Evening star., 1942-11-01

of age. In ad0ltlOn 10 pilyS1Cdl coAAi-
forts in surroundings of beauty and
neace. the women we're offered the
opportunity of instruction in hand
crafts, including weaving, knitting
candle dipping and making rag
toys"
Women Eager
To Attend Glasses.
Nearly all of the 80 women living
In the home eagerly attended classes
l., +hese handcrafts with a number
soon becoming so skilled that they,
in turn. were able to assist their IN
structor, Mrs. Amelia Coates, as
teachers. Mrs. Coates speciality is
weaving and it did not take long 1of
her students to start turning out a
variety of beautifully woven articles,
including scarves, table sets and
bfankers. A rrmand for these
items soon was made by friends and
visitors who frequently purchased
articles still uncompleted on the
looms.
Realizing how much their new
found avocation meant to them,
several of the Lisner weavers banded
together under the leadership Oh
Mrs. Coates for the purpose OF help
ing the less fortunate old women at
Blue Plains Home for the Aged by
tnstructing them also in the art OF
weaving.
The service to those at Blue Plains
Included not only instruction., but
a complete supply of looms. warps,
shuttles and threads. incidentally,
all looms used at the Lisner Home
are made by the resident engineer,
Henry Beckert, who has become an
expert in producing looms OF various
shapes and sizes.
The first expedition to Blue Plains
was made on May l. Five OF the
pioneer weavers at Lisner, accom-
panied by Mrs. Coates and Mr..
Beckert, started out with station
wagon piled high with necessary
materials for weaving.
Blue Plains Women
Soon Become Expert.
Within three months the weavers
at Blue Plains had become so expert
that their work attracted the at
tention of many and soon more
looms we're contributed by ndlvl-
duals as we'll as by the WPA and
the NYA, while a committee OF in
terested women raised the necessary
funds for materials.
In fact, the introduction OF weav-
Ing at Blue Plains has proven SO
successful that the responsibility 1or
continuing the work has been as
sumed by the District House and
Senate Committees and salary Tor
an occupational therapist there mas
been granted.
But materials and equipment are
still needed at Blue Plains. wnere
MANY an aged woman now flnds Joy
and remuneration in her newly
learned accomplishment.
To finance these materials, women
In the Lisner Home will hold the
bazaar on Wednesday when articles
of their own workmanship Will oe
placed on sale. These include va
riety of attractive items particu-
larly appropriate for Christmas
gifts. Rag toys of attractive design
made by hand, include character
dolls, "cuddly' toys and fascinating
little doll bean bags. There Will
also be all-wool scarves and hand
woven blankets as we'll as beautl-
fully knit socks for men designed
from the 100 per cent wool OF pre-
priority" days.
Opportunity to Meet
Fine Spirited Group.
The opportunity to meet the fine
epirited women, many in their 7OS.
who have made and contributed the
articles to be sold, should be suth-
Gent attraction to draw many to
the bazaar.
In addition to helping those at
Blue Plaias. a gIeup of the "Lisners'
nav a weekly visit to the Hillcrest
Childrens Village on Nebraska ave-
nue. to darn and mend all the little
garments in need Of repair.
The staff at the Llsner Home who
cooperate gladly with the charl-
table work Of the residents includes
Mrs. Gladys Krause, director; Miss
Mary Edith Coulson, associate dl-
rector; Miss Dorothy Rupert, R. NJ;
Mr.. Beckert, engineer, and Mrs.
Esrne Ertz, secretary.