The sun., 1898-01-23
THE NURSES SETTL EMENT.
A Modest Institution Tint Does Good in Many
Ways the East side.

A great deal OF good is done on the east side
by an institution which Is without even an off,
cial name. 1t has come to be called the Nurses
Settlement" and is the outgrowth of the desire
of two young women, both trained nurses, to
make themselves useful. The institution now
occupies three houses In the classes and clubs
that come to these houses once and twice a
week there are about 900 attendances week.
Besides these beneficiaries are to BIO reckoned
the sick who are visited in their homes
When tho two young women came downtown
to begin their work. little less than five years
ago. they hired the top floor of a tenement and
made their home there. Their work was ut
first chiefly the visiting of the sick. 1t grew
little by little. and now includes many forms Of
benevolence.
All but two of the young women at the Settle
ment are trained nurses graduated from New
York hospitals. The two exceptions devote
themselves to other branches of work. one at
the Henry street house and one at the house in
East Seventy-eighth street, which 1t was found
practicable to establish some time ago. In two
years after the beginning of the enterprise in
the top story Of a tenement. house was given
to the young women in Henry street, and after
n time q woman of means who desired to become
one of them took the house back of II, fronting
on East Broadway, ana turned that over to them
for their use. The yard OF an adjoining house
yards Of the two houses. giving valued room for
a childrens outdoor kindergarten and play
Wss proered and and four o the eleven Of their
family. they call it. now live up there
The young women in residence ut these houses
have the assistance from time to time or friends.
Part of the success OF tho Settlement comes
from the ability Of the members 10 interest
is divided and extended. The efficacy of this
way of widening int erest in this kind OF work is
shown by the number OF requests received by
ha Nntt nm an I he lem
parts Of the city and country and from countries
abroad for information, on particular subjects
connected with the work. Sometimes several
such requests are received in n day.
The work carried on from the houses is under, @
% the houses IS but it IS so o. dticult to establish rigid
limits that the Henry street nurses are now Wis.
iting a patient i'll in Fifteenth street One of
dispensary where school children for whom q
physician has prescribed medical treatment, re-
ceive 1t at the hands Of nurse, and men whose
wounds need competent dressing are attended
to after their work is done.
Fifteen classes are conducted at the Henry
street house and six in Sevcnty-eighth street.
The pupils range from kindergarten children to
adults. The young women do not let the kin
enter the public schools. but invite them to come
back once week as members OF the Kinder
garten Alumni and Alumne Association. There
work and for instruction in the rules or the
Board of Health. cooking class may be
lish. and there is class In Kosher cooking.
There Is class Of young married women and
an evening class OF young girls who work. The
house has q reference library and attendants
who aid the children IN studying their lessons,
but for circulating library privileges the chill
drcn are referred TO the library of the Educa-
tional Alliance.
Much OF the financial support of tho Nurses
Settlement Is furnished by one OF the best-known
bankers of the Wall street district. One project
dear to tho mind OF the young woman who. with
her friend. originated the Settlement Is the cree
tion OF good tenements around Corlears Hook
Park. She sought to have the plan put In opcr-
alton before the advance in land values which
followed the establishment Of the park. but
nothing has yet been done.