The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-06-24
TIE COLLEGE SETTLEMENT.
An Oakland Girls Work in New York
Tenement Quarters.
The Practical Result of a Years De-
votion to the Cause of Humanity
in the Metropolis.

Several Oakland girls have by their
work become prominent in New York
! during the last few years. Miss Clara
MeChesney, in painting, and Miss Annie
Blakeslee, in illustrating, are now named
at the very front of the younger artists
by the most critical journals, while every
one is familiar with Miss Augusta Lo-
wells success as an organist. 1t is not
generally known, however that Miss
Fanny Mclean, an Oakland girl who
graduated at the State University, is now
head assistant at the College Settlement.
Most people have heard something
of this institution, but few know
exactly what it is. 1t is an associa-
! ton of women from the different
/ Wellesley, Smith, Vassar,
! Bryn Mawr, etc.-"aiming TO bring
brightness and help to limited neigh
borhood.' IN the house on Rivington
street, in one OF the worst quarters OF
New i DIRK City, from seven to nine col
lege women are living. trying, by dint Of
example and neighborliness, to bring
cleanliness and better modes of life into
| locality which two years ago needed it
sadly enough. Clubs Of all kinds have
been formed; sewing, cooking and dress
making clubs for girls; political. choral
y
men; pleasant social clubs for tired
mothers.
In the Penny Savings Bank the
amounts deposited vary from one cent to
six dollars, and often there are from fifty
to Seventy-tiVe depositors in the banking
| hour. Good hot baths, with plenty OF
soap and towels, are sold for ten cents
each, and in the summer, the two bath
rooms are used every minute of the day.
One of the Settlements many friends
has given fund which keeps q large
cooler filled with ice-water in front OF the
house during the hottest mOntnS-a great
blessing to the throngs of thirsty men,
women and children who go by. Last
year the summer home started at Kato-
nah, n. Y, in connection with the Col
Iege Settlement, gave ninety-four chill
dren two weeks of happy country life,
with plenty OF fruit and flowers, and
wide fields to play in.
OF course, this work has met with
many difficulties and has needed endless
tact and patience. The people must not
merely be helped and raised, but taught
to help and raise themselves; for these
women are too wise to make paupers OF
those they would elevate. Still, in spite
of diScouragementS, it has proved a great
and successful undertaking, and we may
well be proud of colleges which give the
world such active and efficient workers.
| The Head-Worker herself says: In
glancing back over the years work,
many discouragementS naturally recur TO
the memory. The glanor and romance
OF the first year We're gone, and we had
come down to hard facts. The pictur-
/ esqueness had vanished, and the dirt
seemed dirtier and the vice more revolt
ing. But that is only partial view, for
the year has been one Of great hopeful
ness. We know now that our neighborS
consider US their honest friends. They
believe that we care for them personally,
that we are interested in their individual
joys and sorrows and share our own with
them. We have found that we have
place in the world where we may help
and be helped" B. c. /.