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CARE FREE KIDS ON THE SEE-SAWS
Did you
ever hear of a man building a home for others? Certainly, you
have. Did you ever hear of a collection, an association of men
building a clubhouse, the main purpose of which, is to afford
pleasure and comfort to many children for a short time during
the season chosen; different crowds of children? No, you, perhaps,
have not. But, that is what the Salesmanship Club of Dallas has
done. These men sit on the cool porch of the big building they
have erected on the shores of Bachman's Lake and listen to the
merry chatter of children at play. These children are their guests.
The house was built for the purpose. It is the club's trophy
of the hunt for a heart.
Nestling in a setting of trees and shrubbery
on the shore of the lake is a veritable paradise for the orphan
children of Dallas during the hot summer months. It is the Salesmanship
camp and was built and furnished by the Salesmanship Club for
the exclusive use of orphan children.
A GROUP OF CHILDREN WHO
ENJOYED THE QUEER HOUSE OF HOSPITALITY
The building
is over 100 feet long and is built solidly and comfortably. It
is designed as a permanent structure more with the idea of making
it more of a home than a summer camp. It is practically glass
inclosed as windows make up the walls on three sides. Underneath
the building, which was elevated to give shady playing room,
are separate dressing-rooms for the boys and girls to be used
after bathing and swimming in the pool. Shower baths and sanitary
toilets are located in each end of the building right off the
big sleeping-rooms.
On the north side of the building,
there is a kitchen and the dining-room, the kitchen being equipped
with a large range and acetylene gas stove, two provision-rooms
and a very large ice box. The building was lighted with acetylene,
but plans were perfected whereby electric lights were installed
and in use the early part of July.
For this summer, the camp has been
greatly improved. It will be possible for the club to entertain
seventy-five little visitors at one time, it being planned that
each group shall stay two weeks out on the shores of Bachman's
Lake. The little girls will be in the west end of the building,
and the boys in the east end.
After arrival at the camp, the
children each pick their cot and locker, and after disposing
of sundry articles, there is a rush for the out of doors, where
the swimming pool immediately claims the majority and there is
a splashing of youthful swimmers and divers. The pool is built
of concrete and is furnished by artesian water, which is constantly
flowing. After the pool comes the swings, merry-go-rounds, see-saw
and slides. A baseball diamond is there, and under the clubhouse,
elevated eight feet above the ground, is a large sand pile, where
countless castles, tunnels and mud pies are made. There is a
small burro named Rufe, who is loaded to capacity with a laughing,
shouting cargo, and patiently plods along, seeming to understand
that he is furnishing his part of a merry time.
"RUFE," THE ONE
BURROW-POWER MOTOR
NOTED FOR STUBBORN PATIENCE.
Much to Do.
There are
so many things to see and do, that the day only seems to have
begun when the call for the evening meal is heard, and a troop
of hungry, tired children storm the dining-room. Then to bed,
planning just how the morrow will be spent, as the sand man begins
dropping sand in sleepy little eyes.
From June 26 to July 10, children
from St. Matthew's Home were at the camp and they were followed
by little visitors from the Juliette Fowler Home. From Aug. 1
until the middle of September, guests will come from Buckner's
in relays of seventy-five each. The camp is open to orphan children
of all sects and creeds, and two weeks have been reserved for
little children in the city under the care of the various churches.
The camp was built for the orphan children and belongs to them.
It isn't used for any other purpose.
The most recent gift to the club
was the use of a grand piano made possible by the courtesy of
the John W. Lowe Post of the American Legion. It is hoped to
have a radio set with a horn and amplifier in order that the
little ones can hear concerts at night.
Future plans for the club call
for a boathouse to be built to take care of as many as ten boats.
An awning is to be put over the swimming pool, new playground
equipment will be added, and the menagerie built up. All during
summer, members and their wives will have the little orphans
in mind and many an evening will find cars wending their way
toward the big camp on Bachman's Lake with pleasant surprises
in sacks and boxes and toys for the Salesmanship Clubs' little
guests. Officers are: Richard Haughton, president; James F. Rodgers,
first vice president; F. L. Hockensmith, second vice president,
Ray McDowell, secretary; Sam R. Lawder, treasurer, and J. Woodall
Rodgers, Frank E. Moran, O. D. Brundidge and Ray Shelton.
- September 10, 1922,
Dallas Morning News, Sec. II, p. 7.
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Rest Camp Adds
746 3/4 Pounds to
Underfed Kids
Concluding
its most successful season, the Dallas Tuberculosis association's
Bachman dam rest camp, Saturday, sent home 746 3/4 more pounds of
children than it received at the opening of the summer.
Two hundred and thirty-nine undernourished
boys and girls, selected by welfare agencies and the association's
doctors, attended the camp for two, three or four-week periods
during the summer. They gained a total of 746 3/4 pounds during
their stay, according to daily records kept by Mrs. Alta Jones,
superintendent of the camp.
The camp was closed Friday night
with a big marshmallow toast and picture show party presided
over by Public Utility Supervisor J. W. Everman (Johnnie, as
the kids call him), president of the tuberculosis association.
"I want to thank Community
Chest contributors and others who support the association and
its rest camp," Mr. Everman said. "Putting 746 3/4 more
pounds on those kids means a lot to the future of the community--as
well as to the happy youngsters."
During last summer, 215 children
enjoyed summer vacations, nourishing food, rest, supervised play
and sunshine at the camp. They gained 650 pounds.
There should be fewer drownings
in the future, since 200 of the children at this summer's camp
learned to swim.
- September 6, 1931,
Dallas Daily Times Herald, Section III, p. 8, col. 2.
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