The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-02-06
FORMER kE0KUK
| GIRL IS AN AIDE
Mary Meiss Atwater, Daughter o.
Major N. Meigs, Distinguishes
Herself in Reconstruction
Hospitaf Work.
HELPS WOUNDED MEN
Mrs. Atwater is Attempting to Help
the Doughboy Who Must Make
New Start. Find Himself
in Life.
HELPS WOUNDED MEN

Mary Meigs Atwater, daughter or
Montgomery Meigs OF this city, Is
distinguishing herself as recon-
structlon aide in the Letterman hos,
pital al the Presidio in San Fran
cisco. Mrs Atwater is helping men
who were wounded over seas, and
who are suffering from mental dis
orders as result OF shell shock. find
FOR themselves again place in the
world.
Under the caption. Devoted to
Disabled Soldiers" the Butte Miner
publishes a picture of Mrs. Atwater,
and the following comment:
Mrs. Mary Meigs Atwater. widow
of the late Maxwell w. Atwater, is
distinguishing herself in the govern
ment service as reconstruction aide.
Mrs. Atwater is stationed at Letter
man general hospital at the Presidio
of San Francisco, where hundreds OF
permanently disabled overseas men
are being aided physically and men
tally to face the problem OF life from
new angle.
Z, The athlete who once distinguished
himself as football star, deprived
of an arm or leg, must suddenly
find interest in some occupation
hitherto entirely foreign TO his inter-
ests. To create and foster that new
interest, to develop the man along
new lines of thought is the business
of Uncle Sans reconstruction ~ les.
, No more pathetic nor appealing
sight can be imagined than the long
wards filled with victims of Hun
shells, suffering from every conceiV.
able sort of disability, cheerfully
turning their attention to the matter
in hand, whether it be arithmetic or
raffia work. 1t takes considerable tact
F.! to interest the typical American
"dsughboy" whose gentlest hand
work recently was the throwing of
hand grenades, in the effeminite arts
Eof bead work, weaving, etc. And yet
once the appeal is made they respond
with will that is a credit to Ameri-
can versatility.
Before Mrs. Atwater entered the
service she conducted the Shuttle
Craft shops at Basin, where young
girls were taught the art OF weaving
Mrs. Atwater, who is by profession
and training a designer, travelled ex-
tensively. discovered and revived
many of the early colonial patterns,
and spared no time or energy in in
structing the young women Of the
vicinity. She received number of
prizes in the east for the products OF
her looms. When the call came for
women to serve as reconstruction
aides. she gave UP her looms, and
volunteered. believing that this field
OF craftsmanship would help many
disabled lad to get back into the
great game of life.
She has taught not only weaving,
but arithmetic. reading and any other
branch of study that the boys seemed
to need.
And not only has she taught, but
she has been a good Samaritan to
numbers of homeless, lonely and lis
couraged soldiers who have waited
in vain for some reward for their
heroic service and sacrifice. Her
little apartment near the Preside
gate. where she lives with COM
panion and her baby daughter, is al
ways open to. her charges, and
strange professions of wheel chairs
and boys hobbling on crutchss make
their way thither to find that atmos-
phere OF home which they crave.
No one Of them is too much Of an
outcast. too blighted by disease, TO
forfeit Mrs. Atwater's interest. and
attention She is the minis artlg
angel OF the low1y, who in being
lowIy are still exalted by sacrifice
for our country which Is sublime.