Evening star., 1952-07-08
Church Group
To Take Part
.InCIeonup
By Ruth Deem

~ U1tu SSSu
Members Of the Women's De-
partment Of the Washington Fed
Grafton of Churches will put on
their blue denims and roll up
their sleeves next week for their
new cleanup project in Southwest
Washington.
One of the latest groups to take
part in the Southwest Work
Camp. q Quaker-sponsored prof.
ect, the churchwomen are not
only providing funds but are tax
ing an active part in cleaning up
Washington's alley dwellings,.
The campaign was begun last
summer by the American Friends
Service Committee as an aim for
better citizenship and brother
hood. Continued on week ends
through the rest Of the year by
the local Friends Meeting, it has
since drawn persons Of different
faiths. races and occupations. The
work with both white
and Negro families under a share
the-Work plan. The dwelling own
ers supply the materials and the
volunteers donate the initial
labor, with the suggestion, how
ever. that the tenants do their
share.
The churchwomen. representing
% Protestant denominations, will
do plastering. painting and simple
carpentry.
In a real sense, their response
to the new task will be in keeping
with the spirit with which they
tackled another Southwest project
more than q dozen years ago.
Old timers perhaps remember
their campaign to place window
flower boxes in the homes Of alley
dwelling residents. Their hope
that lone spot of beauty viii start
Others" was rewarded in better
groomed houses and painted win
dow sills.
For several years now. the group
has concentrated its programs for
children from Washington's con-
gested areas away from the home
lin the church, on the playground
and at camp.
This year. they're taking those
programs back to the hearth with
the belief that more can be ac-
complished for the child by i'm
proving his environment while at
the same time teaching him new
things in familiar surroundings.
Consequetly. the churchwomen
are centering in the crowded
area a great many of their an
nual summer projects, heretofore
scattered throughout the city.
To Miss Eta Mai Russell, vet
eran social worker and director
OF the Woman's Department Of
the Washington Federation of
Churches, and Mrs. Ralph Smith,
chairman of the departments
Christian Social Relations Com
has fallen the task of di-
recting the program.
The project was inagurated at
the suggestion. of Mrs. L. MAYNARD
Catchings. director Of the fedora
tion's department Of social well
fare. Mrs. Catchings has been
working with the Advisory Com
mittee of the Friends group for
the last year. setting up the prof.
ect for the churchwomen's par
ticipation.
The volunteers will have two
fold duties. One group will be en-
gagged in the cleanup operation.
Another will direct the recreation
and religious training of children
OF the neighborhood. The latter
program is a direct outgrowth Of
the church day camp experiment
last summer for children unable
to 60 away to camp. Arrange
ments will be made for buses to
pick UP the youngsters and their
work leaders for trips to nearby
camping areas.
The churchWomen's annual doll
adoption project. held in different
churches throughout the city in
past years, will also play its part
in the new program. The dolls,
dressed by churchwomen, will be
used in demonstrating the funda-
mentals Of child care to girls, 6 to
IL years of age.
So that the public will be atle
to see the results of their work,
the churchwomen will sponsor q
"go and see" tour Of the renovated
dwellings on July "a. Only those
making reservations at the church,
headquarters at 1851 N
street NV, viii be permitted to
take the tour.