The Portland daily press., 1882-01-10
THE woMAN's WORK ROO
Special Meeting of the Managers.

| 1t is we'll known to the. charitable people OF
| our city that last winter an enterprise was
started, under the auspices of the Associated
| Charities, TO furnish work to class Oh poor
| women who are ambitious to support tnem-
| selves and very reluctant to ask aid OF the va
| rious charitable societies. The managers were
| well satisfied with the result of their winters
| work, and began this year with confidence OF
extending their usefulness. In one aspect, the
| opening has been very promising: in that our
| applicants are numerous and eager to secure
| employment; while taking another view, our
| beginning has been discouraging, since we
| have not the means or materials to carry 1or-
ward our plans; but we have faith to believe
| our benevolent friends will not permit us to
stop our work.
A few facts will, we are sure, convince Inc
public Of the wisdom of our methods. VI
twenty-five who applied at our room on the
past two Fridays six were turned away, with
sad faces, for want of material. Most OF the
recipients are widows in reality, or wives de-
serted by worthless husbands; few are quite
aged, and several younger women, prevented
from going out to service or filling situations IN
factories or stores by aged or infrm parents
who require their care at home. Nine-tentns
of our number are of American parentage.
Many of these have given the gratifying testi-
mony that the little they have earned has not
only kept the ''wolf from the door" but en-
abled them to be se1f-supporting the year
round.
Our plan is to make, in a neat and thorough
manner, undergarments, bedding, dresses,
aprons, &C., for working people, who either
have not the skill or the time to do it for them
selves. We pay for the work in orders upon
the grocers, who have thus far agreed to sell
us at wholesale rates, thus enabling the poor to
realize the most for their money. Our present
great need is material, cotton cloth, cotton
flannel, flannel, prints and ginghams IN large
amounts, or even remnants, samples or DAM
aged goods and also threads, needles and Drok-
en- sets of buttons 1t is the day OF small be-
ginnings, and no gift, however trifiing, Will be
despised If any of the grocers in the city
would authorize Mrs. Lewis Brown, our Treas
urer, 80 State street, to call upon them Tor Or
ders from fifty cents and upwards they would
render most valuable aid. AT present we nave
no cenveniences for storing large quantities OF
perishable articles. Others may send contrib
utions in money, and yet in another way help
the cause by purchasing our garments Tor dis
tribution among the poor or for their ewn use,
for we do not hesitate to say we can furnish
some extra nice needle work.
By this plan we aim to accomplish good IN
two-fold form, by helping the poor to support
themselves and supplying another class with
clothing at very reasonable rates, and 1ar more
thoroughly made than that of similar preten-
sions obtainable at the stores. We hope, Also
through this instrumentality to lind openings
in families for some of our most sklllful needle
women. Those needing such help, or wishing
to put out sewing, would do we'll to give us a
call.
We wish to acknowledge with gratitude the
receipts of one piece OF. cloth from Mr. Alfred
Woodman and one from Mr.. A. Little. we
also would heartily thank the visitors OF the
Associated Charities for their faithful work OF
investigation, upon whom we rely solely Tor in
formation respecting the merits and necessities
of our applicants. In more than one case our
diligent visitor has prevented our misapplying
our charity where, at first glance, 1t seemed
worthy.
During the winter the managers will be
found on Wednesdays and Fridays OF each
week at the Truant officers room, No. City
Building. We cordially invite all who are in.
.terested to come in and examine our work and
investigate our system; and, as we are yet in
the infancy of our undertaking, we shall
thankfully adopt any suggestions of improve
ment from our friends. The committee is as
follows:
(Signed)
Mrs. EDMUND PHINNEY,
MRS. CORNING,
Mrs. THOMAS SHAW,
MRS. MARK P. EMERY,
Mrs. w. S. DANA,
Mrs. JAMES 2. BAXTER,