Answer Man: Much More Than a Building

What is that building along Michigan Avenue that looks like a spaceship?

Or Superman's Fortress of Solitude? Or a massive bit of titanium origami?

It's none of those things. It's Children's Hospital, and as striking as the outside of the building is, it pales in comparison to what goes on inside, because inside, children's lives are being saved.

You can't talk about the history of Washington without talking about Children's. The mirrored building on Michigan Avenue is a far cry from the hospital's humble origins.

When Children's Hospital opened in 1871, it was in a rented rowhouse at 13th and F streets NW. A year later, it moved to a larger house, also rented, at 804 E St. NW.

By 1875, it was clear that the needs of sick children in the city called for a dedicated space. The hospital purchased land at 13th and W streets NW, a location that was well suited for its new purpose. Said a newspaper at the time (not this one; The Post wouldn't be launched for another two years), the site was "elevated, thoroughly dry, entirely free from marshy surroundings, and sufficiently secluded from noise and bustle."

And that's where Children's Hospital would stay for the next hundred years.

From the start, Children's was a place that treated all children, no matter their race and no matter their income. No one was turned away. Looking through the old clips, you see the constant stream of young patients who were treated at the hospital.

There's James Smith, a newsboy who was run over by a lumber wagon on Nov. 29, 1879 (125 years ago today, as a matter of fact). There's Lucy Broadus, whose story was told in 1886 under the joyously simple headline: "The Child Will Live." Struck on the head during a fight between two adults, Lucy's skull was fractured, and she was left in a coma. Surgeons at Children's operated, removing quarter-size fragments of bone.

"After the child returned from the influence of ether, the change for the better in her mental condition was at once markedly apparent," The Post noted. "The child is cheerful and quite comfortable, and her complete recovery is now expected."

The region has always supported the hospital, sometimes in oddly endearing ways. The postmaster general ordered that Children's be among the hospitals that received materials that had built up at the Dead Letter Office. In 1881, this amounted to "121 magazines, 104 various library publications, 411 miscellaneous pamphlets, novels, etc., 1,002 picture cards, valentines, etc., and 1,176 illustrated papers."

I can just see those children turning over the valentines in their hands.

The holidays were a special time at the hospital. In a practice unimaginable today, the hospital threw its door open to visitors, who toured the wards, marveled at the "little inmates" and brought them treats and gifts.

On March 7, 1977, President Jimmy Carter dedicated the hospital's new $58 million home. In his remarks, Carter said he knew that his daughter, Amy, would always receive good medical care, but he was just as interested in "the child who lives in the oldest, most dilapidated apartment house" in the area.

The operating rooms may have changed, but the operating principles hadn't.

The Tradition Continues

And so we again turn our attention toward Children's Hospital, or as it's now properly called, Children's National Medical Center. Readers of The Washington Post have supported the hospital for more than 55 years, since a columnist named Bill Gold invited donations to his mythical shoebox. Bob Levey continued the tradition. And now: It's me.

Oh, and you, too. All of the money that is raised in our campaign goes to pay the medical bills of families who couldn't otherwise afford treatment. All donors receive a thank-you note; gifts from groups are acknowledged with a mention in this column. Donations are deductible on state and federal tax returns to the extent of the law.

Children's has retired its vehicle donation program. It brought in about a third of the more than $1 million raised last year, but it was not without its problems. Therefore, we've lowered our goal this year. It's $600,000, and we'll raise it the old-fashioned way: gift by gift. Here's how to contribute:

Make a check or money order payable to "Children's Hospital" and mail it to Washington Post Campaign, P.O. Box 17390, Baltimore, Md. 21297-1390.

To contribute by credit card online, go to www.washingtonpost.com/childrenshospital and click on "Make a Donation." When you get to the Children's Hospital Foundation site, click on "Donate Now" then follow the instructions for online donation. Make sure to click on "Washington Post" in the pull-down designation window when you complete the form.

To contribute by Visa or MasterCard by phone, call Post-Haste at 301-313-2200, then punch in KIDS and follow the instructions.

Or consider attending Salon-A-Thon, a hair-cutting extravaganza from 6 a.m. Jan. 15 to 6 a.m. Jan. 16 at Andre Chreky, the salon on K Street NW. Andre's staff and celebrity stylists work for free, and all proceeds benefit Children's. (To make a reservation, call 202-293-9393 or visit www.salonathon.com for more information.)

The campaign ends Jan. 21. Thanks in advance for anything you can do.

E-mail your question to answerman@washpost.com.