Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-11-23

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college bred women established Hull
house settlement in the heart of the
poorest, most villainous and crowded
locality Of Chicago. Between shipyards
and stockyards the residents Of the ward
lived-people of every nation and kindred
and tongue. There are 10000 Italians
in the district and so many Bohemians
that Chicago ranks as the third largest
Bohemian city in the world. II out
Bohemians Bohemia itself in some re-
spects. Here the villainous sweating
cloi - houses got their work done by
the l.Lhiest Of the filthy, in cellars,
Easements and garrets, amid disease
and foulness that scares the one who
stops to think of it.
There is in the ward in which Hull
house is situated one saloon to every
twenty-eight voters. There were 6,976
school children, with public school ac-
commodations for only 1915. The poor
people who lived there did not know
enough to make their educational wants
known TO the school board, and when
the citizens of ward do not make a row
about their civic needs nobody else will
supply these needs. That is one of the
things rich American citizens know
which poor foreign citizens do not.
Hull house has succeeded in teaching
the poor people their civic rights to
some extent. SO that now the board Of
education is theoretically making pro-
visions for the young Americans who
were growing up in ignorance and
crime. Other things, too, that Hull
house has accomplished are related by
Miss Jane Adams in The Forum. To
read the story impresses one powerfully
that here is the true road to the millen-
mum. Hull house was established purely
and simply to practically carry out the
doctrine of the American republic that
all men are equal, and that larger,
sweeter doctrine still-that all mankind
are brethren. This is to be taken liter
ally and truly. There is no detestable
suggestion of charity about the thing.
Miss Adams calls it ian effort to- |
ward social democracy" She repudiates
root and branch the idea that it is a |
philanthropy in the ordinary sense. A
number of refined, devoted women fix |
their residence in the poorest, lowest |
part of city. They assume no airs of |
superiority or patronage. They take |
their refined surroundings and dainty
housekeeping with them. Then they es-
tablish a social center for all the people |
of the neighborhood. Every need of |
human nature that will give it help or |
lift it higher an attempt is made to |
meet. A gymnasium, manual training
classes, classes in literary and scientific
study, musical clubs, debating societies,
cooking and housekeeping classes are
among some of the ideas that have taken |
practical shape.
There are social evenings as well, and !
these are an oasis in the desert to honest
and Woodworking foreigners who live in
the midst of squalor and dirt.
A steady effort has been made to teach
on the one hand better modes of house
keeping and on the other knowledge Of
the citizens rights and duties. Once
the poor immigrant or native has this
knowledge firmly fixed, he will be as
good citizen as the millionaire.
An important feature of Hull house
is social science club, in which the
widest anarchists come and spout along
side the wealthy capitalist, who in some
cases has been induced to be pres
ent and state his side Of the case. 1t
must necessarily follow that the preju-
dices of both are modified, and both
come nearer to that feat almost impossi-
BILE to the average human mind-seeing
both sides Of a question. Miss Adams
is free to say that in her Judgment, if the
pent up violence of the anarchists had
been allowed to vent itself thus harm
lessly in air, the lamentable Haymarket
tragedy would have been avoided.
Finally the writer thinks that the
residents at Hull house learn quite as
much from the people about them as
the people do from them. No doubt
they do. Here stretches out glorious
field for strong. kindly souls that are
longing for q mission.
Emin Pasha has been dead three times