Evening star., 1938-12-11
P..T. A. Group Helps
Provide Clothes for
Needy Students
Gifts in YuIe Campaign
Will Aid Yeur-Round
Work of Committee

Hundreds of little tots in the lower
grades and 'teen-age boys and girls
In high schools are furnished with
clothing throughout the school year
by the Student Aid Committee OF
the District Congress Of Parents and
Teachers.
The congress is one Of the dis
tributors each Christmas for thou
sands Of gifts contributed by Christ
mas-minded Washingtonians. it,
volunteer workers, however, function
for almost 10 months of the year In
Q virtually endless task Of collect
ing and repairing clothing for
threadbare school children.
While scores of school mothers
work this week and next handling
the PIT. AS share of donations
through The Star-Warner Bros
N. B. c. Yuletide campaign at their
Christmas headquarters, 6l2 Thir-
teenth street NV, Student Aid
Committee members continue their
regular relief activities in q clothes
and sewing room in the Gale School,
First and G streets NV, an all-year-
round project.
Open During School Year.
For = number Of years, the sewing
room was located in the Park View
School, but recently it was removed
to the more central location near
the Government Printing Once.
Mrs. l.. S. Brooks Is chairman and
Mrs. Warren Bowles assistant chair
man Of the committee. The room
over which they preside each We'd
nesday and Friday of the school
year, from 8 a m. until 3 pm, is less
than half full of clothing now and
most of the stock will At only very
small tots.
However, there is glaring short
age Of shoes, underwear, knickers,
shirts and dresses that can be worn
by growing boys or girls in the
Junior and senior high schools.
Throughout the year, parents who
are able to contribute give their
children's discarded clothing to the
PIT. A., but this does not solve the
problem of anywhere near all the
needy children.
In the sewing room at Gale School
are several sewing machines. op-
Grated mainly by mothers of school
children. In recent weeks, they have
had the aid of two women workers
from the w. P. A. sewing project.
Funds Used to Buy Slippers.
Working with the Student Aid
Committee this Christmas are Mrs
Charles Sinclair. chairman of the
PIT. A. Christmas Campaign Com
mittee, and Mrs. w. c. Jeffries. as
eociate chairman. The Christmas
staff will handle a large portion of
clothing donated to the campaign
and likewise large part Of the gifts
will be repaired by mothers in the
room at Gale.
Last year, part of the PIT. A.
money from The Star campaign was
used to purchase 125 pairs of bed
room slippers for the children at
Glendale Sanatarium. The PIT. A.,
headed by Mrs. Walter B. Fry, pres
ident of the District Congress, re-
Gently allocated $500 of Christmas
money for student aid activities.
On q recent work day at Gale
School, 166 children were fitted and
given clothing. Children coming to
the student aid room often are ac-
companied by their parents, but
hundreds of them walk there from
distant parts of Washington, in all
sorts OF weather. often in rain and
snow, when their shoes are thin
or worn through.
Winter Wraps Needed.
The committees motto is Keep
che Child in School" and last year
2,92l children were given clothing
for that purpose. In October, 466
were furnished garments; in No.
vember, 648.
Not all the committees relief work
Is collecting and repairing old and
used clothing. Part Of its funds is
devoted to buying cloth which is
made into dresses in the sewing
room. Used clothing is dry cleaned
BY . local firm at special prices and
turned over to the school mothers
Tor repairs.
Particularly active on distribution
days, when children needing clothes
present orders from their school
principals, are Mrs. G. F.. Brown,
Mrs. L. S. Kirjassoff, Mrs. A. s,
Mangeni, who does volunteer clerical
work; Mrs. Louisa Frasier and Mrs.
r. G.. Taylor.
AT present there are summer coats
tor children on the racks of the
sewing room, but very few winter
wraps. Although badly needed now,
winter coats usually are not given
% the Student Aid Committee un-
til spring.
Nothing for Older Children.
I'VE have nothing for children
from 10 to Is years DID," Mrs.
Brooks said as she explored the
stock of clothing on hand. There
Is plenty for children 6 years and
slightly older. More than zoo have
been turned away in the last two
weeks because We can't fit them"
One article of clothing often over
looked by donors and one most
needed by almost threadbare school
boys and girls Is underwear. Ac-
cording to Mrs. Brooks, thousands
Of poor children 60 to and from
school in winter time without un-
derclothing to warm their poorly
clad bodies.
Mrs. Brooks has been head of
Student Aid Committee activities
tor the last three years. Working
with her are number of real
P.-T. A. veterans, who have helped
Tor q number of years.
Mrs. Sinclair, heading the PIT. A.
Christmas program, has been
Parent-Teacher Association member
and uporkor for enyoro1 ,.- ~