Grand Forks herald., 1917-03-02
U.S.. WOMAN
UAIAA VI :
REBuLDS TOWN !!
Mrs. VIM. Crocker Furnishes
Money, and Miss Daisy Polk
Directs Reconstruction.
Virimont, Picturesque Little
Town, Which Was Shelled,
Springing Up Anew. /

MarCh 2.-Amef1Can sympathy WIN
the civilian sufferers from the war
sion in this little village than in any
other part Of the devastated country
Immediately behind the French dght.
ing lines.
When Mrs. William Crocker Of san
Francisco. chose Vitrimont in which
to carry out her idea Of reconSt1ucf-
ing with her own means one Of the
troops in their hrst rush into France
she met with much doubt and sus-
picion. The people Of Lorraine are
practical and hard-headed and also
object to partake of anything gaven'
in the form Of charity. It was there-l
fore necessary to make the propokl.
ton a purely business-uke ono before
laying it before the villagers.
All the men of fighting ago are AZ
the front with their regiments Ono
Of the villagers while in the tre9chss
one day received from his wife q LETT
ter giving details OF tho plan Of re-
construction. He Immediately 70.
piled: Don't waste ink on telling me
fairy tales. You are ready to swsl
low any yarn told you Just mako
we have lost everything and don't
dream that good fairies are going to
restore all to U.S." I
In order to convince this man end
many of his village neighbors oervfng
in the same corps that somebody Was
really taking interest In them and
I that they would not merely have to
be content with the govsrnmsnt in-
losses. Miss Daisy Polk. also q CALL
fornian and now administrator Of the
plan, gave printed plans and details
Of the scheme to the wives left be-
hind. These were forwarded 1t ones
to the men at tho front. who could be
assured only by documentary evidence
Of this kind Of tho good fortunes to-
be conferred on them ana their de-
pendants So.
Miss Polk. who since the hesinningI
Of the war has bsen occupied in re.
lief work Of various kinds, was chosen
by Mrn. Croker to administer her
benevolent scheme. She decided at,
once to live among the people 30 AZ
to become better acquainted With
house. without exception. had been
either shelled or burnt. She, how.
over was able to find q one-roomed
cottage which could be repaired and
here from her single room Miss Polk
directs all the work. She interviews
there the architect, the builders, the
departmental omcials and government.
ceived Ambassador William a. Sharp,
who had come to lay the cornerstone
| Of the first new house.
or the seventy houses composing
the village thirty-four were shelled.
and the remaining thirty-six burned.
The government itself decided to re-
pair the bombarded houses, which.
which had been set a4ire. The recon-
struction Of these latter was UNDER
taken by Mrs. Crocker.
No attempt was made By the
authors Of the scheme to force Amer
lean ideas down the threats Of the
conservative Lorrainera Very little
change had taken place IN the VIII
the style of architecture was very uni.
form, usually taking the shape Of one
or two story cottages with grange,
door entrances ana attached It the.
back the granaries and oatt1eshsdal
The only changes insf1bsd on BY tho,
promoters Of the scheme az wan as
by the French government were tho
which hitherto had been non-e1dstent,
the provision Of ventilation In the
rooms and the separation by an fntsr.l
vening courtyard Of the cattlaehsap'
and the human habftattona,
1t was with difnoufty that tAsI
peasants could be induced to Acooptl
some OF these changes. but e tsnSfE1
reason prevailed and the plans were
finally drawn up.
The new village 10 to have Ytdes1
streets ana the main road throu9h Il
Is to be planted with trees. w1sa1S ID
town hall and school are how Is oel
cupy prominent and epacione poS1,l
tions in the center Of the vll1ase tp.l
stead Of being hidden ~ be2oJe the
war in narrow lanes without any alA
space.