  It is suggested that the resonance $\psi(3770)$ may contain a sizeable ($O(10%)$ in terms of the probability weight factor) four-quark component with the up- and down- quarks and antiquarks in addition to the $c {\bar c}$ pair, which component in itself has a substantial part with the isospin I=1. Furthermore such four-quark part of the wave function should also affect the properties of the $\psi'$ charmonium resonance through the $\psi(3770) - \psi'$ mixing previously considered in the literature. It is argued that an admixture of extra light quark pairs can explain a possible discrepancy between the theoretical expectations and the recent data on the non-$D {\bar D}$ decay width of the $\psi(3770)$ and the ratio of the yield of charged and neutral $D$ meson pairs in its decays, as well as on the extra rate of the $\psi'$ direct decay into light hadrons and the rate of the decay $\psi' \to \pi^0 J/\psi$. It is further argued that the suggested four-quark component of the wave function of the $\psi(3770)$ should give rise to a measurable rate of the decays $\psi(3770) \to \eta J/\psi$ and $\psi(3770) \to \pi^0 J/\psi$. 
The ${\bar c} c$ purity of $\psi(3770)$ and $\psi'$ challenged