The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-02-08

NaShlngtOn, u. C-y rep o.-1 de
coppet is new anu popular in
stitution in this city. She is not
to be confused with the woman po-
liceman who goes around in pursuit
of the Maynard girl. The coppet
is a children's traffic officer. she
gives her services to make danger
GUS street crossings safe, and all
the pay she draws IS in smiles from
the children. Washington has 100
coppets, and Miss Ellis Logan, who
is in charge of the force" says
that she can use 500.
The idea came to Washington
when New York mothers were TAX
ing their children to school during
the milk strike emergency. Moth
ers went to all sorts of trouble
and made every effort to see that
their children got to school safe
ly.
Interest was aroused in the haz-
ards to which children are expos
ed on the streets, and the question
was raised: Why shouldn't city
organize the women who could give
half an hour day or just half an
hour week to get the children
safely across streets where no traf-
fic officers are stationed. Mrs. Lo-
gan thought Washington could.
The city traffic department liked
the idea and agreed to back up the
corps and to give instructions.
The plan was first tried out at
the Wilson Normal school. where
the pupils are children in the first
four grades and in the kindeTgar-
ten. These youngsters, practically
all under 10 years, have had dan
gerous routes to travel. A car
line runs ON one Side of the school
and two other lines run parallel
with this, two and three blocks
away.
Mrs. Logan regarded the street
car crossing by this school as a
good place to demonstrate the work
of the coppet- She and three other
volunteers were broken in by the
head of the city traffic department
one morning at $50, and for half
an hour they were kept busy pilot
tween the four sidewalks Of the
crossing.
The children took with enthusi-
asm to the mamma policeman as
they at once nicknamed the Vo1un-
teer traffic officers. They also re-
sponded to the efforts of the women
to teach them how to cross the
streets. Dangers of diagonal cross
ing and of neglecting to watch for
automobiles were explained so that
the children would be more care
full at corners unprotected by traf-
fic guardians.
From that beginning the project
spread to Is school centers in one
week, and it is being extended al
most as rapidly now. Even in the
suburbs, women have volunteered
to patrol the railroad crossings near
school buildings. One notably dan
gerous suburban crossing not far
from a school is now being regular
ly guarded at school time.
The corps of coppets is being or
ganized Systematically. Each wo-
man who volunteers is listed for
the time she can give, whether at
eight-thirty, twelve or three O'Clock.
Records are kept to show whether
she is to serve every day or only
on one or two of the five school
days.
If it happens that the coppet can
not be at her post, she is expect
ed to supply a substitute, remem-
bering that the requirements for a
coppet are willingness to stick to
business and love for children.
Mrs. Logan had one experience with
visiting" among a group of work
ers who should have been watch
ing traffic, even though things had
Stacked up for few minutes. She
explained to them plainly that dur
ing the half hour on duty a coppet
must be alert every instant. Her
presence means that the children
depend on her instead of looking
out for themselves, and she must
take care of them. There has been
no conversation between traffic
squads on duty since
No Fuss or Feathers.
The protection of school children
on the street is being developed
along the simplest possible lines.
The eoppet needs no special uni
form A white band above each