New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-18
Health Officials COngratu-
late Tribune Fund on Pro-
posed Daily Outings.
WOULD GIVE KIDDIES
HOLIDAYS AT BEACH
Substitute for Fortnight
Vacations in Country
May Begin Monday.

Beginning next Monday, The Tribune
Fresh Air Fund will inaugurate a ne"
kind OF fresh air vacation. So many
places outside Of New York have estao'
lished guarantees against city chill
dren because of the prevalence Of in
fantile paralysis that the fund ha:
found it impossible to place all its chill
dren in the country for vacations Sc
the fund set itself to find substitute
for the fortnight vacations in the coun'
try which it customarily provides.
The plan finally evolved was sub
mitted to Health Commissioner Emer'
son in letter, which said:
The Tribune Fresh Air Fund has,
of course, been greatly hampered
in its work this summer by the
guarantees established against
New York children in the country,
and we find that we are not going
to be able to provide fortnight out,
ings for anything like the usual
number of children.
In order that we may add what
ever is possible of health and en-
joyment to the lives of the children
whom we shall not be able to send
out for longer vacations, we are
considering the plan of giving them
day outings. As far as it is worked
out at present, the plan is to select
groups of children, give them a
thorough physical examination. ana
investigate the addresses from
which they come on the day before
the outing, then to send the chill
dren by train in special ear TO
the beach at Far Rockaway. Al the
beach we will provide the children
with bathing suits and some play
apparatus and give them nour-
ishing meal at noon-the same
party to be returned to the beach
on four or five successive days.
Do you consider this plan a wise
one, and would it have your sane
ton? If the children were care
fully selected, would it be safe to
send a party of as many as one
hundred at time?
IL the plan is generally accept
able in your judgment, do you care
to suggest any changes to be made
or additional precautions TO De
taken? We should not care TO
undertake such an enterprise as
this at such time as this without
your entire approval.
The plan aims to go further than thu
ordinary day outing by giving the SAM
children a series of days at the beach
that their systems may have a chane'
10 react to the influence OF fresh air
and change.
Board Approves of Plan.
How the Board of Health viewed tn
plan is clearly indicated in reply .
the letter outlining the project writte'
by Deputy Commissioner J. ). Billings
who said:
DR.. Emerson has referred to me
your letter of August IL regarding
your proposed plan of excursions
for children to Far Rockaway. l
think il an excellent idea, and this
department authorizes such excur-
sions, provided, as stated in your
letter. the children received a
thorough physical examination,
and children from premises where
cases of poliomyelitis have oc-
Cured are excluded. Please let me
know what arrangements you have
made to obtain the information re-
garding the houses. We will as
sist you in this in any way pos
sible.
Congratulating you on having
devised and being able to carry out
so excellent a procedure, | am,
Very sincerely yours,
J. S. BILLINGS,
Deputy Commissioners.
Upon receipt of this unqualified ap
nroval from the health authorities tn
fund began to arrange details of tn
outings. Such good progress has beer
made that it will probably be possible
TO send the first groups of youngster
out Monday morning. If the plai
proves a success groups OF chlldrel
will be sent out every weekday unit
II o~oripo of tho nuhlic schools