Evening star., 1922-11-30
EYEG[ASS FUND
SOUGHT BY CLUB
Will Be Memorial to the Late
William Henry Fox,
District 0cuIist.

A memorial fund to furnish needed
eyeglasses for patients Of the Epis-
copal Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital
and its free dispensary who other
wise would be unable to buy them
is the latest Of a list of charitable
activities of the X. F. r. Club. which
extends back nearly fifty years.
The X. F. r. Club (nobody except
members knows what the letters
stand for. and the last survivor
will take the secret with him) may
be new to some Washingtonians.
Mighty few hereabouts are older.
however. 1t Is the continuation of
| boys club founded in 1871 by a
group of local youngsters. which in
cluded Jesse Grant. son of President
Grant, and a number of others who
have risen to prominence here and
elsewhere.
The memorial fund is intended as a
practical tribute to the late William
Henry Fox. well known oculist of
Washington: one Of the founders of
the local hospital and forty -four
years member of the K. F. r. 1t is
hoped it will total s5o.OOo. The
X. F. r. boys" although not now
nearly so numerous as they once
were, have way Of putting things
like this over.
In a letter sent out today to friends
Of the club. Albion X. Paris of this
city, who was one OF the founders
and who. az acting secretary-treas-
urer. Is largely responsible for hold
ing the boys" scattered all over the
world. firmly together. says:
Letter Goes Out.
MANY patients attending the hos
pttal and diSpenSary urgently require
glasses. but are too poor to pay for
them. An endowment fund to meet
this need will be but modest token
of appreciation of the faithful and
sacrificing service DIR. Fox rendered
his unremitting efforts to encourage
1t to minister to the needy. In view
of the worthinesS of the proposed
plan and the affection in which we
hold the memory Of DIR. Fox. we in
vite your interest and financial aid"
BY no means all the friends. ad-
mirers and grateful patients of DR..
Fox and of the hospital can be
reached by letter. Every one. how
ever. is invited to contribute. Checks
Paris. S23 18th street northwest.
The campaign is in charge of a spe-
cial committee, composed of Blair
Lee, chairman: Col. William c. Bor-
den. U. S. ~: Benjamin Miller. Com
mander Augustus c. Almy. U. S. N.
and Mr.. Paris. ,
BishOp Approves Effort.
You have my hearty good wishes
for the success Of your most worthy
effort" Bishop Alfred Harding has
written the secretary-treasurer. land
l am sure you have the appreciation
of the board of governors in this
worthy undertaking"
DIR. Fox. who died last November.
practiced here for many years and
devoted a great part Of his time to
the Episcopal Eye, Ear and Throat
Hospital. He was a member of an
oldtime Washington family.
During its first years this remark
able society of boy chums main
tanned a program of charitable, civic.
literary. dramatic and social activ-
! tiles as interesting as 1t was varied
and, sometimes. amusing.
As Adults, Keep Up Work.
The same boys. grown up. have
kept up the work. quietly. but con-
sistently. and with the same youth
full enthusiasm.
The club was started in 1871 by
Jesse Grant and five others. OF whom
Mr.. Paris was one. Its first club
house was toolshed In the White
few of the countless boys clubs that
have survived. and with the same
membership, except for inevita ble e
losses by death. Its members, though
scattered, keep together by annual
reunions. More than a dozen still
live here in their boyhood town. The
club celebrated its iftieth anniver-
thirty out OF thirty nine living men,
berS present