Evening star., 1943-01-31
District PT-A Asks CIothino
For Needy Children in Schools
Student Aid Group Finds War Needs Cut
Heavily Into Supply Of Necessities
BY MRS. P. c. ELLETT,


President District of Columbia Congress o.
Parents and Teachers.
In the hurry and stress of war ac-
tivities everyday responsibilities are
very apt to be overlooked, if not for
gotten entirely. Sometimes this may
mean real tragedy, or in any event
sadness or hardship.
One such everyday responsibility
of the parent-teacher association is
its student-aid work. Week after
week throughout the school year
this work is carried on, unobtrusive-
ly but none the less effectively
Each Wednesday scores of children
who are certified as needy by their
teachers are cared for in the rooms
OF this committee. If they were not
able to secure new, or good used
clothing. they would be unable to
remain in school. Frequently, when
child is sent to the parent teacher
student-aid rooms, he comes with all
the clothes he owns on his back.
Often they are badly worn: fire.
quently they are soiled. Many times
the child's feet literally are on the
ground.
This committee was organized
many years ago for the sole purpose
OF providing needy children with
vearable clothing. Through these
years compassionate women have
carried on the work, bringing to
each case a personal interest, prid-
ing themselves upon suiting the
Clothing to the child. And always
this work is done so quietly that a
childs next-door playmates are un-
aware of what has taken place.
But the war and it's attendant
activities have cut heavily the
amount of clothing contributed to
this committee. At the present time
shelves are practically bare. There
are no dresses for girls in the group
from II to is, no boys clothes and
very few socks and stockings.
While all of us are aware that
every one is being cautioned to take
special care of clothing, in order that
1t may last as long as possible, yet
these necessltous children also must
be cared for. And there is no other
way whereby they may be supplied.
Friends of children all over the
city are asked to contribute any,
thing they can spare in the way OF
usable garments to this committee.
Members will gladly repair or re-
make wherever necessary-their only
request being that the clothing be
clean. The chairman OF the COM
mittee, Mrs. Harold Salmon, whose
telephone is Emerson 4l62, will glad
ly see that any bundles are called
for and delivered to the rooms. How
ever, if the donor is able to take or
send them there, the address is
Gales School, First street and Mas
sachusetts avenue NV.
II you have clothing OF any kind
that may be useful to this commit
tee, you may be sure it will be put
to the best possible use. And in spite
OF war booms and easy jobs, there
still are children whose parents are
unable properly to provide for them,
and who must depend upon the
generosity Of others until they are
OF the wage-earning age.
At the meeting of the Executive
Committee last Tuesday afternoon
the following were elected members
of the Convention Committee: Mrs.
Hildegarde Davenport, Mrs. Y. D.
Mathes, Mrs. Florence Rogers, Mrs.
Howard Jones and Mrs. Edward r.
Seal.
The first session of the new lass
In parent cation, to be cc..ducted
jointly by the D. c. C>ngress of
Parents and Teaches and the
George Washington University, will
be held February l8 at 10 am, in
room 30l, Hall OF Government, at
the university. Mrs. Y. D. Mathes,
seventh vice president of the con-
eress, in charge of the department
of home service. is handling the
registrations for the class, and Miss
Myrtle Moore, chairman OF parent
education for the congress, is assist
ing Dean James Harold Fox of the