Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-11-18
COLLEGE G|RLS0 US.
AID FRENCH SUFFERERS
Live in Sight Of Blackened Ruins Of
Castle Burned by
Germans.
Correspondence Of tho Associated Press.

Correspondence OF tho Associated Press.
FRENCH FRONT. October ia
small band OF Smith College girls is
mothering the distressed populations of
those districts of France devastated by
the Germans before they were forced
| to retreat last spring by the victorious
French and British troops who had
hammered them on the Somme. The
correspondent of the Associated Press
passed a day with the young women
in the war zone where they have ar
rived to install themselves in the midst
Of the stricken people. They have made
their headquarters in the grounds Of
the Chateau Of Robere court.
There they live in shacks and porta-
BILE houses in sight Of the blackened
ruins of the castle. burned by the Ger
twelve villages which have been taken
over for relief by the American college
girls. Before the war they had alto
gether q population OF approximately
$500. Now this has been reduced to
about 1900.
The American angels of mercy as
| the Smith College girls are known.
| purchased in Paris large stores of arti-
! cles of first necessity for the people.
Many of the peasants had money which
they had been able to conceal from the
willing to pay for articles provided by
the American girls. Others among the
peasants were destitute of both goods
and money and for these the American
Brought Motor Trucks.
The girls brought with them many
motor drivers. Once or twice q week
each of the villages in their district
receives a visit from q party of the
with snd thesa are soid
i the peasants at cost price or less, and
| thus many Of the needs OF the people
are met. Food. linen. clothing. furni-
| ture. kitchen utensils and live chickens
and rabbits are most desired.
Other branches Of assistance to the peo-
pie take the form Of q travelling dispen-
| sary, the giving Of medical advice by the
two woman doctors from Smith Col
lege who are members Of the squad, the
foundation OF nurseries for the care of
the smaller infants while their mothers
are working and the establishment of
playrooms for the other children.
| The care Of the children is one Of the
most important parts of the girls work
In the first place. the little ones have
] to be retaught to play, for during the
German occupation they were not al
lowed to do so and in most cases had
forgotten how to amuse themselves in
simple games. It Is wonderful how soon
they learn under the American girls en-
Encouragement and leadership. Then the
neglected little ones are taken. in hand
and taught the value of cleanliness and
neatness. For the women much help is
provided in the way of sewing classes
and instruction in modern hygiene.
May Be an Incentive.
It is hoped here that the work of the
Smith College girls. forming the first
unit, in cheering up and helping these
| stricken peasants may be an incentive
to others to undertake similar labors in
the hundreds Of villages which have suf-
fered from the German occupation
Everywhere in the Somme and Disc and
freed from the German troops there are
similar opportunities.
| Dr.. Alice Weld Tallant Of Philadelphia
is the directrice and she is assisted by
DR.. Maud Kelly as assistant physician;
Miss Lucy o. Mather Of Hartford, Conn.
as secretary; Miss Marie VOLTS of New
ARK, N j., a Belgian refugee. as head OF
the social service; Miss Anne Chaplin OF
springfield. Mass, on social service and
nursing; Miss Millicent Lewis of Irving.
ton. NJ T., as chauffeuse and ambti-
lance driver: Miss Catherine Hooper of
Montclair. n. j. social service; Miss
service: Miss Ruth Joslin, chaufreuse
and nurse; Miss Marion Bennett. Cam
bridge. Mass. chauffeuse and social
| service; Miss Margaret Wood, Pasadena
Cal. as chauffeuse and in care of chill
dren; Miss Ruth Gaines, New York CITY,
social service and writer: Miss Eliza
Elizabeth Dana. Worcester, Mass. nurse.
Miss Alice Leavens. Boston. head of
chtldren's department. and Miss Fahne-
| STOCK ana Miss Harriet Hawes