Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-09-03
HELPING CHILDREN.
Novel Welfare Work at Arden by
Mr.. and Mrs. Geo. Newcombe.

Mr.. and Mrs. Geo. Nencombe.
A unique piece Of child welfare
work ia being done by Mr.. and Mrs.
George Neweombe Of Arden. For two
years they have been giving unfor-
tunate boys a chance to grow sturdy
and happy at their pleasant home at
Arden Inn. They have been working
without publicity, but they feel now
| that there are probably people who
would like to have q suitable home
| for some boy in whom they are inter
ested
Mrs. Newcombe, who was born near
/ Stratford. England, has always been
| Interested in children. Before coming
to this country she was school
| teacher, and recently she decided that
| she could be OF greatest benefit 70
children by opening her home to them.
| Through the Delaware Children's
| Home Society, children's bureaus in
| Philadelphia. and private individuals,
| Mrs. Neweombe has had q number Of
children sent TO her care during the
past two years. At Arden Inn they
have been treated az If they were her
own children and have developed won
derfully.
During the sumner several boys
board at Mrs. Newcombe's. This year
there il among the number a small
boy from Wilmington. who although
| unframed, has considerable talent as
an artist. He is always sketching
on scraps Of paper or painting on
smooth pieces of wood. Artists in the
colony encourage him. but Mrs. New
combe 10 worried because he will not
take enough outdoor exercise.
The. boys play outdoors all the sum
mer day. They are brown and
healthy AS young Indians from swim
ming, playing baseball and hiking
Arden Inn is situated opposite fht
spacious green. where the smaller
boys play all day long. The inn is
equipped with an open air, screened
diningroom, which Some Of the boys
use az a dormitory. This winter il
may be enclosed for use as a gym.
nasiuns. The boys help in the garden
and tend to the chickens and rabbits
and perform certain duties around
the house. In the fall and winter
the older boys attend Arden school
while Mrs. Newcombe tutors the littl,
oneg below school age. Those beyont
the Arden school attend in Whining
ton or Claymont. They also receiv,
training in special subjects from mel
, In the colony.
| Mrs. Newcombe has five boys VIII
, live with her permanently, but sh
hag room for ten. The dormitor
! could easily be enlarged and p fey
|, more boys would not add to the diff
Guilty Of conducting the home.
Billy. a little lad Of ten, was sen
by the Children's Home Society {
board with Mrs. Newcombe. He 1a
been neglected and III treated all hi
!. life, so that he was wild and undevel
oped. At first. examining physician
!, pronounced him feeble minded. bu
later they decided that he might /
normal If ne were given a chanc
He Graves affection, and delights !
simply following Mother" eyerywher
Z she goes His mind Is beginning {
develop, but as ne has only been ther
:. a few months. he is still mentally in
ferior to Johny. a sturdy little cha
of four. Joinnys parents are liyini
but as his mother was an incurabl
invalid, he was living in a second
q starry city apartment with relative
until his father sent him 10 Mrs. New
combe. Johnny IS active and joll.
!, always ready for a spash in Spide
: Rock swimming hole. and great
:. Interested in his 'choo choo train
An especially interesting boy
Harry He came from Philadelphi;
two years ago. a pallid. undernour
ished weakling. Today he is an erec
;. handsome boy Of IA. with an earnes
tanned face and brown muscular arnai
When he took his last semi-annua
physical examination in Philadelphi
the doctor said, Boy, why are yO
coming 10 me? / don't need to Sc
!. you for FIVE years. You are physi
caily perfect" Harry is not only in
:, terested in athletics. but he is a mem
: Der of Wooderaft, and is learnin
: wood lore about trees and birds an
! chemistry under the direction OF or
: of the coIonists. because he is intel
: ested in all forms of science. He ha
just completed a telescope which /
manufactured himself, without an
help outside of books.
So far many of the boys have con
from Philadelphia, but Mrs. Newconal
would prefer to have boys from Dela
u ware at her home, where with Johnn
: and Billy and Harry. they could has
I a chance TO develop into health,
2 happy youths.