLY we could ever get settled
somewhere" the latter exclaimed
wen begin the work FOR Whlch the
institute was founded. Just now 1t is
about an we can do to keep body and
soul together for the Riddles. If ever
we do get started properly the idea is to
teach them English and the history of
the United States in the mornings ana
Servian and arithmetic ana other an
ficult things in the afternoon. Julia
Sabine of New York. and l are to have
the morning work, at least as a starter
while the afternoon work will be looked
after bv competent Servian teachers.
Now. about all we can do is to try 10
see fbaf they are clean and warm and
drv-and to keep them from going
hungry"