Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-12-19
smith COLLEGE
GIRLS PROVING
ANGELSOF mercy
IBy Associated PrsSH

=
FRENCH FRONT. October IA
small band Of Smith college girls is
m.thering 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 OF the
Somme. The correspondent OF the
Associated Press passed a day with
the Young women in the war zone
where they have arrived TO install
themselves in the midst OF the strlCk-
en- people They have made their
headquarters in the grounds Of the
Chateau OF RoberecOurt, There they
hive in shaCks and portable houses in
sight Of the bFaCkened ruins OF the
j castle, burned by the Germans. From
! this center they 60 10 twelve villages
which have been taken over for re-
! lief by the American college girls.
! Before the war they had altogether
a population of approximately $500.
Now this has beer reduced to about
! 1900.
! The American angels of mercy"
as the Smith college girls are known,
brought with them from America or
! purchased in Paris large stores Of ar
ticles of first necessity for the people.
Many OF the peasants had money
which they had been able to conceal
! from the Germans, and these people
! were quite willing to pay for articles
provided by the American girls,
Others among the peasants were des-
fT1fn Of nd
for these the American girls made
charitable provision.
The girls bought motor trucks, and
several Of them are motor drivers.
Once or twice week each of the vii
lagos in their district receives visit
from a party of the girls in their
trucks which are loaded with neces-
stiles, and these are sold to the peas
ants at cost price or less, and thus
many of the needs of the people are
met Food linen, clothing, furniture,
kitchen utensils and live chickens and
rabbits are most desired.
Other branches of assistance to the
people take the form of a travelling
dispensary, the giving of medical ad.
vice by the two women doctors from
Smith college 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 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 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.
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 in
centive to others to undertake similar
labors in the hundreds of villages
which have suffered from German
occupation. Everywhere in the Somme
and Disc and other French depart
ments now partially freed from the
German troops there are similar OPP
portunities.
DR.. Alice Weld Tallant. of Philadel-
phia, is the directrice, and she is as
sisted by DR.. Maud Kelly, as assistant
physician; Miss Lucy o. Mather of
Hartford, Conn, as secretary; Miss
Marie VOLTS of Newark, N j., a Bel
gian refugee, as head of the social
service; Miss Anne Chaplin of Spring
field, Mass, on social service and
nursing; Miss Millicent Lewis of Ir-
vington, N. Y, as a chauffeuse and
ambulance driver; Miss Catherine
Hooper of Montclair, n. J., social ser
vice; Miss Marjorie Carr, chauffeuse
and social service; Miss Ruth Joslin.
chauffeuse and nurse; Miss Marion
Bennett, Cambridge, Mass, chauf.
feuse and social service; Miss Mar.
garet Wood, Pasadena, Cal, as chauf.]
feuse and in care of children; Miss |
Ruth Gaines, New York City, social |
service and writer; Miss Elizabeth |
Bliss, Worcester, Mass. nurse; Miss |
Elizabeth Dana, Worcester, Mass, |
nurse; Miss Alice Leavens, Boston, |
head of children's department; Miss
Fahnestock and Miss Harriet Halves,