Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1886-09-01

The W. T.. I. y. Is IKE unto grain OF
mustard seed, which is the least Of seeds, but
| when it is grown it is tho greatest among
herbs and beccmeth o tree SO that the birds
of the air come and lodge IL tho branches
thereof.
It was supposed when tho mustard seed
was sown in our city that. chilled by I'M
toward influences, if life continued, it could
be at best but dwerfed tree.
To correct an error to which attention las
been called that may exist in the minds OF
new corners as to how we ere enabled to car
ry on our work-how supported and our
aims-these few lines are penned.
1.-THE objects OF this union shall be 10 cit
cate public sentiment up to the STANDARD OF
total abstinence, train the young, save the
fallen and secure the legal prohibition and
complete banish1nent OF the liquor traffic"
This union was organized three yesrs ego
the past June, and for six months held It's
! meetings each Tuesday FROM home to hone
as friends invited, laying the foun-
dation for bank account by Civ
| ing ice cream socials, literary entertainments
and by serving refreshments at the agricul-
tural fair In furtherance of our first aim to
educate the public sentiment, and seeing tie
| need of public room, where young men
away from home influences could freely re-
sort, a pleasant reading room was engaged
and plainly furnished. To meet expenses an
adjoining room was to be used as coffee
room and some light repas. served To meet
the rent, s1S.25, several gentlemen agreed to
pay-some one dollar per month. some less,
for q period Of three months. The rooms
were formally opened on January LIST, 1881.
and the public dinner served netted the treas
ury $40 After G short consultation, and by
the advice OF our lawyer, third room was
Immediately taken to be used rs kitchen,
and the five cent plan OF furnishing food
adopted.
The first month Mr. Allen and wife coz
Quoted matters but their strength not being
sufficient, and orr custom not yet permitting
| us paying many employees, at the end of the
first month it was evident that more self sac
riice was required, and two members We're
detailed each day to serve from a. n. till
D. ~, to prove whether they were good cooks
and wise financial planners. Ourweekly papers
the EAGLE, Beacon and New Republic each
donated years subscription 4 few OF the
best magazines were ordered and paid for.
At social couple of dozen books were
brought in by friends, and we set forth in
! small way to be factor for good in the then
small city Of Wichita. From thence we pros
pered, became self-supporting, paid our rent,
increased our lists Of papers and magazines,
employed permanent he'll >ers, went again TO
the fair and earned net $273, with hich we
started our library and put cut to interest
$50 toward building fund. We have now
almost 700 volumes Of well selected litera-
ture. Our worl, has brosdened SO that we
employ seven persons i'll various capacities,
having recently aided a general superin-
terdent, Mrs. Miller, sister 70 Prof. Camp
bell, who will give information desired as to
our work at any time, and who will also
work up the Wonan's exchange, which line
! of work viii be added in the near future.
Mrs Moulton who has been il our employ
almost two years in charge OF the reading
room and library, has returned to her accus
toned place after q visit to friends for a few
weeks. ~
We have addserTb the original three rooms
two more, and the lst OF the month will still
| take on another, as we furnish to our EN-
| ployes both board ard lodging.
This month a nending department has
been added to our other lines of work, for
the benefit Of busy men and tired mothers,
who thus being relieved can have more leis-
ure for the needs of little ones. No new gar
ments made, simply mending done, with
charges reasonable The patronage thus far
bestowed warrants the belief that this de-
partlnent meets need of our city.
September 9th we open our kindergarten
school. Owning conmodious house we
have at last secured to use of ground in de
| srabe location, north side Of Second street,
| between Lawrence and Topeka, and under
the care of Miss Halsey, a graduate of the
| Chicago kindergarten normal. We expect
| this to be one of our most efficient lines of
| work. If this is the success we expect another
| kindergarten will be located south of the
| avenue, thus commencing on our second line
of training the young. Space can not be
! given to enumerate the distinguished men
and women of talent who have lectured
| under orr auspices, nor the amount OF htera-
ture distributed We are sometimes asked by
| those who stand on the outside and know
nothing of the workings of the hidden springs,
''What are you doing aside from running
restaurant We feel there was providence
that shaped our ways, and through this sue
cessful business venture we have been enabled
to carry on our many sided work since Jan
uary lst We have sent s. each month to
that worthy institution the Ladies Benevo-
lent Home: for the past nineteen months
we have cared for the infant boy confded to
our charge, and out of these earnings we
have already paid into the funds for the pur-
chase of the w C. T. U. lots Sf335, and through
this income are added almost each month new
books to our library and will also enable us at
quite an expense to put in shape and set in
motion our new enterprise, the kindergarten
When the piano was purchased, several
friends gave ten dollars, Others five dollars
each, towards assisting the young ladies to
place a musical instrument in the room, to
be used at socials, and at other times when
music would not interfere with readers For
two months, before her death, an invalid and
her family were provided with shelter at an
expensive rent. At some expense we gave a
lecture. much desired by the citizens of the
county. at the fair two years ago. These
three times are the only ones called to mind
st present when assistance ma; been given US,
except when, in May, finding the rapid in
crease in real estate would prevent Us ever