Evening star., 1942-10-07
Day Stretches 10 Il
Hours at Nursery for
i 10 5 Year 0|ds
Volunteers of America
Operate Place That
Can Accommodate 50

The first little child comes at
6:45 in the morning and the last
little one leaves at 6:45 pm. at the
new free day nursery for children
OF Washington working mothers
operated by the Volunteers of
America at 1925 Sixteenth street
NV.
Huge hollow blocks, with holes in
the middle that little hands can
grasp, undersized tables and chairs
clothes and towel cabinets standing
at an easy height for children from
18 months to years of age fill the
first and second floors of the nur-
sery.
Youngest children play downstairs
IN two large playrooms, near their
dining room. Children from 3 to S
60 upstairs, where also stand 80 cribs
waiting for their small occupants at
nap hour every day.
A midday lunch and light snacks
In the morning and afternoon are
the only meals served to the chill
dren. Miss Hilda Peterson, direc-
tor, predicted, however, that the
nursery might have to expand and
serve other meals if the working day
continues to stretch. At present
she is assisted by two paid workers
and six volunteers who help in the
care of the youngsters.
Charts for Each.
The nursery has charts on the wall
on which are recorded the time of
arrival and of departure of each
child. Soon there will be more de-
tailed charts concerning each young
ster's diet needs, hours of sleep in
the afternoon and any other facts
the teachers and parents should
know.
One mother, Mrs. Richard Leazen-
by, a Stenographer at the Bitumi-
nous Coal Commission, expressed her
delight with the nursery service,
saying, "You just can't imagine how
much week at the nursery has done
for my Rhoda Anne. She's learning
SO much"
Rhoda Anne, aged 18 months, in
deed looked very self sufficient as
she struggled with her hat and coat
which she was trying to put on
by herself.
Miss Peterson said that the pres
ent number of children, 20, will un-
doubtedly increase and that they
can accommodate up to so.
Meanwhile, consideration of the
Randolph bill to permit the estab-
lishment of public low-cost nursery
schools for children of working
mothers in the public schools awaits
consideration by the Senate District
Committee.
Opinion Awaited.
Chairman McCarran requested an
opinion on the bill from the Dis
trict Commissioners late last week.
1t is expected that the report of the
Commissioners and the Budget Bu-
reau will reach the committee today
or tomorrow
Four national organizations rep
resented in the National Commits
sion for Young Children sent a spe-
cial delivery letter to Senator Nc
Carran, received yesterday, urging
him to put his efforts and influence
back of H. r. 7511 (the Randolph
bilD, which will greatly facilitate
proper programs of care for pre-
school children in the District of
Columbia.
The letter. signed by Rose H. Al
schuler of Chicago, chairman of the
commission, which has Washington
headquarters at 1914 Cathedral ave-
nue. NV, stated further: This i'm
mediate bill is of vital Importance
to the proper functioning of the ma
chinery in Washington. If women
are to do the necessary work at this
time to help win the war, and if the
future citizens of our country are to
be properly protected, we must
have adequate programs for the care
of young children Immediately"
Another Letter Received.
The four national organizations
represented in the commission are
the American Association of Uni
versity Women, the Association for
Childhood Education, the National
Association for Nursery Education
(the professional nursery teachers
group and the Progressive Progress
sive Education Association.
A letter urging the immediate
consideration of the nursery school
bill was received by Senator Nc
Carran's office from Mrs. Rae Ia
shon, president of the Board of Di-
rectors of the Juanita kaufman Nye
Council House, 5119 Thirty eighth
street NV.
Miss Alice Mendham, chairman of
the Emergency Committee for the
Group Day Care Of Young Children,
which is the city-wide body Of Dis
trict organizations interested in
expanding group care for children
Of working mothers, reported that
the District Voteless League of
Women Voters, the Washington
Federation Of Churches and other
groups in the committee are send
ing letters and kilograms to Senator
McCarran to insure speedy action
on the bill.
They asked for . scrap-now let
'em have It Collect yours now.