THE STOEY OF THE FKESH-AIE FUND

By WILLAED PAESONS

MANAGER

The Foundation of the Fund—The Post and Thibune—Statistics of the
Fund—ExcuiisiONS—The Provision for Entertaining the Children—
HoAV THE Excursions are Managed—Typical Letters—Effect of the
Children's Outings—Some "Fresh-Air Boys"—The Physician's Report—
Fresh-Air Funds in Other Cities—Development of the Plan.

IN the summer of 1877, Avhen x^astor of a small church in Sher¬
man, Pa., I came to Ncav York and gathered a little company
of the x^oorest and most needy children I could find. They
were taken out among my x^eople, who Avere w^aiting to receive
them as their guests for a fortnight during the midsummer heat.
Others took the place of the first company; and at the end of the
season the good people had entertained sixty poor city children
for a fortnight each ; and that, too, without any compensation save
the consciousness of having done a simple Christ-like act of charity
to one in need. This somewhat novel experiment of taking little
ones from the Avretched city tenements to comfortable country
homes Avas a most gratifying success.

The object first aimed at Avas the physical improvement of the
poor. It Avas only after months of earnest thought and careful
X^lanning that the Fresh-Air project Avas launched, even in this
small Avay. The work was started with the hox3e of proving that
bodies diseased, enfeebled by x">oor and insufiicient food and foul
air, could be benefited by a tAvo Aveeks' stay in better surroundings.