Evening star., 1945-06-24
Doll Adoption Project
Washington Church Women
Open Ampual Event Fridav
By Gretchen Smith,
Women's Club Editor.

The formal opening of the eighth
annual Doll Adoption Project spon-
sored by the Washington Council OF
Church Women will be observed
Friday, when members of the coun-
ell will entertain at tea from
pm. until late afternoon at All
Souls Unitarian Church, Sixteenth
and Harvard streets NV. Mem
bers OF the council and any person
In the city interested in the Doll
Adoption Project are invited.
Originated eight years ago by Miss
Eta Mai Russell, executive secre-
tary of the Washington Council, the
doll project has lent impetus to the
child care programs, encouraged by
welfare and community health
workers, as we'll as boon to moth
ers during the long vacation months
Each year hundreds of dolls are
dressed by churchwomen who gath
er a. the annual tea bringing dolls
they have dressed and to hear dis
cussions on doll centers or schools
to be planned and conducted during
the summer. These centers are
established throughout the city in
areas where the 300 churches repre-
sented by the Washington Council
Of Church Women, are located. Each
center receives its quota of dolls
which are placed for adoption by
some little girl during the summer.
Several hundred girls, ranging in
ages from to IA, are given admis-
sion cards from teacher, q church
worker, visiting nurse or some
other reliable person and are then
admitted to the doll center where
the newly dressed dolls are waiting
for adoption. Each child is per-
nitted to select the doll which ap-
peals to her. She will be asked her
ideas on what constitutes a good
mother and if her code is thought
inadequate, the chairman at the
adoption center or her assistants
will help with gentle coaching.
Babies should have plenty of air
and sunshine she is told. They
must be kept clean and windows
should be opened in the room where
they sleep"
From her first introduction to the
doll center, the child is unconsciously
absorbing constructive information.
Having passed preliminary test
for foster motherhood, she is per-
mitted to take the doll of her choice
home for two weeks. At the end of
that period. she returns to the GEN.
ter and if her care of the doll has
been satisfactory she is permitted
to have it for keeps"
Teachers and workers in the vari-
Gus centers open doll schools for the
little foster mothers and for two
weeks they are taught the rudi-
ments of child care and sewing,
health rules and physical culture.
They have stories read and learn
courtesy in play while they dress
and undress their new babies.
Miss Russell, who has given many
years to social welfare work, de-
clares the doll schools cannot be
surpassed as centers for the dis
semination of information to older
members of the families.
This years program will introduce
an innovation; promotion of under
standing of South American coun-
tries among the children who attend
the doll adoption centers.
The children will hear stories of
heroes of the other Republics; they
will be shown pictures of costumes
and games of children in different
South American countries and will
learn the health rules taught these
children. as well as their own.
Walt Disney movies on health will
be shown and each doll school will
dress dolls in costumes of at least
one of our Latin American neigh
bors.
At the close of the schools, a sup
ply of dolls, dressed as children of
the United States will be sent to
selected health center in some
South American country where
Doll Adoption Center will be estab-
lished on child care and where the
doll programs used in this country
will be followed.
Fridays tea will offer a program
Of unusual interest Following
talk by Miss Russell, on the purpose
of the doll schools, a discussion of