Evening star., 1939-12-17
By JESSIE FAINT EVANS.

DIV AN fAINSs
Elizabeth Smith of the Goodwill
Industries of Washington is Santa
Claus helper the year around, not
merely during this busy month Of
December.
To her work table at 1918 New
Hampshire avenue go all the dis
carded dolls that the Goodwill In
dustries collects in the bags which
it distributes to the public at large
for its castoffs.
With such simple equipment as a
pan of soap and water, curling
iron, pair of pincers, needle and
thread and a pair of scissors, plaster
of paris, flatiron and her paint
brushes, she transforms seemingly
hopelessly wrecked, but once treas
ured dolls, into lust as good as new
ones" Sometimes, indeed, they turn
out to be a great deal handsomer
dolls than they ever were before
such is the alchemy of her art.
Makes Dreams Come True.
The result is, at Christmas time
hundreds of little girls who might
otherwise have sighed in vain for
the doll of their fondest imaginings
have their dreams come true in the
one who smiles at them from their
Christmas stocking.
Right now, of course, there aren't
minutes enough in Elizabeth's days
for care and skill with which she
ministers unto each sick" doll as
if it were a real child being show
cred with a mothers affection.
Upon the records of the Goodwill
Industries Elizabeth is only one of
many whose thwarted destiny is
Towering into service for others.
Elizabeth was a victim of infan-
tile paralysis at S. She couldn't 60
to school until she was 10. Despite
such intermittent care as her par
ents could afford her feet are hope
lessly crippled. Eventually she was
trained in the art of hair dressing
at the o Street Vocational School
But when she went to put her skill
into practice she found she couldn't
stand upon those crooked feet Of
hers, with their paralyzed muscles
the eight hours necessary to hold
down such a job.
Radiant Spirit.
Now she sits upon a high swive.
chair before the dolls she loves sc
well, with a tall hassock adjusted
to the correct height for the feet
that tire almost Immediately when
too great strain is put upon them
She is 80 happy" all the day long
too, in the work she is doing, that
one stands humble before the radi-
ance Of her shining spirit. Here in
her little corner of the world, where
for the first time since she has been
grown she knows peace and COM
parative security, the artistic in
stincts of her own soul are Towering
as she earns her daily bread
Because of this, Elizabeth is fal
more than simply an individual
with a job that she can do. She is
the veritable queen of world OF
dolls. Aladdin and the genii of the
tabled lamps were pigmies beside
the magic that she invokes. They
had only to exchange new lamps
for old. She takes dolls that are ap.
parently of no earthly use to any one
and transforms them into master
pieces of the doll-maker's art, which
are joy to behold.
Entirely self-taught, her artistic
instincts and nimble fingers have
made her a doll surgeon of ability
Time and time again she combines
into an assembled doll the heao
from one, the torso from another
and from still others, matching pairs
of arms, legs and even eyes. The
literal ensemble is, in all instances
as fascinating an achievement ir
doll citizenry as was ever produced
anywhere.
Heads Expertly Mended.
Busted" heads are no challenge
at all for Elizabeth. She simply
fills in the gaping wound with plas.
ter of paris, contours it to the right
shape, and sets the head aside te
cool and to set. Then she either
covers up the scar with an up-to.
the-minute wig, or paints it over ir
a make believe hair-do that is equal.
ly fashionable. The wig may oncs
have been a mangy-looking, moth
eaten wreck. Washed, steamed, GU
down, and curled in the most be-
coming fashion, whether it be Shir'
ley Temple curls, or Greta Garbt
bob, the effect couldn't be more en-
trancing
Occasionally Elizabeth tries ne
hand at making wigs out OF th'
hair cuttings people send her afte
they have had their hair bobbed O
shortened. To date she isn't salts
fled with the results of her ef
forts, "even if folks are kind abou
praising me for trying" What Eliz
abeth very much wants is rea
wig maker Ito sometime be will
ing" to teach her the intricacies o
this art
Replacing missing dolls feet, toe
and fingers is no feat either to thi
deft craftswoman. But then, sh
| UOcSIl SGOp W 1ISAC III VIC pdAAo
taking care which goes into tn
process of remodeling and tintin
them 80 that you can't tell wher
they were broken Off"
Lips q Problem.
A little more difficult is the re
construction process for the doll
who have broken mouths. Bit b
bit she builds up the shattered por
tions until they are once agai
bowed in laughter. Then, with he
very tiniest paint brush, she put
the rosy blush of health back upo
their lips.
Quite battling for long time wer
EliIabeth's efforts in the directio
of successful doll eye surgery.
this field missing eye has often t
be put in so skillfully and with sue
delicate touch that 1t will ope
and shut in unison with the one al
ready in the dolls head. Anothe
task requiring much subtlety Is th