Evening star., 1896-12-22
REFUGE FOR HOMELESS WOMEN.
A Modest Little Effort to Befriend ant
Help Poor Girls.

Help Poor Girls.
There has been opened at 1135 9th street
home for poor girls, women and children,
who are without friends or homes in WASH
ington and wish to earn their living. "A
friend of the institution writes to The Star
in regard to this home as follows:
''In the few weeks since the opening of
the home it has won the confidence and
loving interest of quite circle of Christian
men and women. The house is comfort
ably furnished, and is without trace OF
the institution 1t is just such a retired
and homeike place as any woman's heart
might wish for.
Those for whom the home was created
are a class to themselves. They are girls
OF the better sort, from good and sometimes
prominent families. They are in no sense
fallen women in the odious meaning of
that unfortunate term. But they are So
cially outcast, and too often find their
eruelest enemies to be those of their own
households. They are too often girls wear
ing the engagement ring, with its sad his
tory of betrayal. They loathe the life of
sin, and belong to the class who, over
whelmed by disgrace and regret, commit
suicide or resort to the crime of infanti-
eide The girl of higher instincts, shrink
ing from deeper sin, seeks a place of ref
uge and heroically faces the results of
false step. In this home that girl finds
such a refuge. and at the hands of strang-
ers, whose mission it is to succor in the
hour of need. She finds friends pity and
nope for the future. In this home she may
I'VE even Tor years, acquiring courage to go
forth into the world self-respecting wo-
man, and ability for honorable self-sup-
port. A woman made destitute by death
or the abandonment of rightful supporter,
may mere lind protection for herself and
her children. No woman, honestly seeking
a pure life, need say she is compelled to go
to the street for a living, for to all such
this home is open.
II has bepp hp Of i,,to
workers in this line that the mixing of all
grades and conditions of unfortunate wo-
men but fosters the very evils the work is
organized to overcome. Hence, this home
is created for the prevention of evil rather
than Tor the rescuing of those long given
to vice. Its chief aim is to give new heart
and hope to the girl who has made the sad
dest of all mistakes and who stands i'm
such sore need of friendship and encour-
agement that in her despair she may not
drift into greater sins.
The directors Of this home believe that
great results must follow the proper man
agement of work along this special line
Ihey also believe that any work of this
character should be conducted in as Quiet
ana unobtrusive manner as possible. Be-
ieving that self-respect can only be MAIN
tanned by an effort at self-support the
managers of this home expect each mem
Der OF the household who Is at all capa BILE
OF DONG SO to aid in the support of the
nome, and in that way TO contribute to her
own support. To this end some members
of the family attend to the laundry work.
some go out to work by the day, some sew
and look after the house, while others take
charge Of the little ores.
Miss Olive Sampson, a bright Young
iady OF our city, is conducting a kinder
garten where the older children of the
mouse receive instruction. and where, for a
small consideration, the little children of
poor mothers who must be away at work
through the day can be left and receive the
pest Oh attention. Every Sabbath MOI ming
group Of the older children is taken to
Saivary Baptist Sunday school, y here Miss
Pollock takes charge of them in her sun
day school kindergarten
Miss Virginia Taylor, one of our bright
est PUBIC school teachers, gives part If her
leisure time TO night classes in the various
branches for the benefit of the girls thus
giving them an opportunity to broaden
their lives A Bible class Is taught every
sunday morning. Evangelstic services are
neIu every Sunday morning and every Fri
DAY afternoon under the direction of an
evangeiistic committee of Christian work.
ers from various churches.
AT the present time there are more than
forty members of the household. About
eighteen Of these are children from six
weeks to five years Of age. This home
seeks no appropriation from Congress-
They seek their meat from God and live
by their own brave efforts and by the gifts
OF those whose hearts are opened to them
Believing that If good people know of the
existence Of this work it's support will be
eASSulcu, tiie LididScIileill kHcW no let
ter channel of enlightenment tnan The
Star, the paper that has always stood as
the befriender of the friendless and the
channel between him that hath and him
that hath net
LAS the feelings Of every member of the
home are respected, the private rooms Of
the house are sacred to .nAr occupants
But in the nursery, with Its family of little
ones, and In the kindergarten, friends are
always welcome. Food of all Kinds, gar
ments for women and children, bedding
table linen, chairs, fuel and money are very
acceptabl and very necessary.
Amy reader of The Star whose heart
prompts him to make a Christmas Offering
| to some of the poor Of Washington can find
none more worthy than those sheltered at
1135 9th street northwest"