The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-03
ASSOCIATED CHARITIES DISCUSS
THE BEST MEANS OF IMPROV-
ING THEM
AT THE PARLOR CONFERENCE.
MISS HALLAM TREATS OF THE
GREAT UTILITY OF INDUS
TRIAL SCHOOLS.
INFLUENCE OF MOTHERS CLUBS.
NeighbOrhOOd Clubs Are Also Conn
mended and the Advantages of
Art and Recreation.

The improvement of the poor was
the general theme for discussion at tn
twenty fourth parlor conference of the
Associated Charities held at the resi-
dence of Capt. H. A. Castle, 112 West
ern avenue, last evening. The confer
ence drew out a goodly number of la
dies and gentlemen who are interested
in the amelioration Of the mental and
physical sufferings of the needy.
The first paper of the evening, writ
ten by Mrs. Oscar Hallam, was read
by Mr.. Hallam. 1t touched upon the
great utility Of industrial schools in
the Improvement of the poor. Mrs.
Hallam said that the poor of the cities
We're separated by a wide gulf from
the more fortunately situated people.
and that this gulf should be lessened
as much as possible. This was being
done by the establishment of indus
trial schools for women and children.
Here the minds receive mental and
moral training, and the bodies were
looked after from a physical stand
point. The pupils, whether old or
young, come in contact with pleasant
and refined surroundings. They are
taught cleanliness, order, housekeep.
ing, cooking and sewing. The love Of
music is cultivated within them and
they are learned to acquire principles
Of temperance and good morals. Thera
are three of these schools in st. Paul.
one at the Bethel, one at the relief sta
ton and another at Peoples church.
DR.. Auten Pine told Of the influence
or mothers clubs in ST. Paul upon the
poor people. She believed that, as q
result Of twenty-five meetings Of the
club probably 1000 people had been
Influenced in the right direction by
that which they had heard DR.. Pine
tUTu of one meeting she had attended
at Which dressmaking was discusse
strom a standpoint Of hygiene and
practically. The Mothers club is now
four years old, and, since it's organiza-
ton, branches have been established
in eight places with a central organic
alton.
Miss Anna Carter told Of the inf1u
ence which neighborhoOd clubs were
e&erting over the poor Of the CITY
she believed that the poor Of the CITY
old not know how to be good neigh
pors, and the clubs were formed in
order to instruct them. She believed
that the recent growth of all kinds
OF cubs was because of the discovery
OF the benefits of organization Neigh.
Dofhood clubs had a function all their
own. The clubs were formed for the
purpose of stimulating an interest
among the poor people in their rights
they were taught their privileges as
citizens, and civic pride was inculcated
In their minds. In many different di-
rections they were made to believe
that they had common interests. Miss
Carter told Of the work done in Chi
cago in this direction. Some wears
ago a club was formed in the slums
or South HalStead street and if worked
sIeaE good. The poor were taught
that they had the right to demand the
renoV& of garbage, and that the
streets be kept clean. The effort to
elevate them had been very successful
Thy were taught to make the most Of
their possibilities.
Miss Celia Adams discussed the i'm
proVement of the poor through the
use or recreation and art Constant
association with poor children has
SHOWN her the value of art and recrea-
tlon In their uplifting She believed
that art was the visible expression of
the universal spirit Of man, and that
IL 1t is cultivated in the young,
II VIII broaden and strengthen
thelr characters and give hem con-
troll Of their passions. The speaker
sketched the value of the public con-
certs given in London on Saturday
nights, to which the poor people
locked eagerly. They were lifted out
from the world Of trouble into the
realm OF tone by simple music which
appealed to their best traits Of char
acter. Miss Adams feared that the
American people were drifting away
further from habits of recreation and
are forgetting how to live
u. K. NoyeS spoke upon the value
of the industrial schools and their in
huence upon the after-life of the pupils
who attended them. One result which
had come under his notice was an or
der for several gross of tooth brushes
Thomas Cochran narrated his ex-
perienceS in New York city among the
poor people and tenement dwellers
One night the speaker went riding in
the tenement house section. and had
seen over hundred children dancing
On the pavement to the tune of a street
piano. Mr.. Cochrane hired the owner
or the instrument to play for an hour,
and the speaker stood and watched
the little ones at play New York.
said the speaker, was yearly giving
more attention to the poor people The
commissioner of public works had or
dered that as many as possible of the
tenement house streets be paved with
asphalt to insure quiet and cleanli-
ness.
Rev S. G. Smith thought that the
city authorities might better lay out
parks for the poor people of st. Paul
than create parks for the exclusive use
of Summit avenue people, who were
ahundantly able to pay for them them
selves. Mr.. Smith referred to Carpen-
ter park.
CDR" RUTLAND HELD