Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-01
MOTHERS CAMPS
BUILD NEW HEALTH
Emaciated Children Gain, on
Average, Two Pounds Each
on TwO-Week Outing.

VII WU"VCEh Oulltlgs
Once upon a time there lived man
who was said by his friends to possess
mat peculiar attachment for money
mat SO often brands the word tight
Wad across a persons brew He was
so stlngN and mean, in fact, that he
never threw away his used typewriter
ribbons and always saved the carbon
removed from tbs cylinders of his
ton and thought everybody else
should stay at home throughout the
hot summer months.
one day, as he described it, he was
hooked by the Associated Charities
aor $40 contribution to be applied
10 the Summer camps maintained for
the poor and undernouriShed. To
part with that money just about broke
his heart He brooded over the loss,
inquired up the interest it would have
earned in the bank, and by the end OF
The week he had worked up chronic
case or nervous indigestion.
Visits Camp Good will.
Unable to stand the strain any
longer, he determined to find out what
was done with his $40. So he went
out 10 Camp Good Will and Camp
Pleasant. He reached the former
place in Rock Creek Park about din
ner time on a day that was hot and
humid in the city. He became CON
Scious of the pure. embracing air
scented with the aroma of trees and
wild flowers. He also noticed that he
did not feel as hot and sticky as when
lle left the city.
The first sight that greeted his eyes
was a large concrete swimming pool,
Enclosed by, a high wire fence. In
the pool 80 or more screaming small
boys We're diving. splashing. floating
and swimming. Then he walked over
to building bearing a brass plate to
the effect that the Kiwanis Club had
presented it to the camp in 1926
Within he found a score or more
babies up to the age of A.. Some were
In cribs and some were occupying tiny
chairs at a long table cut down to
Mt their needs. They had just been
left there by their mothers and were
learning how to eat alone. Every
other one was bawling it's little heart
out and at the same time stuffing
food into an open mouth. Gradually
the noise subsidized until there wasn't
sound from the tots. The cry of the
stomach took precedence over the
bawl for mama"
Prayer of Thanks Given.
Satisfied that the place was neat
and clean, that the food was sound
and wholesome, that the spotless
white-capped nurses would see to all
of the children's wants, he walked
across to another building which was
filled with the older children-from
to 12-and the mothers. This was
the dining room. also presented by
the Kiwanis Club. He found every
one standing at his and her plate.
At q given signal from Ernest l..
Wilkinson, resident superintendent of
the camp, the little voices chimed out
the following grace:
For peace and for plenty.
For freedom and rest.
From the East to the West.
With its red white and blue.
We thank Thee. dear Father.
With hearts that are true
He felt chill run down his spine
and needles up into his face. Then
he heard a pretty young woman an
nounce that table No. won the
prize for the cleanest table after break
fast this morning." and saw her
present an American flag. in "A glass
vase, to the victors. who showed as
much enthusiasm as if nickeis were
being handed out.
Then everybody settled down to a
hearty meal of salmon, mashed pota-
toes, sliced tomatoes, milk, bread and
butter, and a constant buzz was all
that could be heard from the dining
room. He looked over the little faces
at the table-faces that were thin,
drawn, emaciated. These children had
only been there two days, but the
steady program, healthy atmosphere
and exercises had given them appe-
tites of men from the fields.
Morning Is Busy.
He noticed schedule posted in
the camp which set forth the follow |
ing activities between rising time and |
dinner: First call at $50, then |
reveille and baby breakfast; setting |
mp exercises, flag raising. breakfast, |
toothbrush drill. police tents and |
camps, tent inspection, physical edu |
cation for boys; hygiene for girls, |
hapdiwork for girls, campcraft and |
for boys: girls swimming |
hour: lecture to boys on hygiene and |
other subjects; boys swimming hour, |
girls folk dancing class, baby dinner, |
first call for dinner, and dinner.
In the afternoon beginning at 1890, |
the following was scheduled: Library |
period, rest hour, recreation, hikes, |
etc, boys and girls separately; swim /
period for mothers and small chill |
dren; girls swim, boys swim, girls |
games first call for supper, supper,
flag lowering, games, sick call, enter |
tainment or sing at pavilion. call to |
quarters, taps for boys and girls, and |
mothers bedtime at o'clock.
A busy day. but we'll regulated and I
not overeXerting. He walked around /
among the tents. He counted 81, each |
six persons. In vail /
but a few he discovered that at least
one mother was assigned TO a tent
The remainder housed boys old enough
to provide for themselves.
Twenty-Five Mothers i'm Camp.
Scattered about the grounds were
facilities for entertainment and recre-
alton of every sort. If a child wanted |
to indulge in everything on and off |
The schedule he wouldn't have a min
lte's rest from dawn to dusk.
An examination of the statistics /
showed 1853 guests, 25 of whom were
mothers. There was one mother pres
ent whose husband had deserted her
and eight children, all under IL years
IF age. What a task for this poor
crowded in stuffy quarters,
10 keep her family safe and we'll with
he sun beating down numerically
and buildings keeping out air, No |
wonder she doesn't want to go home.
The records also revealed another