Show 1 A TOWPATH MISSION WOMANS LIFE WORK WITH DWELLERS ON CANAL BOATS Sculptress of Unusual Ability Abandoned Aban-doned Art to Work Among the Poor No Other School of Its Kind Visible to the Washington nutolsta who whirl along tho road by the upper Potomac In the vi 71 f r cltilty of the aqueduct 4r7 aque-duct bridge Is a llttlo whitopalnt ed wooden structure struc-ture which stands I upon tho towpath s of the Chesapeake nnd Ohio canal bo B low lowTho Tho only outward out-ward signs which give to this small and unpretentious structure a distinctive distinc-tive character and which Indeed In dlcato that It is not a tool shed or other like concern aro two crosses formed simply of laths and painted white like tho rest of tho building tho ono above tho entrance and the other nt tho stile facing tho rood above From tho latter there can be discerned dis-cerned tho fact that thero Is an Inscription In-scription over tho door and a wooden lettered tablet such as Is to be seen outside church buildings adorning the front This curious little building known to tho canal boat peoplo for whoso benefit it has been established and to the residents of tho vicinity as tho Towpath mission represents tho lifework life-work of ono woman Mrs S E L Saf fold foldHer Her Sunday school attended by tho children of tho boats and her general missionary labors throughout tho week aro welcomo features of tho curious cu-rious and somewhat clannish life of tho men women and children who llvo practically all their lives upon tho cumbersome craft that ply between Washington and Cumberland Md upon tho sluggish waters of tho canal Mrs Saffold Is a lifelong Washingtonian Washing-tonian A sculptress of unusual ability abil-ity BIO abandoned art a number of years ago for work among tho poor her first educational labors wero among tho children of the poor Italians Ital-ians of tho city In tho labyrinth beneath be-neath tho shadow of the capitol dome known as Llttlo Italy Many an Italian Ital-ian boy nnd girl were saved from evil ways through tho efforts of Mrs Sat fold Then she realized after a chance sight had led her to make an Investigation that the children of tho towpath peoplo were uncared for from an educational standpoint and sho determined de-termined to devote her energies toward their welfare In this connection connec-tion Many have been the efforts of Mrs Saffold to have tho children admitted Into the public schools of tho district during tho more or less brief and uncertain un-certain periods of their residence In Washington but all such attempts upon up-on her part havo resulted in failure In r Ise + T5w d w 1 r fowpath Mission Cumberland however at the other end of the line and where the boats aro tied up during tho months of January February and March sho has been moro successful and It Is owing to her persistent endeavors and representations representa-tions to tho educational authorities that tho canal boat children are now admitted to the public schools of that city It is safe to say that thero is not a family living along tho canal road which docs not know of tho woman who has accomplished BO much for the hardworking peoplo of the boats When Mrs Saffold started her novel school thero was no llttlo objection to hor on the part of some of tho canal people But her sympathy soon won them over and now the mothers are moro than anxious that tho children may spend in the mission the hours they might otherwise put In In playing around tho river front and perhaps forming bad habits and cultivating evil associates Well known as are Mrs Saffold and her mission to tho peoplo Immediately concerned therewith it Is very doubtful doubt-ful If any save these pooplo nro aware of tho excellent and efficient efforts of this dovoted woman In carrying education edu-cation into a hitherto neglected field Under Mrs Saffolds tutelage many of tho children whoso houses are the boats which ply upon the murky waters wa-ters of the canal have learned to read and write as woll as the moro important Impor-tant lessons of Christian doctrine and principles Thoro Is no other school similar to this In Washington |