The Washington times., 1936-12-22
LIFE OF CHRIST
ENTRANCES
CHILDREN

Seated in a circle on the kin
dergarten floor about 80 young
sterS listen~d with rapt atten.
tion to the young teacher who
was telling them the story Of Beth
lehem.
Most Of them were shabby.
Several, especially girls, had
atrocious haircuts done at home.
None of the rosy chubbiness of
childhood here. These children
live in one of the poorest sections
Of the city and rs per cent of
their parents are on relief.
But for the moment poverty
and hunger were forgotten. They
watched with breathless interest
as the teacher held up each
painted cardboard figure. First,
the three shepherds, then the
lambs, then the manger and,
finally, the Christ Child. Their
little bodies quivered with eager
ness as they responded to queS-
tionS.
A small boy in a sailor blouse
and overalls-very clean-waS
shifting, his pale face, watery
eyes and redeemed nose mute evil
dence of bad cold. He should
have been home in bed "A little
girl with straight yellow hair cut
just anyway, lovely blue eyes with
dark circles under them and q
thin, frail, little body was so alb
sorbed in the story she was tense.
The school room was cheerful
The young teacher, a former art
student, had painted mag
nificent Santa Claus on brown
wrapping paper. Seated in a
sleigh beside a bag of brightly
colored toys, he was drawn by
eight reindeer over a SnoW-covered
expanse. A Christmas tree stand
ing in a corner added to the fes-
tive air.
So absorbed were the children
they hardly glanced at the visi-
tors who included the head Of the
primary department, Miss Ida
Lind: her assistant, Miss LaVerne
Walker, the principal and a re-
porter.
The principal whispered these
children are depression victims,
their plight heartbreaking.
In many cases their homes are
divided, with the father, perhaps,
in jail most of the time. Many
of the parents cannot read or
write. Ten children is not un-
usual. often living in one room
without sufficient covering and
often without beds. In many
cases there are no bathrooms
and the only running water is
that at the kitchen sink.
The principal said:
"HOw their mothers ever
get them to school clean is q
mystery. I couldn't describe the
dirt and squalOr in which they
live, but they come to school
clean" ....
In one of the first grade class
rooms a group Of backward child
ren were drawing Christmas bells,
to be sent as invitations to their
parents for a party.
The average age for children in
the first grade is seven but these
youngsters were nine and ten
They looked six. Malnutrition
and desperate poverty had done
its work.
Teachers HerOines
To the teachers, the unsung
heroineS of school history, must
go the credit for the renabilita
ton of these youngsters. A
teachers work is supposed to be
over at 8 o'clock, but not in the
the elementary schools which un-
derprivileged children attend. Half
of their duties include welfare
work. Visits to homes, clinics,
the Women's Bureau, conferences
with parents have to be made.
The story of Geraldine is an ex-
ample.
Geraldine, child of a mother
VINO WASN'T all Sne SnOulQ DE
and a father who wanted to be
kind but didn't know how, was
seven. At midnight she could be
found in a "beer joint" eating her
supper. The dimes her father
gave her for car fare she spent at
a movie. Oh Geraldine knew
what life was all about and her
language savored of the water
front.
Quite A Problem
She didn't get along with the
other children, lied and stole and
already had spent several months
at the Industrial Home School
Geraldine was finally placed in
home. Latest reports show she is
improving under the influence OF
proper shelter, clothing and food
Out of the $4,000 children at
tending elementary schools in the
District $500 are in the under
privileged class" This means that
not only are they on relief, but
IT