Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 77, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 April 1915 — Takes Role of Mother to Boys in U. S. Navy [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Takes Role of Mother to Boys in U. S. Navy

INDIANAPOLIS, IND. —Mrs. Bmftia Ellis received another letter the other day frbm one of her boys. She gets letters of this kind every day and answers them quickly. The letters are from boys in the navy who have no

mothers, and they write to mothers In' Indianapolis Who have adopted the . young bluejackets by mail. The idea came to Mrs. Ellis half a year ago, but no one save the mothers, commanding officers in the navy i training camps and the sailors themlaelres knew at cut It until recently, for Mrs. Bins did not seek publicity. “I knew how lonesome motherless boy a ip the navy must fie,” said {Mrs. Ellis. **l wrote to several com-

manding officers in the navy train- , Ing utations for names of boys who have no mothers and who would like to correspond. The list has steadily grown. I never choose a mother I to yrrite to these boys until I have learned to know her personally as a good 1 Christian woman, well educated, who can feel deeply. She mpst be an accomplished letter-writer—one who can really inspire the boy given over & bet." Mrs. fißße has many letters from commanding officers who say she Is t starting a work that should spread throughout the country. These letters i have oome from the Atlantic and Pacific.