The sun., 1896-01-26
KIND WORD SoClETY'S AIM.
TO SUPPLY SERVANTS TO COUNTRY
HOUSEHOLDS.
Places Obtained for Girls who Ftnd the
Struggle OF city LITE Too severe- He
twse. 5000 md 900 Women Already
s.tth plnrce E~x~ Fullurr~ =,

Struggle OF City Istfe Too Fevere-be-
twse. 5000 md 900 Women Already
| Provided with PIsces- Few Fniiurcs.
"You don't know what tho Kind Word So
| cety is ?" said recently q young society leader
in a tone of astonisbment TO n man who does
much philanthroplc work. THE very ideal !
don't see where you've been, not to have heard
of It. and the reason haven't q now set Of furs
is because wanted to help some OF those poor
girls who knock at its doors for encouragement
and help The reason the Kind Word hasn't an
Institution such as Mrs. John Sherwood. tho
President. is working for" continued the girl.
meditativcly. "is evidently because the public
has never been aroused to proper appreciation
of that woman's wonderful work"
This society Is not an incorporated organizn-
tion and the members nrc not bound TO meet
on certain days by any red tape. 1t was started
by Mrs. Sherwood and few of her friends
three years ago without much encouragement
and with no money, and IL success speaks we'll
for individual effort in charity work. In SPEAK
ing of the society Mrs. Sherwood said:
ut has always been q fad OF mine. I had q
very large country house. and 1t took n great
many servants to run II, and they were always
so anxious to stay there even after had re-
turned to the city. This made mo think that
the girls who knew nothing but tho slavery of
the cashiers desk or the shop counter would
what trouble women had In getting servants in
the country. and put tho two things together
and concluded that IL properly managed my
scheme would work benehcially for employer
and employees. So. with few friends started
the Kind w ord Society three years ago. At first
people said that our object was beautiful but
chimerical. and many went so far as to hoot and
laugh at US. Some said very unpleasant and
trying things. From the first We met with
encouragement from the girls in tho stores,
but we did not achieve anything like
wonderful success until 1893. whom many
hundreds OF girls loss their places through
any fault OF their own, but because OF the
hard times. We hunted these girls up and
told them that II they would go to the
country as housemaids and promise to stay a
few months that we would 1nd them places and
pay their expenses. They clutched at this
eagerly, for many of them were actually hun
cry. and we had to lend them money In many
instances to pay their mothers rent. We be-
gan by writing to clergymen all over tho State
asking them to employ these girls as servants
In their families. and to talk to the women In
their parishes about doing the same. The re-
sponse was immediate and most gratifying. and
some OF our best successes have been with girls
who have gone from behind tho counter into
some clergyman's family, where she has learned
to cook and sew well. and at the same time be-
come companion. for many clergymen's wives
do their own work.
"In our short existence we have placed be-
tween two and three Thousand girls. and tho
failures are less than one out OF every hundred.
This is astonishing when one remembers that
many of these girls come to us from the lowest
classes. My correspondence with these girls is
touching and delightful, and proves what a
supporting women. Tho hope and splendid
courage that they show in striving to lead USE
fu saa yss no onsy to- WITH and depend
entirely on the dues Of the members. voluntary
contributions, and mainly on the returns from
funds hampers us very much. for many girls
come to us, who really haven't change Of
ii protect them. @ Miss Shea. tho secrstary is de.
lighted to get cast-of clothes suitable for girls
who are going out as servants, and receives such
Another class OF women that I've become
much Interested in since our.work has branched
who are reduced almost to starvation and are
not fitted In single way to earn their living
large number OF these as maids or companions,
music teachers. and in other posts. Cultured
girls come to me shiverinR amt hungry. and
know Of nothing that Is more satisfactory than
here in my room and q thick coat. and see them
been able to give them work. The clothing that
Is given to these girls Is that cast of and con-
by mot 81 tho ipr
thing for women going out as companions.
nurses, or music teachers. and am so glad to
Windsor Hotel.
THE plea. ATTEST thing that happened In Christ
cases. case I'll had ' Il. srl on hand TINT wanted to
send out as n music teacher. but she had pawned
tia, she ,hs hsa the sui sae
one night | met lady, and asked her II her
daughter had any east.of clothing that she
no more of it. When sat down to the table a
servant handed me an enormous roll Of bills
saying: A gentleman who was in the elevator
sent this to you for your girls. and says he
eSonsh s sus ouss sSs or Sur er
My ambition now is to establish a training
school where girls can he taught to cook beef
steak, to make good bread. to do laundry work
properly. and to clean up a house. and would
open such school Tomorrow II had the money.
this winter. but it is very hard when cases are
constantly com ing up that need immediate help
1--WE nssn this an Su
no ono has volunteered. Our idea is to start
modestIy and humbiy with the girls that we
take a perfectly ignorant riri as a servant. and
from their mothers arms TO the shops and
have never so much as cooked a meal for them
selves such girls are not At e be the the
the reason SO many men go TO the saloons
Is because their wives can't cook. The sad part
of II is that the girls are 80 anxious to learn
these things. and the employers who have
taken the ignorant ones and taught them write
cess. II every woman who Is able to do 40
would take one girl or more who is trying to
help herself and do for her what this society
is always doing for fifty. 1t would insure the
prosperity and purity OF the city more than any
thing that could be done. Less is done for tho
girls OF New York than for anybody .lse.
and nothing is done for those between tho ages
OF IA and 20. when they are exposed to danger
and temptation and In five cases ont of ten have
to support their entire families. They come 10
us with their stories; we listen. but never tell.
| Think of the dangers that bright pretty. edu-
Gated girls are exposed to who have to cross the
| Brooklyn Bridge before dawn and after dark
| The moro educated IL girl " the more open she
Is to temptation, for she can't hear the degrada-
| ton of poverty. Put n girl out OF the city into
the country beyond want and you have sstnb-
lished the first step toward purity. Jane Brown
| comes to n member Of tho Kind Word Society
| that member takes James individual case.
| finds out about her character. and before night
mas her a place or makes her feel that She will
| have one Immediately. This Is like taking the
knife from would-be suicides throat.
"A man and his pretty little wife applied for
| help not many months ago. He Ind been a
cashier and she a saleswoinan In a store. Tho
| firm suspended. and they could find no work.
Both fell i'll and were sent to 'fferent hospitals.
neither knowing where tho other WAS. They
met in tho street accidentally and came to us.
We found how worthy they were. got them
places ms servants in a country hotel and IN