Evening star., 1919-11-09
PLANNING TORA|SE
FUNDFOR HOSPITAL
Campaign to Seek $780, 900
for ChiIdren's Institution to
Begin December |.

The campaign for 100000 for the
modernization of the Children's Hos
pital is to be held the week begin
ming December 1. Preliminary or
!sanization work has been completed,
it was announced last night.
The Children's Hospital was found
ed nearly fifty years ago. and many
residents of Washington remember
the first campaign which resulted In
its establishment. At that time there
was no institution in the city to care
for the children of parents too poor
to place them in other hospitals. and
none other specialized in the care of
infants and the cure of their all
ments. It was very difficult to raise
the money for the frst children's
hospital, but the original building was
erected with funds created by public
subscriptions.
The original appeal, part of which
follows, was published in The Star.
and the result was so satisfactory
that building was begun Immediate
ly. Children of the city subscribed
their pennies. and an organized band
Of little workers solicited funds from
all the students in the Washington
public schools.
Extract From the Appeal
An extract from the appeal Of fifty
years ago follows:
'rThe managers of the Children's
Hospital Of the District of Columbia
beg leave to submit to the thoughtful
attention and well known liberality OF
the residents of the capital an appeal
for aid in establishing on q broad
and permanent footing, in the city
of Washington, an Incorporated institu-
ton where the diseases and disabili-
ties of poor children requiring medi-
ed. free Of expense. and from which
medicines may be dispensed for their
benefit without cost or charge"
This was signed by j. c. Kennedy,
A. E. Perry. F. B. Mcclure and s. III
annual report of the hospital au-
thorities included this statement:
"The need for its establishment has
been verified by the number who have
sought its care; the benefits of it's
found relief and comfort within its
wards and the result. upon the lives
and future Of those who have been
plucked from the clutches OF disease
dren whose after lives could only be
unhappiness, from suffering. deforn-
ity and disability, here, by the bless
ing Of God, have been restored to
health and comeliness and fit to enter
upon the duties and enJoyments OF
life which had promised only ad1iction
and unhappiness
Record Of First Years Work.
During the first year the hospital
cared for ninety-four patients. This is
in marked contrast-but shows the
growth during the past fifty years-to
the annual report Of this years accom-
plishmenta. For during 1s1S-1s19, 1,454
children were patients in tho insdtu-
ton.
Since its establishment 100000 chill
dren have been treated at the hospital
and $4,000 have occupied the beds
therein. OF these the majority have
been discharged cured. Tho death rate
has been remarkably low.
At present the hospital maintains tn
only tubercular ward In the city wher,
charity patients under the age Of four
twenty-four children there now suffering
from tubercular Affections Of the joints !
and bones.
Outline of Proposed Improvements.
The drive will be to raise money to
add Improvements to the hospital They
will include a better system Of deten-
ton wards. a covered passageway lead
nurses home. These are only among
the more important. however. and there
will be others