Evening star., 1936-07-19
ny JESSIE FAINT EVANS.

IF THE lure of old houses Is one Of
your special weaknesses. often the
sight Of a fine old home, left like
L a sentinel of former greatness in
a neighborhood from which other evi-
dences of past grandeur nave long
since departed, gives you q profound
sense of sadness. Such Is happily not
the case with 324 Virginia avenue
southeast Here. today, under the name
of Friendship House, it extends the
hand of good fellowship and OF neigh.
borly kindness to this immediate COM
munity and far beyond its midst.
It's history goes back to the year
1900, when 1t was built upon an emf
nence overlooking the Potomac, across
what were then intervening helds, by
DR.. Frederick May. newly come by way
of Dartmouth and Harvard to the Cap
ital City, which was then in the max
ing. In this home DR.. May was destined
to become one Of Washington's leading
physicians and the founder Of its
medical society.
In 1918 1t came into the posses
sion of Mayor Samuel Smallwood, mer-
chant prince Of his day in this vicinity.
the first mayor Of washington to be
elected by popular vote, as he was the
first out of 20 city fathers to die during
his term Of office.
Could See Busy Wharf.
From this. his residence. Mayor
Smallwood could plainly see the wharf
which came to bear his family name.
located between Third and Fourth
streets. There could be seen, too. the
tall masts of two. three and four
masted sailing vessels. riding at anchor
while their cargoes. chiefly OF lumber
and coal, were unloaded by singing
crews of colored stevedores and drawn
away by strings Of horse. mule and
oxen drawn carts.
Over Q century later Miss Lydia A.
Burklin. head worker at Friendship
House. and her corps of assistants are
quietly doing a piece of civic work IN
this same old home which includes
ministrations that even the Great Ply
sician Himself might approve, If We
bear in mind His injunction, In 50
much as you have done it unto the least
Of these. so have you also done 1t unto
Me"
Nor Is the hospitable spirit Of its
older day and time missing. For
when after several times losing my
way in search Of this historic old
house, I chanced in just at luncheon
time, the children who fill to over
flowing its nobly proportioned rooms,
none too spacious for its present needs,
with sort Of grave courtesy said:
We'll find Miss Burklin: We imagine
she will want you to stay to lunch"
Considerably to my embarrassment,
Miss Burklin did. with that rare
courtesy which makes the unexpected
guest one of a family, be it large or
small without apology or illustration.
The littlest one at Friendship House
as we passed several smaller rooms
en- route to the one where the older
group have their monday meal, called
out, to this stranger in their midst,
IF you don't like greens, just you see
me eat mine" and with gusto he pro-
ceeded to consume his spinach in a
way that would have been an incen-
tive to the least green minded per-
son I can imagine.
Wholesome Luncheon Served.
What a wholesome one that lunch
con was. too. Tall glasses Of milk,
generous servings seconds If you SO
elected and most folks did of baked
macaroni combined with ground meat,
spinach salad served with lemon
iuice and oil, and extremely good at
that; bread, butter, peanut butter. too,
and fresh fruit for every, one. Their
merry conversation, the refreshing
gusto of their appetites and the nicely
of their table manners, as well as
their courtesy in making me their
guest feel at home in their environ
ment, was indeed delightful sxperi-
ence that for a considerable time
overiapped my interest in the long
ago time of which the old house had
once been such an intimate part.
Today, 1926 Virginia avenue south
east, which is the house next door TO
the May-Smallwood House and the
exact replica of 1t. is also the prop
erty of the Friendship House group.
Together they constitute the head
quarters Of a motivating influence
which, like the radian spirit OF q
good neighbor, reaches out toward
heIpfulness with life's responsibilities
and the sharing Of joys and sorrows.
Senator Mckinley of Illinois not only
gave the first $1,000 toward this ex-
pansion, but made possible its flnai
ACQUISITION by lending the money to
finance its purchase.
Here, 35 children, whose employed
mothers are in most cases, the sole
support of whole families, are cared
for during their mothers working
hours, given 2 monday meal and pro-
vided with the proper periods Of rest
and play. The rate of pay for this
project varies according to the moth
er,s circumstances. and ranges from
a little more than full cost to q tiny
sum that will preserve self-respect
Miss Mary Moore Miller, . graduate
of Swarthmore. is in charge OF the
Day Home, as this service which
Friendship House renders its neigh
borhood is called. Mrs. Bernice An
derson Kendall assists in this phase
of the work and with the recreational
facilities.
Based upon . list Of names fur.
nished by the neighborhood schools.
from 80 to IS Summer school days OF
instruction are given pupils in the
first and second grades whose early
learning stages are in need Of bolster
ing. Miss Vizannah Carrier and Miss
Anne Marie Anderson are In charge
of the Summer School work and Of
the nursery school which Is an all
around-the- year feature at Friend
ship House.
Music and Art Glasses.
Then there are classes in music and
art with group, and such individual
instruction, as talent and interest
may require. Miss Doris Hilton Is
the art instructor and Miss Jessie
Owen guides the music lovers along