The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-11-16
COLLEGE, Girls
ARE HM0THE
FRENCH PEOPLE.
Band From Smith College
Riding Distress in Area
Abandoned by Germans

Abandoned by Germans
French Front. Nov. 16,-A small
band of Smith College girls is moth
erins the distressed population Of
those districts Of France devastated
BY the Germans before they were
xorced to retreat last spring by the
Victorious French and British troops
who had hammered them on the
Somme. The correspondent of The
iAssociated Press passed day with
the young women in the war zone
where they have arrived to install
khexnselves in the midst of the strick-
en- people They have made their
Headquarters in the grounds of the
Chateau Of Eobere court. There they
live In shacks and portable houses in.
1zght of the blaokened ruins of the
castle, burned by the Germans. From
this centre they go to- u villages
which have been taken over for re-
lief hoy the American college girls.
Before the war they had altogether
. population of approximately 4,So0.
Now this has been reduced to about
LOO
The American angels OF mercy"
- Lkl<1 JLIlxtA SOAi08 . ell al n>iAO" 10
brought with them from America or
Epurchased In Paris largo stores of ar
tttcies OF drst necessity FOR the people.
lAGAny OF the peasants had money
which they had been able to conceal
l8rcm the Germans, and these people
were quite Willing to pay for articles
provided by the American girls. 9th
fers among the peasants were desu-
| tute OF both GOOD and money and for
these the American girls, made char
liable provision.
/ Inc girls brought motor trucks, and
IUsverai OF them are motor drivers
lOnce or twtce q week each of, the vii
Hayes In thoir district receives q visit
(xrom n party OF tho girls in their
f1xocas which are loaded with necessf-
{xdes and these are sold to the peas
tautz ut cost price or less, and thus
tmAny OF the needs OF the people are
lmek. Food, linen, clothing. furniture,
t1k1tuheu utensils and live chickens and
IEAbhits are most desired
Ckher branches of assistance to the
Lpsuple talne the form of a travelling
td1mpensary,. the giving Of medical adj
Ev1ce by the two women doctors from
fGknffh College who are members Of
itko squad, the foundation OF nurseries
}Ebr the care OF the smaller infants
tswhi7e their mothers are working, and
bkhe establishment OF play-rooms for
1.-THE other children.
The care of the children Is one Of
,the most Important parts OF the girls
work In the frst place. the little
nnes have to be retAught to play, for
A<7urtng the German occupation they
were not allowed to do 50 and In
most cases had forgotten how to
= II
1t An wonderful how soon they learn
under the American girls encourage
rnent and leadership. Then the neg
zscted little ones are taken in hard
and taught the value of cleanliness
and neatness. For the women much
help is provided in the way of sewing
Glasses and instruction In modern hy-
gienel 49,,
1t is hoped here that the work of
the Smith College girls, forming the
6rst unit, In cheering up and helping
these stricken peasants may be an
Incentive to others to undertake Sim
ys1ar labors In the hundreds OF VII
4qaxna which have suffered from the
herman occupation. Everywhere In
|ifhe Somme and Disc and other
EErench departments now partially
tereed from the German troops there
EArR similar opportunities
Dr.. Alice Weld Tallant. of Phila-
kdesphfa, Ii the directrice. and she Is
fussisted by Dr. Maud Kelly, as as
fnfstant physician; Miss Lucy o.
EndAther, of Hartford. Conn. az score
ktary; nEiss Marie VOLTS, OF Newark,
I'm. J., Belgian refugee, as head on
}xhe social service: Miss Anne Chaplin,
|.of Springfield. Mass, on social ser
iwice and nursing; Miss Milhcent
bMlewia, of Irvington, NJ. Y, as q
EchnnfDuuse and ambulance driver;
kamss Catherine Hooper. Of Montclair,
I'M. J., social service, Miss Marjorie
SCaxr, chaufreuse and social service;
6nG1m Ruth Josiin, chauffeuse and
Enurse: ndiss Marion Bennett, Cam
|bridee. Mass, chauffeuse and social
servica: miss Margaret Wood. Pasa-
Eaesna. Cal. as chauf1euse and in care
A OF children; Miss Ruth Gaines, New
kKur1r city, social service and writer;
|nAss Flizaibeth Bliss, Worcester.
IA6ass-, nurse; Miss Elizabeth Dana.
|fwcrcester, Mass, nurse; Miss Alice
lGseavens, Boston, head of children's
kdepaftment; Miss F'ahrestock and
miss Harriett Hawes.
Holland has asked Argentina to per-