CHAPTER IV
THE BLUE BIRDS VISIT HAPPY HILLS
A week had passed by swiftly while the Firemen and Police Force practiced and drilled constantly to become proficient in their work. And the official nurses found many little ways in which to help with the smaller children and when anyone was in trouble. Miss Martin had thought out a plan, and was beginning a story-telling class to be held directly after luncheon in the big Refectory. She purposely called it story-telling so the Little Citizens wouldn’t think they were being bored with lessons or class.
“Now, boys, show me what you can do today—for tomorrow our visitors are coming, you know,” said Uncle Ben, as he called his Firemen and Police together at the Big Park, as it was styled.
But there were still other squads waiting to show off what they could do, and these groups had not yet been introduced to the general public.
“I’ll tell you, my friends, what I discovered after our last week’s meeting. I found that we needed a Camp Cleaning Department and a Health Department. The Camp Cleaners are elected every two weeks, and the ones doing their work best during the two weeks win medals. Those in the Health Department work a month, and are given a certificate if the time has been well applied to duty. The reason for limiting the Cleaning Department to two weeks is because there is much daily work to attend to, and this Force really works more in two weeks than any other department in a month.
“The Nurses are under the Health Department and both the Health and Nurse Departments are supervised by the Infirmary Head.
“Tomorrow morning the Street Cleaning Department begins work. Each of the twelve boys is equipped with a big round basket on a push-mobile, and a broom and shovel. The paths that lead through or across the camp-site will be cleaned of papers, or any other trash that is likely to fly about where there are so many children. It is the duty of every Mother Wings to have the trash-bag waiting in front of the Nest so the Cleaning Department can remove the bags and leave empty ones in their place—exactly as we do in New York.
“The Health Board must visit and inspect the Nests each day and report any lack of attention or seeming cause for concern to the Mother’s Helpers, Nurses, and Infirmary Head. Then the Helper investigates at once and the Nurse sees if there is anything she can do, and both report to the Infirmary. If it is serious the Head immediately attends to it.
“Our Health Board wears this uniform,” and Uncle Ben held up white percale overalls with blue stripes on the collar and cuffs of the under-blouse that went with it.
“And our Street Cleaning Department wears this uniform,” then a pair of white overalls without stripes, but a white helmet to match the overalls, were shown to the enthusiastic Little Citizens.