Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-28
LUCY WEBB HAYES SCHOOL
Home for Deaconesses and Institution for
Training Of Nurses.
Movement to Extend It's ScOpe-PrOs-
pective New Building to BE
known M Rust Hall.

The necessity for more room IN which
to provide for the growing usefulness of
the Lucy Webb Hayes Training School
and Deaconess' Home in this city has long
been felt by those most interested in its
welfare, and steps were taken this week to
erect building to be known as Rust
Hail." in honor of one of the officers of
the Woman's Home Missionary Society.
As starter for the enterprise 81 500 was
subscribed at conference of a few friends
a couple of days since. OF course much
more than that amount will be needed,
but the deaconess' department of the Wo-
mans Home Missionary Society has abund-
ant faith that their efforts will be crowned
with success. 1t is believed the work of
construction will not cost to exceed $50, 600.
ITO benefit and bless at all times, said
Rev. DIR. A. H. AmeS, the superintendent
of the institution, was the object for which
the national training school was started;
this. at least, is the purpose which now
governs its methods.
1T were an easy task to receive young
women, to cultivate devotional impulses
which animate them in a high degree, and
then to send them out to gather such les
sons as by their experiments, failures or
in such such haphazard way they might
acquire. but this would hardly justify the
expense incurred.
1t is greatly to be wished that some
more concerted plan for the selection of
students could be put into operation. We
are gradually elevating the standard of
requirements. but there are other quail
fications essential to a successful deaconess
or missionary, such as strength OF chaT-
acter. capacity for leadership, earnestness
and tenacity of purpose, spirit of doc1hty
and teachableness, tact, good sense and
freedom from eccentricities. about which
we are compelled to rely on the representa-
lions of others.
Graduates Worthy of Praise.
1.-The school has reason to be proud of
it's graduates. They compare favorably
with those trained elsewhere, and the de-
mand for them continues to far exceed
the supply. The school has future be-
fore it, and should prepare for it prudently
and Systematically.
THE course Of study prescribed rev
months ago by our bishops Will form the
basis of our curriculum, and will be most
thoroughly taught, but other and more
advanced branches of study are added
thereto.
The Lucy Webb Hayes School is desig-
mated as national training school. But
if such a school is deemed by those most
directly interested to be necessity, it can
maintain it's superiority over local schools
only by policy more liberal than has
hitherto been pursued. From it's incep-
ton the national school has labored under
disadvantages which become more and
more perceptible.
Its resources have never been ample
enough to provide a resident faculty suf
ficiently large, and the buildings are too
few and small to accommodate number
of students great enough to meet the de-
mands of the society. Every year the
school is subject to criticism, because of
it's inability to meet acquisitions made upon
it, but with the present facilities and build
ings 1t Is absolutely impossible to receive
sufficient st Idents to answer these demands.
hrriId ipo NV ha oiStxy ir
full, the annex is full, and even if the
Sibley Hospital could be utilized. the dining
room and lecture rooms, which are in
capable of enlargement, are full. To ex-
pect of the school results for which
adequate means are provided is TIC demand
bricks without straw.
NO policy more fatal to the prosperity
or even the existence of the school can be
conceived than that of falling behind the
needs of the day. 1t were almost better to
close the doors of the institution and rely
upon the resources of local schools.
THE school should be furnished with at
least twice the number of resident teachers,
and with buildings to accommodate four
times its present number. The erection of
a new building, exclusively for the uses of
the school, is an urgent necessity
building sufficient to accommodate the
needs could be erected for $4,000.
Suggested Possibilities.
when one thinks of the possibilities that
sick chambers that must be cheered and
those on the death beds who might be COM
forted; of erring feet which might be guild
ed into the way OF peace, and immortal
souls which might be saved, surely patriot
ism and religion should gladly combine to
help them in the solution of these prob
lens SO serious to church and state
The movement to secure the facilities
said by DR.. Ames to be SO urgently needed
has the hearty cooperation and indorse-
ment of Rev. DR.. Luther 3. Wilson, pre-
siding elder of Washington district, Balti-
more conference, who said:
Il am greatly interested in the deaconess
work. 1 believe that zeal without knowl-
edge can never win. 1t is a great mistake
to think that anybody can deal with pow
erty, sin and sickness. Besides natural
abilities along these lines, an education
for the work is absolutely necessary
The active work of raising funds for the
new building will probably be under the
superintendent of Mrs. Jane Bancroft
Robinson, head Of the deaconess' depart
ment of the Woman's Home Missionary
Society. Mrs. Robinson, who is regarded as
one of the most wonderful women in the
denomination, visited the Lucy Webb Hayes
School here this week.