The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-08-23
CHILDREN IN
NEAR EAST GET
BEST OF CARE
North Dakota Woman Gives
Vivid Description of
Methods Used to Aid
BATH IS IMPORTANT

An intimate and pleasing descrip-
ton of the care given the children
in the Near East homes under the di-
rection of the American Near East
Relief workers is rel, Nd in letter
received by Mrs. Alfred Zuger from
Miss Alma Kerr relief worker at
Beirut, Syria who visited in Bismarck
+his summer while on leave from the
East where she had been serving for
the past five years.
Surprising as it seems to some
American children Miss Kerr states
in her letter that the children of the
East look forward to bath and in
spection time" as special delight.
The entertainment features of the
"relicf workers, sounds so interest
ing from Miss Kerr's description that
it is likely to attract many Of them.
A part Of the letter reads as fol-
lows:
would it interest you to know
some of the things I do each day? To
explain that I shall describe the diff
fercnt buildings. First we have a
large building, Ramapo hall, where
800 boys live. It was formerly a mis-
sion school. Next to this we have
Ford hall, built by the Near East Re-
lief where 200 little tots live, the
nursery so to say, next to the hospi-
tai which has usually 30 patients,
with nine or ten incurables, who de-
sire to end their last days there
rather than 60 to the T. B. hospital
where we have a great many cases.
Personnel House
"Then we have personnel house
where from choice l do not live,
since l wish to be near the girls, but
60 over there for all my meals.
Halfway between Ramapo and the
two girls orphanges we have the
trade buildings, carpenter shops,
blacksmithing, garage, tinsmith, tail
or shops, shoemakers, stocking ma
chimes, etc.
another building which visit
or inspect every day is the bakery
and oven. 1t has the Central kitchen
and canning department which does
not come under my supervision, luck
lily for the customers.
"Then in addition to the above we
have all the girls trades which per-
sonally supervise, the laundry and
baths for 1900 children. including
mending for nearly 1000 boys. 1t
keeps me busy and do not make the
rounds until noon when l am nearly
dead for it gets simply roasting hot
at noon. But you know l am so
happy doing it that 60 about here
humming all day long and never
get out Of temper, even when find
heads full of live lice or fleay boys,
all due to someone's neglect.
Tomorrow morning get UP at a
o'clock, because we have recently in
stalled laundry and bath which re-
quires my personal supervision, for
some time, until it is organized. The
workers are so slow that the hot wa
ter which runs continuously is vast
ed and it takes real fast American
to get them moving. Last Saturday
l had 700 children bathed in less than
two hours when it usually takes a
day and a half. We have all the chill
dren standing at attention under the
hot spray, with twenty six boys,
with bath cloth made of Irvine,
held into a round holder
by stitching and bound with un-
"'ecched muslin. It's great for 'a.h.
ing. They all begin scrubbing the
little ones. At the signal from the
""gir- room the water is turned
on and at another signal, all these
children move and give their places
to others waiting in line. It's breath
less work and each child prays for
the whistle to never stop for they
love the hot water, and look forward
to baths and inspection each week
end. The inspection is military.
Not All Work
1T is not all work though. had
a most enjoyable time at Beirut sew
eral weeks ago. Every other week
end have had guests here. I was
a guest up at the college at Presi-
dent Dodge's Inauguration. He is a
friend of mine. There were recep-
tions and other things going on. Then
the American Consus> gave a dance
at the Country club which enjoyed
heaps as we had ship from our
navy in, with lots Of handsome
young officers. Then we had moon
light swimming parties and best of
all, the English friend whom men,
toned to you once was here from
Egypt for day or two and found
him looking SO much better, that
almost feel certain that he is going
to recover completely from the re.
suits Of the war.
Last week end when my friends
came out, we went hunting for anti
ques in the old tombs. l have been
out three times this week, and found
some tear bottles, but they were in
rather poor condition. This after.
noon we drove down to Heliopolis,
an old ancient site, which has been
covered with tombs and dug down
quite q lot, not finding a thing. II
is most interesting for each tomb
has, q space for three sarcophagii