The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-01-16

The PEOPLES HOUSE
Why Jersey City Has the
Only Social Settlement
in the State.
WORKING PLAN OF WHITTIER HOUSE
Miss Bradford Believes in Jersey
Who tho Residents Are-Mont-
Glars Hand in Ii.
WORKING PLAN OF WHITTIER HOUSE


Gents. but little or nothing about its or
Eanizatiol. its characters and the reason
Jersey City has such a settlement. Col
lece or social settlement idea is not old.
Tho First Of tile kind is Toynbee Hall,
which Nas organized about ten years ago
IL ErsSland. Six or seven years ago the
first A:rerica social settlement, Hull
House. Chicago. was organized BY Miss
Jane AdaTns-
Miss co-nelia Bradford. the head worker
of Whittier House. had long been think
ing what work she could best do in the
world. and she believed SO in educational
work OF an ethical kin and in helping
pceple to help themselves that she re-
solved to learn the best way Of doing it
which She thought was to take on ones
self the lives OF the people. About four
years ago Miss Bradford went to Mans
field House. East London. the only Nom
Conformist Settlement in England. and
stayed there one summer as a resident,
learning and doing practical work in a
practical way. Mr.. Percy Alden. who
was at Whittier House last summer is
the Warden or Head-worker of Mans
field House. Miss Bradford went to Hull
House as a resident. At the close of her
Was CIered a salaried position as Head
worker IN a settlement in Pennsylvania
ana ana ano5a aas, N = settlement S6{b Mi N N Hrsdf agdk (
home is in Montclair. and she decided
thai she would start a settlement IN New
Jersey because there was none in tins
STATE. and CT all places needing work OF
this kind was Jersey City with its vast
r& ilway centres and factories. Miss Brad
ford at once took active measures to get
the suburbs interested in the affairs of the
ely. She said so many people have gone
To the Oranges and Montelair from Jer-
sey, City. and so many manufacturers who
make their money here are Twin III the SUI
burbs they should interest themselves in
the young working people and assist her.
TO open a branch where they could come
for things Of an educational and refining
order. Without waiting for assistance.
. slough, Mss Bradford came to Jersey
City and began his work. The Rev. Mr..
Seudder consulted with the trustees of
the Peoples Palace and offered her a
small unoccupied room in the Palace, and
the use of the gyinnas UNI during the day
time. For six months Miss Bradford came
frcm her home in Upper Montclair every
morning and went back at night 1t has
been said that whittier House began in
q box and went out in the country to
sleep" At the end of the SIX months
the classes had become too large for the
room. and it was necessary to find some
lars with which Miss Bradford began
her, work. mere had grown through APP
places. and Miss Bradford called together
the people interested in the work and
Whittier House became an incorporated
soc al settlement.
IN looking about for a house for this
great work Miss Bradford decided that
The house at No. ia Grand street was
the best for the purposes-it was large
and in a central locality. But the rent
also was large, too large for the slender
funds of Whittier House. In this dill
emma, Dr.. Armory H. Bradford, Miss
Bradford's brother, and pastor Of the
came forward and assumed the rent of
the first year. $500. Immediately Miss
Bradford and her faithful little house
keeper, Mrs. Joyce, with three articles of
furniture. moved in and Whittier House
was begun. That same afternoon Miss
Bradford spoke before a Woman's Club
in Elizabeth and so Interested the mem-
bers that they promised to furnish a
room.
The working principle of a social or q
college settlement is that those who
have had educational or other advantages
owe a duty to those who have not. In
America the person having entire charge
of the settlement is known as the head
worker. Those who live in the house are
called residents; those who spend one
dents, and others who have. charge Of
classes are nonresident workers. Each
resident pays board, in fact, for the privi-
lege Of working: All the teachers give
their services without monetary renum-
Grafton, Each pupil, pays the price asked
for each lesson, which is a small one.
Miss Bradford feels that Whittier House
will never be understood here. People
continually ask her about the home"
is the 'matron." Miss Bradford said,
Those who live in Whittier House are
residents and pay their weekly board;
the pupils pay the stipulated price. so a
college or social settlement is not a
charity. is not an institution, is not a
home, but it is a house and a life. All
come to the house in the spirit of friend
ship. All are friends The difference
between college and social settlements
is that college and university settlements
are supported by colleges and universe.
ties, social settlements are supported as
the funds are raised.
The Whittier Hous Association is com
noSod of nnCnla who nav "a a wear for
the support Of Whittier House. There is
q Board of MANAGEMENT, President, Vice
Vice President; H.. C. Wait, Secretary,
and w. J. Hunt. Treasurer. Other mem
beers of the board are. K. Panghorn.
Stanley White. j.. H. Parsons of Mont
clair, John L.. Scudder, E.. T. Toralinson,
James Fells, and the Rev. Mr.. Bliss of
The first room furnished in Whittier
House was the sitting ROOM, at the rear
beth took this in hand. painted the floor
and placed upon it a handsome rug,
papered the walls, hung pretty pictures
and furnished the room with a comforts
able lounge, oak chairs and tables. Mrs.
John Griffith of Montgomery street, who
has been called from the first the guard
ian angel Of the Whittier House has re-
at the right of the hall, with a hand
some set of mahogany furniture, desk,
chairs and sofa.
L III R1l - l. ~ IN - LII Il 0lA vi
the left of the hail., has long been an
eyesore with its dark woodwork. hideous
dark paper and dark-painted floor, but
Miss Rosaline Doremus has taken it in
hand and has begged from various people
and firms materials to completely rem
ovate it. Bright new paper Will be put
on the walls, light paint will replace the
dark and the ceilings will be tinted
prettily. The room is one Of the most
important in the house, for it IS used
mornings for a kindergarten, in the af-
ternoons and evenings for clubs and Sat
urday evening for the dancing class.
In the floor below are the Doctors
office, the kitchen, dining room and store
room. The Doctors Office was furnished
by Mrs. Hannah Cairns of Hamilton
Mace, with a light wood-desk, a cane
sofa. and mating on the floor. The
dining room is gloomy. The walls have
dark paper and the woodwork is dark.
yhe young people of Montclair furnished
4as money for 4 nice dining room, but
it Was thought best to make the kitchen
and lower halls uniform. and the money
was used for that. In the dining room
is a plano presented by Mrs. Al. j.. New
bury Of Clifton place. The piano used
in the Kindergarten room was presented
BY Mr. Pratt of Montclair.
The second floor is used exclusively
for bed rooms. The large room at the
rear was furnished by Mrs. Griffith for
MISS Bradford, and is acknowledged to
be the prettiest in the house. 1t is
bright and light, the furniture is hand
sonic oak, with the exception Of the
white iron bedstead. In all the rooms
these bedsteads are used. TIKI small