Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-11-16
HOWARD RELIEF SOCIETY.
FORMAL OPENING OF THEIR NEW
BUILDING ON SATURDAY,.
Addresses by President Buclham and
Prof. Emerson- sketch of the Howard
Relief Society-. Description of tho
Louisa II ONWARD Mission House,

Louisa Toward Mission House,
The Louisa Howard mission house, the
handsome structure erected on the corner
of Pearl and Cha Ike streets by the. Howard
Relief society, was formally opened Sat
urhay afternoon with public reception
aud appropriate exercises. Rain fell al
most in torrents but such was the inter
est in this work that the public portion
Of the edihce was well filed by an as
semblage composed largely of the repre-
sentative women OF Burlington, but also
including some of or leading men. The
reception began at . o'clock and the visi-
tors wee pleasantly entertained by
the trustees and the superintendent
Mrs, Russell, who conducted them
through the building and explained
the uses Of the various rooms. All were
tavorably impressed with the beauty,
finish and admirable arrangement of the
structure, which is certainly finely adapted
to the uses for which it is intended. The
building IL of brick, three stories nigh
with basement, and IS 20 feet long and 10
wide. The main entrance is on Pearl,
from which 4 spacious hall extends a.
most the entire length OF the building
through the centre. The fist room at the
LETT of the entrance is the office or meeting
place of the trustees. Next to this is the
stair case and side hall from which
a door opens into the cloak and hat room
of the children who attend the industrial
school. TO the north OF this and occupy
ing the rooms on both sides OF the hall are
the superintendent's apartments, consist
ing of parlor, dining room, bed room.
bath room ana Kitchen. On the right OF
the front entrance is a fine large room in
tended to be used rs a reading room, but
which AZ present is rented to DR.. Hckok
Next TO this is the storage room where all
supplies such as shoes, cast off clOthiug
etc, which are given out 10 the poor are
Kept.
The second floor is occupied chiefly by a
large hail for public purposes, OF from
which opens large side room to
the south and this in turn TO two
smaller reception rooms. The hail is to
be rented for piano recitels, select dancing
parties, ana its timely polished hard woca
floor admirably adapts 1t TO this purpose.
1t IS lighted by au elegant cha dener and
presents an attractive appearance.
The third floor is divided into good sized
rooms, which are rented for college
society purposes, for studies and private
native pine, the floors are of maple and
every room has an a pc rance of durablli-
rs as we'll as beauty Of finish.
After the visitors had spent sufficient
time in admiripg the beautiful home OF
the society tue opening services began III
the hall which was well filed Hon. Elihu
B. Taft, chairman of the advisory com
mittee, presided and the services opened
with prayer by Rev. DR.. j. | Bliss.
A sketch Of charitable work in this city
and Of the Howard Relief society in parti-
cular, prepared by Miss Katherine
HaRar, was then read by Senator Taft as
follows.
SKETCH OF THE HOWARD RELIEF SOCIETY
The first attempt in this city OF any or.
gained society to relieve the suffering
caused by restitution was simply to dis
pense food and clothing to the needy and
WAS made by the members of the Young
/ Women's Christian association during the
winter of lsGS The next winter, sour
house WAS opened and this was continued
for several Years until the management
found rs has been so often prove, that
this indiscriminate charity only Iostered
! pauperism.
The employment Office then followed
| which was planned and carried out sac
cessfully by Mrs. Ellen l.. Plat and was
| tie first move in the right direction. Il
was opened in January, 1879 Twelve
ladies organized and attempted 10 stOy
street besg!nG. Sewing was given out u
needy women and tor which they WERE
paid in clothing and provisions, and it wa:
II trying season, for Chere was little work
! tor the ,labOrinGmen. We can only alludt
TO the noble work which Mrs. Platt IN
dertOok aud so faithfully executed. Thos,
/ who have been interested In he Charitabl,
| work in our city will never forget her un
. / H-VnflAV A all ~ II
were suffering from poverty and sickness
| and her Jealous efforts to assist those il
distress. The Work was continued durinl
the winter OF 1852 and the Importance N
usefulness OF the society Was recognized
by the fact that the rent of the room!
which the society occupied was paid tina
year by the city and also for the next twt
years.
At a meeting of the Young Women
Christian association, October 25, 1853
il was voted that the Howard Re
lief society be requested to take charge o
the Industrial school. This Lew respon
sbilty was accepted for it seemed prepe
that this work should be carried on by
society which knew the needs Of the chill
dren from an acquaintance with thei
mothers. The school has grown and it
members have increased, nutWithstaudinj
the disadvantage last winter of meeting II
small rooms in an old building, until Their
was an average attendance every Saturda
OF 70 boys aud 81 girls, and at the sam
time we had on our books the names o
10 boys and l27 girls
The object of the school Is to teach girl
to sew neatly, 70 make garments for them
selves and to keep them in the publ
schools, to show them by uniform kind
ness aud wise counsel that the great de
sire OF all the ladies connected with thl
branch Of our work, is to help them Il
every way possible TO become good WON
en-. The teaching OF singing has Away
been an important factor in both schools
We have also tried at times short lecture
or addresses on various topics, but iron
our experience we are satisfied that tn
personal influence Of individual teacher
of small classes is more beneficial,
Our society was chartered by he Legs
lature November 10, 1854, under the nam
OF the Howard Relief society The cor
porators were Emily NJ. Clapp, Ann
Russell, Adeline b. Carpenter katharn
q A. Hagar, Addie. c. Abbott, Harriet t
, Willard, Florence Lyman, EHzabet
Lowrey, Martha f. Towie, Helen N
Phelps, Almira A. Mead and Samauth
VI. Taylor, and these ladies were the lir>
board of trustees of the society. The di'
hursements from June |, 1883, to June
1854, We're $500 81, and the next year si3i q
= THIS money was given TO the society
| CharitablV diSDOSeQ persons, who saw IN