The herald., 1894-11-11
THE SUPPRESSION OF THE EGO,
A Feature Of the University
Settlement Idea.
A Bene1icent Promoter of Altruistic
Beliefs.
Ono of tho Settlements Commenced
Near souOratown-The Objects
and Work OF tho Or
gnnization.


in every country and age. to the present |
day. Thoughtful minds have conceded |
it to be one solution, il not the only one,
OF the vexed questions that are eter- !
nally presented concerning supremacy
in race and party, creed and social con-
dition. In the older civilizations abroad,
whore the lines OF caste are more closely
drawn and clearly marked, the obsta-
ces are greater 20 impede its accom-
plishment; but in America, "tte land
OF the free and the home OF the brave"
greater results may be hoped for in less
time, when the way is opened and
proved to be practicable. Such way
was opened, and in England, too, when
the university settlement idea was start.
ed in 1867, and put into practical use in
and about London by three university
men-Arnold Toynbss, Samuel Barnett
and Edward Dennison, the latter an Ok
ford graduate. Since higher education
by its superior msntal and spiritual, as
we'll as physical culture, imparts a
greater knowledge OF and respect ior
humanity, it tends. at the same time, to
suppress the ego, and develop altruietic
beliefs, and the live and let live doc
trine 80 1t follows. as q natural conse.
auence, that this great movement
should be the outgrowth OF the seed
sown in university or college
career. 1t is twenty-seven years
since those three men went into
the crowded districts OF Whitochapel
and East London, and started their eet-
Elements; today there are 10 in and
about the city of London, and number
1aao hap in ho nh ilni
America there are already over a dozen.
The oldest of the American settlements
is that in Do Lancey street. New York,
where Mr.. James Reynolds is head
worker. The largest and probably the
most successful is Hull house in Chi.
cago, in which place the head work or is
a woman, Miss Jane Adams, who has
done wonderful work and accomplished
marvellous results in a compare
lively short ZINE. The president
of the University settlement in
New York ia Seth Low; in the
list of the nine vice.presidents appear
the names Of such men as Carl Schurz,
Attendorler. Merrill. Gates. and d. G.
Gilman; while in the council are Ham
ilton Mabie. Henry Houghton and A.
G. Bowker. names which are sufficient
guarantee of the earnestness OF purpose
and the honest, serious work that is be-
! ing done there. The fundamental prin-
| ciple OF settlement life is belief in the
brotherhood of man; the main idea is to
q better understanding OF their mutual
obligations; il is the work of "personal-
ity upon personality, and, as such,
is myrisd-sided and without re-
strictions," the "first.hand knowledge
of those who need help is emphasized
as the first requisite for promoting indi-
vidual and social betterment." 1t is
not, and never has been, either here or
abroad, OF q charitable nature-that, is
in the common acceptation of the term.
On the contrary, it is with a spirit OF
neighborliness, and all it entails, for the
promotion of the sisterhood of woman,
as we'll as the brotherhood of man, that
the university settlement is in any
place established. The frat step
toward that end is the renting or leasing
Of some house in an overcrowded dis.
trict where work of this kind
seems needed; the establishment
in such house of head
worker (who is the only person to
whom salsry is paid) and his or her
assistants. The head and active work.
ers are aimoet always collegiate men or
women, although non-col'ege men or
ers are always welcome 80 long as they
are filed with deep sense of humanity
"a college settlement Is no place for
the esthete or dillettante, but for those
earnest, serious men and women, who
are in the highest and best sense hu-
m an itarian in their beliefs and prac-
tices. When once the house is
ch osen and the members estab-
lished therein, friendly overtures are
made to those living in the neigh borhood,
generally through the children, who are
the first to be reached, and after them
the mothers, gradually, and always
keeping the friendly, neighborly idea
we'll in view, little clubs, and classes and
various organizations are formed that
bind the people not only to the workers
but to themselves. The university set
tlement is supported in three waye,
first by the beard paid by those workers
who reside in the settlement home sec
ond, if nnder the College Settlements
association. by the variou, college
chapters, as in the case OF one
each in Boston, New York and
Philadelphia, and third by voluntary
individual subscriptions, euch subscrlp-
tions being an unual fee OF IS, in which
case the subscriber becomes an associate
| UoT Vi LILO debOCintiouS VI hhy euC.i
larger sum ae the circumstances or in
clination Of the subscriber shall suggest
Most OF the representative settlements
all over the country are self-supporting
the annual fee being looked upon in the
light OF taxes for improving in the best
and mot lasting manner the condition
of the elums. In the Do Laucy street
settlement in New York it costs
ten thousand dollars a year to carry or
tine work. The settlement work in Los
Angeles originated among the college
alumni. At one OF their meetings a
com mittee OF three we're chosen 10 de.
eide on place to begin the work in thaI
district, which is the Oldest and mos
, crowded, and is commonly known 81
|, SonorAtown; room was taken or
. Alpine street, in February, 1904. and il
the following July the field haC
widened 80 rapidly that a small house
was rented at No. 500 Now High street
. where the work has been carried on TN
: interruptedly along the regular college
, settlement lines. and it is open ever
, day for club work.
The residence idea. the home life, ant
the influence and moral effect is greatl,
augmented by the head worker and hi.
or her assistants living their own live
in the heart Of the settlement, an,
forming nucleus about which the SC
clal and club life may gather; for Q
course it is valuable object lesson t
] the men, women and children t