The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-11-16
SMITH COLLEGE GIRLS
"MOTHERINC" FRENCH
They Are Providing Necessary Articles
for the People In Devastated Dis
tricts of the Invaded Country.

French front, Nov. 10 Correspond
ence).-A small band of Smith colleg
girls is mothering the distressed popu
lations of those districts of France devas
tated by the Germans before they WERE
forced to retreat last spring by the vic,
torious French and British troops who
had hammered them on the Somme
The correspondent of the Associated
Press passed day with the young WON
en- 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 Roberecourt There they live
in shacks and portable houses in sight
of the blackened ruins of the castle
burned by the Germans. From this cen
ter they go to IL villages which have
been taken over for relief by the Amer
lean college girls. Before the war they
had altogether population of approx
mately 1900. Now this has been reduced
to about 200
The American angels of mercy" as
brought with them from America or pur-
chased in Paris large stores of articles
OF first necessity for the people. Many
of the peasants had money which they
had been able to conceal from the Ger
mans, and these people Were quite willing
to pay for articles provided by the
American girls. Others among the peas
ants were destitute of both goods and
money and for these the American girls
made charitable provision.
The girls brought motor trucks and
several of them are motor drivers. Once
or twice week each of the villages in
their district receives visit from a
party of the girls in their trucks. which
are loaded with necessities, and these
are sold to the peasants at cost price or
less, and thus many Of the needs of the
people are met Food, linen, clothing,
furniture, kitchen utensils and live chick
ems and rabbits are most desired
Other branches of assistance to the
people take the form of a travelling dis
pensary, the giving of medical advice by
the two women 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 Ger
man occupation they were not allowed |
to do so and in most cases had forgotten
how to amuse themselves in simple |
games. 1t is wonderful how soon they
learn under the American girls encour- |
~
elected little ones are taken in hand and |
taught the value of cleanliness and neat
ness. For the women much help is pro-
vded in the way of sewing classes and
instruction in modern hygiene.
1t 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 sui.
fered from the German occupation.
in the Somme and Disc and
other French departments now partially
freed from the German troops there are
similar opportunities.
DR.. Alice Weld TaIant of Philadelphia
is the directrce and she is assisted bv
DR.. Maud Kelly, as assistant physician;
Miss Lucy o. Mather Of Hartford, Conn.
as secretary; Miss Marie VOLTS of New
ark, n. j., 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, n. Y. as a chaulfeuse and ambu-
snce driver Miss Catherine Hooper of
Montclair. n j., social service; Miss
Marjorie Carr chauffeuse and social serv
ce Miss Ruth Joslin, chauffeuse and
nurse; Miss Marion Bennett. Cambridge,
Mass. chauffeuse and social service;
Miss Margaret Wood, Pasadena, CAL as
and in care of children; Miss
Ruth Gaines. New York City, social serv-
ce and writer; Miss Elizabeth Bliss,
Worcester, Mass, nurse; Miss Elizabeth ,
Dana, Worcester. Mass, nurse; Miss
Nice Leavens, Boston. head Of children's
department; Miss Fahnestock and Miss
iarriett Halves.