The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-13
cHARIrY,s NEWER WAYS.

Lnborntorv Ex,er,ment. In Diet-The Char
liable Rent Collector who Medintes ne.
tween Landlord and Tenant
schools nud sunmer schools.
1--WE deal here with people-men. women, and
ohildren-not with cases." said DIR. Tolman Of
the Association for Improving the Condition of
the Poor. ut is personal contact that counts.
ats not o particularly new idea. The asso-
citation has been organized since 1s43. and
though the public conception Of charity work
has been much modified In late years, still 1t IL
astonishing to zee how many of our good mod
ern ideas were suggested, years ago, by the
first members of tho association. The average
New Yorker thinks. however. that this whole
movement Of organized charity is recent.
"The association difrers from the Charity
Organization Society In that II 10 n relief giving
society. Now this morning We had an applicn-
ton for sl5, to which we may not respond. but
we'll look into the case. and perhaps find Sl5 q
good Investment there. Besides relieving all
deserving cases of restitution. we work along
many other lines. Through our labor bureau
We dnd employment for poor people. Up to
Nov. "a We had found in that one month places
for ago men. That 10 q work that 10 growing.
too. Last year, during October. We found
places for 40; this year for lao.
Then we have tried to improve the sanitary
condition of the dwellings of the poor. Tho
scheme of friendly rent-oolleotinE has been an
important factor In that. 1t has been placed
almost entirely in the hands of women because,
as II is q very delicate task. persons of tact and
Intelligence are needed. The friendly rent-col-
lector makes q business of collecting rent for
the landlord. He pays her q regular com mis-
sion for her work. and then. as our agent. che
insinuates herself into the life of the household
and finds out what the people need. She notices
that the drainage Ia defective aud the ventila-
ton bad. and insists that the landlord remedy
both. She observes that the woman Of the house
is untidy. and she not only suggests to her that
she keep her establishment neater. but she
friend by both landlord and tenant, and as long
as she mediates between them friendly rela-
tiona are sure to prevail.
Bile way to spread among the people Informs
ton as to the selection. purchase, and prepnra-
ton OF food. Prof. Atwater Of the W esleyan
University. at. Middietown, Conn, who has
onerated with US. For instance. we recently
Submitted the diet OF thirty poor families
during ten days to the closest inspection; They
told US just what provisions they bought, how
much they paid for them. and how they were
prepared for use. From these data Prof. Atwater
I'M regarding the best diet for laboring
men and their families have been conducted
Inns been carried on Satisfactorily for about
two years. There girls were taught to make
soups. stews, br0ths. puddlnR5, breads. cakes,
cookies. and pies. In each case the girls were
required to write down the cost OF the articles
and compute the cost OF the completed diah.
They were encouraged to write down the
recipes. Their homes were visited often. and II
YVES usually found that they hsu tried, with
more or less success. TO apply what they had
learned at the cooking school.
Whenever the tenement house women have
been down at the Seaside Hume, / have tried TO
have them learn some simple lesson in cooking.
Last summer we served bowls of oatmeal to all.
They liked it. but most of them did not know
that it wa a simple. cheap. nutritious food that
they could easily have at home.
THE department of schools and institutions
has taken up the idea Of vacation schools. For
three summers now tenement house children
have been receiving manual training during
the hottest weeks OF the year.. when life without
some special interest would be a burden to
ticular attention to tho relations of light. air,
and water to the health Of the poor. One i'm
portanu phase OF this work II the superintend-
ence OF the Peoples Bath. 1t was established
six years ago. and has been q great boon to
the people. The esta nlishmen In New York
has been u model for baths in other cities.
I'VE hope soon to have public laund ries such
cities OF the old world. Then poor women who
pay n few cents may do the family washing
where they have every convenience and appli-
ance. The work of the fresh air bureau ID
almost too well known to need much comment.
1t IL one OF the most picturesque forms of our
work. but there 10 \ certain danger in IL. That
II the tendency to pauperiZation. The boy or
girl receives a days outing at the Sea.ide Homo,
and then he wants O week: finally his parents
think that the association ought to help them
during the winter. The work has to be con-
Quoted with the greatest care and Judgment"