Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-06-30
OUR NEW YORK LETTER.
League for Social Service and
the Paris Exposition.

New YORK. June 29.-[ Special THE
League For Social Service having been
invited to assist in preparing the Ameri-
can exhibit of social economy for the
Paris exhibition of 1900 DIR. Josiah
Strong and DIR. William Howe Tolman,
respectively president and secretary Of
the organization, are now up to their
eyes in the preliminary work which ac-
ceptance of the invitation involves.
The American exhibit of social econo-
my is to be divided into FIVE classcs-D
social and economic institutions in the
United States. with especial reference to
labor conditions: (2) the resources and in
dustrics of the United States in their re-
latiOn to the geography of the country;
90 institutions and movements for the
bettermCnt of social conditions; a. chart
ty organization and the care Of dc9nct-
ives, dependents and delinquents; 90 by
giene and sanitation.
The Leagues New work.
The department to be taken charge of
by the League For Social Service is No.
3-institutions and movements for the
bettermcnt of social and industrial con-
ditions. 1t will be the aim of the league
in preparing its exhibit to show, first So
cial and industrial conditions as they now
exist in this country, and, second, what
is being done to improve them.
A little reflection will make it clear to
the reader that while this proposition is
simple in statement it may ice exceeding
ly complex in execution. AS planned by
DR.. Tolman it will be very comprehen-
sive indeed. The first part of the scheme
as laid out, subject to such changes as
may be necessary to adjust it to other
groups in the exposition, includes seven
divisions-Q) showing the size, topogra-
| ply, climate and soil of the country; 90
the number distribution, races and occu-
patons of the people; (3} the various
branches of industry, subdivided into ex-
tractive EARNING, numbering, mining
etc. manufacturing and transportation
and communication; a. the different
phases of our commercial life; (5) those
institutions that may properly be termed
economic, including apprenticeship, trades
unions, cooperative stores, provident in
| situations, etc; 60 social institutions.
| home, church, school, community and
! state; "a movements, such as clubs, So
cial settlements. the institutional church,
etc, for the general improvement of the
people.
The second part Of the scheme is even
more elaborate. and the exhibits in CON
nection Herewith will he prepared from
! personal studies of the measures now in
force in large number Of factories and
other industrial establishments for the
Improvement of the condition Of the
workpeople. This lay out renders far
| greater variety Of exhibits possible than
you might suppose. For instance. under
the educational head are such items as
"Travcing Library" Mothers Guild"
Ff.I. -,
der the athletic head are Baseball. "
"Football." Boys Brigade" Summer
Camps" and the like. Under the social
head come "Janitors' Club" Dancing
Glass" and "IIall In Factory Where En-
ployceS May Meet under the head of
landscape gardening, "Window Boxes
"Factory and Lawn Decorations" etc.
under thrift, prizes" Penny Provi-
dent Bank" Relief Association" and
so on.
4 Permanent Expositionf
1t was suggested by the government
authorities when they requested the
League For Social Service To take hole
of the enterprise that "the exhibit wheI
completed would form the only compre
hensive presentation of the subject which
has ever been made in this country ant
might we'll Ice used as a nucleus for a per
mdnent collection similar to that in tn,
AIusee Social in Paris, which eXerts sucl
a strong development on French socia
Development
Whether this hint can be acted upon il
the establishment Of permanent exhibi
ton here or al Washington after the clos
of the Paris show cannot he determine,
at this juncture of course, but it will h.
very pleasing to both DIR. Strong and DR.
TOlman and all who are interested in tn
league if it can. The Social Musee is on
of the most useful institutions in al
France, and its foundation principles ar
identical with those underlying tn
, league.
The Musee Social.
In one particular the Musee Social ha
a great advantage over the league. TIL
French institution was organized in 1897
the Count of Chambrun being its found
er, who endowed it with real estate o
the value of 100000. This endowment
and divers donations suffice to furnish a
the income needed. Consequently Their
are no subscriptions, and the Musee
enabled to place its valuable services be
= fore the public gratuitously.
One of the most interesting features q
the Musee Social Is just such a permi
, nent museum of social economy as tn
officers of the League For Social ServC
hope to establish in connection with the
enterprise This French museum is Ill
first of its sort in the world, and the onl
! one approaching it as to completeness
attached to the London School of Ec,
Monies.
Another feature of the Musee Social
work which the League For Social Ser
ice has not been able as yet to duplicat
is the offering of prizes, the money fC
/ which has been contributed by the CouI
Z of Chambrun. Other features have bee
the corps of foreign correspondents, sin
liar to the corps engaged by the league
the organization of missions of inquir,
:. both III France and foreign countrie
4 and library of the latest books, periot
4 icals and papers bearing upon social to-
4 les and kept constantly up to date. I'll
/ league has not been able so far to al
y proXimate the library of the Musee $
cial, but a league library is being a
cumulated, and there is no doubt that
3 time it will equal the one in France.
II Among the special inquiries which Il
n Musee Social has carried on may be me
toned one in the United States, unde
taken in 1896, for the purpose of stud
- ing the labor unions; another prescott,
in the northern and central parts of tia
to secure information regarding the agl
N cultural institutions of credit and coo
~ Grafton there, another for the purpose
Ct studying the working of the German S
is | o;o1 laws in WpStnhalia and still anOth