New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-13
HELP AMONG THE ITALIANS.
JACOB RIIs TALKS BEFORE THE SUMMER
SCHOOL.
PRACTICAL PHILANTHROPY IN WORK CON
srDERED FROM NEWSPAPER REPoR-

PRACTICAL PHILANTHROPY IN WORK con
srDERED FROM NEWSPAPER REPoR-
TIERS POINT OF VIEW.
1T ought to have been in Carnegie Hall"
81 wished for everybody knew.
The speakers had Just left the twentieth
sion Of the Summer School In Practical Philan
thropc Work. where an audience that tested the
capacity Of the attractive library OF the Charity
Organization Society gathered yesterday morning
to hear Jacob Riis talk on Help Among the
Italians" The address was a revelation and de-
light and the refreshing author OF How the
Other Half Lives" doubtless sowed seeds In that
intelligent assembly that Will bring forth fruit to
the betterment OF italian tenement children.
II don't know why asked to speak to you
about help among the Italians" said Mr.. Ris,
unless 1t Is that know nothing about the sub
ject In a cold scientific statistical way. can
give you only observations CLEANED from the ex-
periences OF a newspaper reporter. trusting that
something systematic may be got out OF II Tor
your guidance. There has been a great deal OK
sentiment wasted on the subject but 1t Is better
to slop over than not TO sop al all. Let me tell
you that no real philanthropy was ever done In
cold. scientific. laboratory way. and nothing ever
will be done The result OF the scientific method
is satisfactory only to the man who looks on. IL
Is impossible TO understand the Italian In New
York unless one is familiar with his condition al
home.
70 be admitted shores. we get the best eie-
ment Of the italian race 1t is desire to better
their condition. TO heal the unres. that VIII not
permit them to submit TO the grcd!ng extoruohs
that make their life al home intoleraole, thaI
brings them to this country. Common-sense Is the
great requisite In dealing with the Italians Tney
are full Of aesthetic instinct. aesthetic hunger En-
couraged Il will bring out the best In them and
make them valuable citizens; perverted-t must
have an outlet-the country Will suffer. IL lies
In our hands whether we shall lose or gain oy the
development or stunning OF the Italians aesthetic
sense.
The condition Of the Italian IN this country
said Mr. Riis rs full of hope 1t needs only
lift 1t Is useless TO approach the parents inc
hope is in the children. II is impossible not 10
| love them II you get beneath the dirt OF
their little brown faces-most Italians wash once
or twice a wear whether they need 1t not
they are sweet and lovabe They need fresh air
and beautiful. natural surroundings more thah
other children. It's craving OF their blood Ihey
are taken on free excursions more now than lot
merly: STILL there Is no violent demand for them
1t was long before the schools would take them IN
They are eager to learn The Childrens Aid 30
ciety School, Mott-st.. is almost wholly Italian
| of the poorest class. Teachers were greatly as
turbed at first by the frequent visits OF parents
asking that boy or girl be allowed to come home
for an hour or two Finally they discovered that
they were needed as interpreters The parents
rarely II ever learn English. They are anxious
that the children should learn IT, With speaking
knowledge Of English the children are their INK
between the Old World and the New. In this way
II was discovered that. instead Of teaching class
OF sixty the school was instructing whole tene-
ment block The schooroom is filled with babies
They are not I'm the classes. but are brought along
| with the books and dinner pals. for most ltalian
children are little mothers fathers. The great
est aesthetic feeder for the italian child Is tho
The Jew is a marvel in mathematics, but watch
the wondrous combinations OF coor .ne ~ xo,,
do not coddle them too much or give them the ns
ss hfad lcS wSId iqssfs ea' the
spring Of child life: Make parks for them shady y
Mulberry Bend has changed in two years, the
police testify. the whole character Of that LOCALITY,
can recall seventeen murders on that site since
drawn Give them plenty Of baths They are es no,
they would be out OF place In the miserable tene-
OF IN wnii that Keeps them dirty The
Of e great evil among the chiIdT To. IN
begins In the streets ana ends d in rder
II fhf sh ssne% se for sac Hs''' ''
would do great work If II could abolish the sin;
exempihed in the funerals given even t s Da6e
success ree in Denmark and England to curta the
extravaganza CHARACTERISTIC OF all classes OF the
has taken the matter up. 1t issues cards which
be bought at the d ,b. The S 6srf sms
that the sender has given in memory OF the dead
a gift some living object OF charity For In
| stance parents lose a child. friend sends a
donation to an orphan asylum. and a card notifies
| the parents that II has been given In memory OF
| their babe that has passed away. Much opposi-
tion was naturally met with from the florists. They
compromised by sending a floral wreath with the
| card There are hundred thousand
funerals a year in New-York. What society will
! profit by taking up the funeral card and making
Il fashion? The society will profit by the sale Of
the cards and the poor. by imitation. will be re.
lieved OF custom OF three thousand years
growth" 49, 80
This morning Colonel George f. Waring, jr.. will
address the class on The Death Rate or. The
Influence Of the Municipality upon the Lives OF the
Poor" after which there will be a visit to the
Health Department