The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-05-03
Especial CORRESPONDENCE I


Benefit by the Hirsch Fund.
Especial Correspondence
New YORK, April 11.-No larger socia
problem has been presented to the Ameri
can people for solution than that made BY
the coming to the United States of vast
hoIdes Of Russian Hebrews during the pas
few years. This immigration is of a differ
ent character than that which, to any ex
tent, has previously come to the United
States. It is twofold in character ano
both are usually thought to be pernicious
In their tendency. These people have
either been forced by the cruel oppressio
of the Russian government to fee from
their old homes and come hither, or By the
assistance Of the Baron Hirsch fund they
have been brought across the sea. 1t is
not my purpose to discuss either Of these
two general questions, but rather to tell
briefly what is being done by those in
charge of the Baron Hirsch fund in,Ameri-
ca to fit these people for life amid the new
and strange surroundings of the western
world. Those men who undertook to act
as trustees for the Hirsch fund very early
saw that unless very vigorous measures
should be taken to restrict the number
coming and 10 supply these people with
homes and work as soon as they arrived,
that the whole movement would be a dis
astrous failure before it had fairly got
started.
Among those persons who objected to
this method of bringing these Russian
Hebrews to the United States there were a
great many very influential Jews. They
saw the difficulties in the way Of making
the movement successful. and they pro
tested against it to srch an extent that
some of them were called inhospitable,
selfish and un-American- They rejoiped
that they were only little more farsighted
than some others. When the movement
had begun and when in little while there
were thousands of these people near New
York, homeless and destitute, these very
American Jews who had protested against
the idea as false in principle were the most
active in rescuing their Russian brethren
from the miserable wretchedness of their
plight. This showed that they were unset
flsh in the first instance and that their
charity was not hindered because their adj
vice had been disregarded.
And from that time till now the Ameri-
can Jews have not relaxed their efforts to
improve the condition Of these Russian
I0lcd2O
schools have been started. Both old and
young are taught English, and there are
technical schools in which young men and
women can be taught useful occupations.
In New York the molding process has
been attempted in various ways. The
work has been more com plicated than else
where because New York contains so many
more immigrants than any other city.
ba1 10,
in proportion to the number of those in
New York.
The most important work, probably, is
carried on in the new Hebrew insti-
tute, at Jefferson street and East Broad
way. a large number of the immigrants
receive instruction there. The building,
which is of recent construction, has
height of five stories and covers a ground
area of 81 by 90 feet. The walls are of vel
low pressed brick trimmed with stone, and
the interior is as nearly ireproof as posi-
BILE, the staircases being of iron and slate
1t has electric lights and steam heat, and
pure air is introduced by powerful blow
er with ventilating fiues. On the first floor
which is raised above the street, there are
rooms for the directors. room for the in
dustrial school and the kindergarten.
In the story below, which is partly be- |
meath the street, is the audience hail. with |
seats for 40 persons and a stage on which |
there is piano and room for twenty per-
sons. This hall is used for meetings, and |
every Saturday evening a free concert is |
given. In the second story are eight class
rooms, and On the third floor are the rooms |
of the Aquilar free library and the Young |
Mems Hebrew association. The fifth story |
is given up to a gymnasium, a room for |
cooking school and the workshop for the |
manual training school The gymnasium
has all modern improvements, with baths
and lockers. Great importance is given to
physical culture, for these immigrants are
sadly deficient in bodily strength, and for
that reason are indisposed TO adopt trades
to follow which requires standing long at
a time on the feet. The roof of the house
is paved over and is used as q summer
garden.
This institution has been in operation
twenty months and during that time
some $500 children have been gradu-
ated into the public schools. The in
necessary before these newly
landed children can go to the ordinary
public schools is mainly in English,
and / am told that the youngsters
pick up enough of the new tongue in
very little while Another most necessary
lesson to be learned is that of personal
cleanliness. The Russian peasantry are
the most uncleanly people probably to be
found in the world. These Russian He
brews are probably neither better nor
worse in this regard than the others of the
cars subjects of similar class
This is lesson very difficult to teach. |
for 1t IS hard for the pupils to comprehend
he necessity for it. The only way that it
S effectually accomplished is by excluding
such as are not neat and clearly from the !
)ther advantages Of the institute. Great
are has TO be exercised also in keeping |
children and others away from the insti-
ute while they are afflicted with infec.
ious diseases or while such prevail in the
enement houses in which these people are
edged. Probably the great majority of
hese immigrants. until they reached Amer
ca, never had any except the crudest pos
ible notions as to the value of good nv
lenic surroundings.
These schools are open during the day !
or children and in the evening Tor grown
'ersons who work during the day In
hese evening classes there are many gray
cards The old Dao~lo however. do not :
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