Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-01-03
Letter from Boston.
Help TO" Working WOmeu-EaOlly Tree
Branches-CO BUiiding Assoc
ciatiOn-BOGin's Bower and its Founder
The Gardner Homestead scheme.
lrRoM OUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENCE
Boston. Jan. l. 1872.

BOSTON, Jan. l, 1872.
While so much is said of the hardships and
injustice that working women are obliged to
bear is only fair to tell ofhe attempts, however
small, made to improve their condition. Last
week lodging house for girls was opened on
Lincoln street. 1t is a comfortable house, in the
business part of the town, and comfortably fur
nished 1t is under the care of a matron, APP
pointed by the ladies who bought and fitted up
the house. The rooms are to be rented for a
price that will Just cover the eX penses of the
house, and pay legal interest on the money in
vested in 1t. The parlors are kept for the use of
the inmates of the house, and their friends, and
are light warm, with photographs and engray-
ings on the walls, piano and comfortable fur
niture. The rent is much less than that of
poorer and uncared for rooms in ordinary lodg-
ing houses. A restaurant is attached to the
house, so ordered that just pays its expenses,
and gives good aud well-cooked food at a small
cost. Think that the scale Of prices is that of
the Holly Tree coffee rooms, but that greater
variety OF food is furnished. This provides
comfortable home, within the means of a girl
who has fair wages, aud it is not charity, for
the iodger pays for what she has. This plan is
entirely free from the insdious and offensive ell
ement of patronage, and in its place has that of
Christian help. 1t is generous, because the
owners Of the house might get from il a great
deal more money than they do; and it is thor
oughly kindly, because they mean to know
something personally of their tenants, and to
have occasional musical or social parties in the
parlors, where they will see each other, and cul.
tivate common interests; bat it wounds no
ones self respect; invades no private life; and
SO far as it goes, is entirely satisfactory. Other
houses will probably be established on the same
principle, for a good model is sure to be follow
cd. The original Holly Tree coffee room has al
ready several vigorous branches, and does
great deal Of good BY promoting ceanly, orderly
and temperate eating aud drinking. Some years
ago young lady here, whose name does not be-
long to the public bought and established a
boarding house for young women on this same
principle of paying expenses, and the legal in
terest on the investment. The plan was sue
cessiul, but of course, the house could accom-
modate only small number
Then another lady well known here for phi
anthropic work, established large house on
nearly the same plan, but introduced some re.
srictons as to the theological opinions and the
amusements of the boarders; that too was at
once filed with women who had entire faith in
the restrictions, AMI it is commended on all
sides, as an excellent boarding house and home.
| The Lincoln street house is, | think the third
| founded on this idea; but so much good work is
done quietly here tina. it is not easy to find il
| n hut fnpca m pg,l,. IL,
about
The cooperative building association does moi
contne its work to new and good tenement
houses, but brayely takes in hand ahominable
| old ones, and cleans, pulifes, and restores. II
began with the notorious Crystal Palace" a
large place with mauy.storie1 piazza on Lincoln
| street. between Beach and Kneeland, | think il
| is-at anyrate it is near there. The house was O
village by iJser, tumble-down, dirty, with nc
conyeniences, and the resort Of drunkards and
Migrants. The building association took il in
hand, cleaned, painted, whitewashel it, put in
water, abated its NUS nces, and proposed
to the tenants to cooperate IN making ii nice
| respectable place. The response was encourag-
ing; the work is but just begun, but will prob
ably prosper. The old scale Of rents enables
the association to make these repairs, and will
enable them to make permanent improvements
in the future; so the tenants get grea; deal
more for their money than they got before, 10
say nothing Of decency being cultivated and
ambition excited. All this is in the line Of the
model boarding houses, and indirectly helps
working women by providing a larger number
Of clean and comfortable places where they can
find board
Boiiin's Bower under the management Of
MISS Jennie Collins, Offers good foundation fot
useful work. Miss Collins book called "Na.
lures Aristocracy," was an unfortunate publ
cation for herr don't mean financially, for