The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-02-09
~ HOSTESS HOUSE
A CHEERFUL HOME
Children Of Soldiers and War
Widows Greeted at
Opening.
NURSERY A FEATURE
Accommodations for Women
Here to Meet Relatives
Back From France.
NURSERY A FEATURE

Four little children with bobbed hair
and big. solemn eyes knelt on a wicker
bench in the great reception room on the
first floor Of the Y. NJ. c. A. hostess
house at Forty-first etreet and Lexins.
ton avenue. and gaEed wonderfully at
ing music for the guests who thronged
the place. Children of a dead soldier were
they. and behind them stood their moth
ers, two Englishwomen about to depart
with them for London. 1t Was just one
OF the dozens Of stories that might be
told Of this hostess house, which had its
official opening yesterday: only every
body In the place is too busy working for
the comfort Of those who seek Its haven
10 note the stories
Though the official opening was yes
terday, this house has harbored the
mothers, sisters, wives and children OF
service men ever since December. All
the time, however. workmen we're busy
there, and not till this week was every
thing shlpshape enough for the house
warming The building was a factory
but a few months ago, and Mise Harriet
NJ. Mcdonald, the director hostess. says
the scene Of confusion It was when Miss
Catherine Budd. the architect, took hold
of II. Old lumber and broken bits OF
machinery Uttered the five floors, which
now hold pleasant bedrooms. where the
relatives Of soldiers who have come to
New York to meet their returning heroes
sleep: pretty rest rooms, writing rooms,
an eating room. sanitary kitchens and
everything necessary for the comfort OF
~.
come there 70 see them.
All Comforts of Home.
The whole OF the ground floor Is a re.
ception ROOM but a fireplace with brick
chimney IN the centre breaks the space.
Flags Of the Allies and the Stars and
Stripes wave above the freplace--llter-
ally wave. for the logs are gas logs, and
the draft from the flame makes them
futter continuously. The rear walls are
lined with books, and all about are COM
Portable deep chairs and couches. The
curtains and lamp shades and so on are
In the Y. W. C. A. hut colors. orange and
blue-green and gold. A piano. a victrola.
plenty Of games, music boxes and 60
forth provide materials for entertain
ment. There are cloak rooms for women
and an emergency room for sudden III
ness on this floor.
In the ba Sement Is a loungins and
smoking room for men. On the second
floor is the cafeteria. where soldiers and
their won,enfolk may buy good food at
reasonable rates and where also civil
ians are welcome. The tables seat
about 600.
Nursery q Feature.
On the third floor is a rest room for
y
m Others may leave their little ones with
p'e1san ut negro maids when they want a
free hour for shopping or seeing the
city. On the two upper floors are he'd
rooms containing one. two and three
beds. altogether enough to accommodate
100 women. and plenty OF cribs that can
be put up for the habies.
The place !s called the pehsrta-'on
Hostess House and is meant specially
| for women relatives whose men are just
coming back and who come here to meet
| them.
Mrs. William Henry Hays Is chair
man of the local committee OF manage
ment, and acted yesterday as chairman
az the brief ceremonies. Mrs. James S.
| Cushman, first vice-president of the
! Y. W. g. A. made the only speech. and
| in the course OF II presented what she
c..l the hypothetical keys" OF the
house to Brig.-Gen. David c. Shanks
| OF the port of deharkation. Hoboken.
who. the women said, had been Of the
| greatest help in establishing this hostess
house. Major John r Axton made the
| opening prayer.
Miss Mcdonald. the hostess. te as
sisted In her work by Miss Judith
| Brooks, receiving hostess; Miss Alice
Mackenzie and Miss Margaret Taylor.
information hostesses Miss Florence
| Dyer. night hostess Miss Helen Reid.
business hostess. and Miss Clara Robin
| son, cafeteria hostess.