THE HERITAGE CRAFT SCHOOLS
[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.] hope you will allow me, as you did last May, to write briefly concerning the splendid work being done for crippled
children at the Heritage Craft Schools at Chailey and Tide- mills.
It is Mrs. Kimmins' pride that the colony is " the Public School of Crippledom," and her pride is justified. Her children are drawn from all areas, and are of all ages from one month to 16 years. They come lame, pale, twisted, sick with rickets, mental defect, tuberculosis and other diseases of darkness bred in our slums ; they leave as self-respecting citizens, some of them strong in body and bright of eye, and all at least stronger, better able to take their part in life, though that part may be but the hard one of showing by their courage how lucky we are who are sound of wind and limb. I was at Tidemills only a few days ago, and would like to tell your readers of Jacobsen, the handless boy who writes with his feet, and of other young heroes who are growing up to be men in a world of men ; but I cannot encroach on your space by giving an account of the progress made in the last year ; nor can I explain the present needs beyond saying that Mrs. Kimmins hopes that some—or rather many—of the sixpences which the Chancellor of the Exchequer has remitted from the income tax will find their way to her (her address is Chailey, Sussex), for the need to clear off the debt on the building recently opened by the Prince of Wales is still urgent. The Duchess of York will visit the schools on May 24th, the Lord Mayor of London on July 3rd, and Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone on July 18th. Admission to these functions will cost 5s., including programme and tea ; and visitors will be welcome on other days by appointment.—I am, Sir,' &c., F. YEATs-BaowN.
P.S.—A few days ago a child wrote to Mrs. Kimmins,
hoping :
" That when the smiling Duchess
Comes down on Empire Day Sacks full of Sussex sixpences Shall line the royal way ; And Sussex builders get to work With Sussex bricks the best, And workless Suisex men rejoice To work with eager zest.
And on the wall in time to come, These words shall graven be . . . Who gave to these my suffering ones,
That gift was made to Me. "3
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