New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-06-18
F|aked Rice
THE FRIENDLY AID.
SEVENTH YEARS WORK OF THE EAST
THIRTY FOURTH-ST. SETTLEMENT

SEVENTH YEARS WORK OF THE EAST
THIRTY-FOURTH-s ST. SETTLEMENT.
The seventh report Of the Friendly Aid House
for the calendar year OF 1895 has just been
issued but with a supplemental letter from the
head worker. Mrs Mary Kingsbury Simkho-
witch, telling Of the work of the Settlement this
year The house is at No. 24S East Thirty
fourth-st, near Second-ave. The district and
the work that is being done there described
as follows by Mrs. Slmkhovitch:
The district In which we find ourselves is less
picturesque than interesting. II has none or the
external charm that pleases the visitor to our
more distiuctively foreign quarters. Everything
Is inconspicuous and commonplace. But behind
this mask OF the ordinary is the seeth!ng life OF a
great mass OF working people whose lives are
full Of problems that are hard 10 face and whose
environment Is not that which leads naturally TO
good citizenship 10 high personal character
The tenement houses. even the best OF them, are
not the natural school OF purity. light and hope.
The daily wonder OF all is that 40 many
flowers bloom in SO barren a region. and that de-
sire for the best should arise among those who
| are offered it's very questionable substitutes.
one thing is perfectly clear-that the tide or
, amusement runs low in this district. what peo-
pie desire is a test OF what they are but peo-
pies desires are largely made up or Impressions
received from their environment. To stimulate
high and worthy desires is the first office OF the
settlement. II IL OF religion and or art Inc
| natural desire for amusement is one OF the
simplest beverages which a Settlement may use
II is the social instinct that must be. in one form
| or another. satisfied one very important way,
then I'm which a Settlement may serve neigh
borhood Is by Offering high-cass entertainments
o. every sort dramatic musical literary etc.
The president Of the Settlement Warren
Goddard. reports that a second adjoining house
has been added TO the original building "here
the head worker and the other residents now
live. instead Of residing outside. he also makes
an appeal for more workers to take charge OF
clubs TO establish home libraries In tenements
10 take q friendly interest in individuals and to
aid ct entertainments other needs are loan eN-
h;bltlons OF pictures books for the library, pict-
ures. casts and busts for permanent decoration
Of the house. talks on health science and BOOKS
and electrical exhibitions. etc
Tn, Civic club ha, recently gone into new
house built especially for IT, at No. 243 East
Tbirtv-fourth-st Besides furnishing all the adj
vantages Of a first-class club to its members II
Is a powerful influence for good in the neighoor-
hood through the activities OF It's committees on
streets and sidewalks. sanitary condluohs' gam
bling etc: buildings and local improvements
eviction and restitution and on legal assistance
While the Civic Club is composed OF men above
twenty-One years OF age. the CIVIC Junior CIuo
aims by means Of athletics lectures, debates ana
other clubwork TO carry boys through the peril
ous age from seventeen TO twenty-one years
Among the other varied and useful activities
~ the Settlement are the kindergarten, with
hftv-fve children enrolled a sewing school with
one hundred and thirty children and seventeen
teachers; cooking dancing and gymnasium
classes: classes for drawing modelling and paint
ing the library the penny provident bank the
alliance employment bureau for women anu
eirls and the operating class for girls
During the present week the Settlement has
had presented TO II the use Of a house for va
cation home at Green's Farms Conn. Funds TOT
Of house
e. 5no bave been given As the privilege Of ult-
matelv buying the house was extended that Is
an end also aimed at by the friends OF the
Settlement.