Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-01
VOCATIONAL AIDES
ARE HARD AT WORK
CHEEKY Blue Gowns Here and
Over There Amuse and
Teach L. S. Soldiers

The Blue Gowns" of the army medi-
cal department. seventy of them. with
/ trained minds and skilled fingers are at
work in hospitals Somewhere in Amer
/ ict' helping in the physical and mental
! reconstruction of wounded or sick SOL
4 d'ers. large unit is already at work
4 over there They are not nurses. but
-c.Nilian employees enrolled for the period
or the war Patiently from ward to ward
, theE go. Some through the healing Of
massage are restoring injured muscles
and tired nerves to normal condition.
Others through the medium of novel oc-
cupations are stimulating and reviving
interest in life itself
These are reconstruction aides experts
either In physiotherapy or occupation
hanGcraft. Blue Gowns" the name
which has been given to them. comes
! 'rom their uniform Of a bright cheerful
! blue washable material, with it's cap to
match. on the street they wear the con-
vent!onal sailor hat of dark blue and
full-length navy blue cape. The cape Of
the army nurse corps uniform is lined
with scarlet This cape, designed for the
aiCe, ia lined with maroon-Colored silk
only trained women and experienced
women need apply" commented their
chief. Miss Marguerite Sanderson, as she
toured large hospital exhibiting the
rewest phase in the care OF our boys"
Miss Sanderson. Boston woman. was
I appointed by Surgeon General Gorgas
of the United States army to head the
unit.
| Wood Carving With Left Hand
In a hospital somewhere in America
Miss SanIerson stood beside a table
where a young fellow in uniform was
carving a conventional flower border on
a wooden picture frame. The design was
his own and the work was his first piece
He was inclined to be clumsy-because
he was using his left hand Blue
Gown" was ready to guide and advise
him. The use of this mans right hand
has been permanently lost: 1t was
thought by him at one time that he was
hand capped for life as money Garner
because his successful profession had
been that of a mechanical craftsman.
So il is that he is learning wood
carving, not as a possible vocation, but
TO train his left hand. Not only are his
fingers becoming nimble by slow degrees.
but his mind is at the same time occu-
MED. As he becomes adept in left-hand
carving he is preparing for the time
when he will begin again to draft,
this time with his left hand. THIS
mental concentration upon a new task
is believed BY doctors and psychologists
IN be a valuable antidote for discourage
rnent.
. In that same open-air workshop,
which is only the veranda OF a hospltai
ward one man was intent upon knit
,;ng a scarf. He had chosen worsted
| of a bright coral pink. lie was hignIy
I entertained by his own Accomplishments
and expressed himself as being content.
4 one group of men, who We're temporarily
crinnled. some with nothing more serious
than snrained ankles and others with
their legs in plaster casts, were carving
designs upon wooden blocks, THESE
blocks are dipped in paint and the de-
sign is then printed upon cloth. sew
eral were learning weaving upon hahu-
Z looms.
A small class was learning basketry.
one man was busily learning to type
write though he was confined TO
. uhaa,ed chair Looking over the
shoulders of two men who were IN
! tenrlv reading one discovered that they
! were studying spelling lessons.
THE aides find that many of the men
have not had the benefit OF common
! school education, explained Hisa
Sanderson, so they must be taught ,ne
| sinonlest things, such as spelling, sums
and primer reading. Many of them VINO
cannot write legibly soon learn to use a
typewriter for their lessons.
So II is that the handcraft or occupa-
,ior,1 aides here and abroad are sup
nIementing and assisting the work ot
| surgeons and nurses. sometimes tne
! training. is for later use in civlllan hte
| Sometimes it is merely healthtui recrea'
tion Sometimes it is means OF re-
storing self confidence to sufferers from
shellshock.
tberany aides. They are graduates oi
normal schools of physical education
They must understand educational gym
nastics and know the processes OF APP
nlving electrical treatments. In addl-
tion 10 thisF they must have had pro-
fessional experience. In this same nos
nital where Miss Sanderson' showed the
results of the occupational training
man who had been badly wounded az
tha front now comfortably convalescent
vas being massaged' Ihroueh wise i,'a
n,nulation of benumbed muscles and
series of prescribed exercises he vii
+ Leave the hospital with the use OF ar
arm which has been long in bandages
This work being done here is also being
carried on in base hospitals abroad.
Miss sanderson Chief Aide
The corps of reconstruction aides wal
! organized last January. and at that TINT
Miss Sapderson, graduate or the Bos
ton Normal Gymnasium (now the Welies
lev department of hygiene), who TO
, many years worked with DIR. j. f. Gold
thwaite. of New York, in corrective work
, was appointed the chief. The Blu
r Gowns" now receive $50 month whil
on duty in the United States and $50 I
I month when abroad. head aide re
E ceives an additional SIS month. Whel
: Il ia not practical to house the aide
! at a hospital they are allowed an add
: tional se2.50 for quarters.
! Aides in the occupational work mus
!. be graduates OF art or Industrial schools
. They must have had teaching experience
-Ahility 70 teach y : saFe eps}tey.