The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1899-04-30
STATE SCHOOLS FOR GIRLS.
Phiianthropic Women to Found
Them Thrnur iauf the Cnunfrx

PhilanthrOpic Women to Found
Them Throughout the Country.
Philanthropic women throughout the
proposed establishment of THE New York
State Industrial School for Girls" a move
ment that originated with Mrs. Jennie c..
Croly, Jennie June" the veteran news
paper woman. The industrial school pro-
iect is at present carried on by Mrs. Clar-
enee Burns, of New York city.
The spirit OF the enterprise is that IAN
ounce of prevention is worth a pound of
cure" Everywhere are TO be found insti-
tutions for the reformation of hayward and
criminal girls, but, alas, there are none
that take these girls, in the tenement dis
tricts, between the ages of eleven and nine
teen, and, by teaching them some indus
try by which they could earn an honest
living, foster self-respect and thus keep
them from ruin.
The earnest efforts of these women have
shown that these girls cannot sew, cook,
wash, or iron, or even wash a dish proper
ly Through the influence of some friend
they may get place as cash girl in a
department store. In few years the girl
will be two tall and gawky to fit the place.
About one in fifty Of them are bright
enough TO catch on" to the business and
gain gradual promotion from cash" to
saleswoman; the other forty-nine are dis
charged; they do not succeed in getting
other employment, there are many mouths
at home TO feed, perhaps a drunken father
or mother. the girl is scolded, called lazy,
worthless thing; she gets TO running the
streets in search of work, does not find it,
is discouraged-then comes ruin.
The appeal of the New York women who
are interested in this matter, and which
might furnish a model for others through
out the country, is as follows: I'VE sug-
gest that each club appoint committee
and prepare suitable programme for dis
cussion of this topic, The need of State
industrial school for girls. The chairman
of the committee can procure books, Civ
ing all required information. from the
Board of State Charities and Corrections.
This subject can be discussed from sew
eral points of view: First, the import
ance Of early industrial training for devel-
opment and self-support.
Second, industrial training for charac-
ter building. and as a factor in saving
large number of girls from criminal ca
reers.
Third, industrial training for ultimate
W .oldlc lue tAptuSt VI
supporting paupers and criminals.
Fourth, the results to be obtained
through an ideal training school, etc.
Everything should be done to interest
as many as possible in the discussion of a
problem of such vital interest to women.
The great object is TO MAXI each woman
| in your club realize the necessity of such
| an institution, and the responsibility that
rests upon her to put forth every effort TO
have established State industrial school
for girls
The industrial school project was unani-
mously adopted by the New York State
Federation of Women's Clubs as the work
of the year. They are asking that State
10 appropriate $l50,000 for the school,
which is to be established on the cottage
plan, enabling the managers to divide the
girls into classes of thirty or more.
The bills were introduced in both
branches OF the legislature on January &c.
The Legislators are about showed under
with letters, as every woman is requested
TO write 10 the senator and assemblyman
of her own district giving her home ad-
Dress urging them to vote for this bill
when it comes up for action
To remove all possible stigma that might
attach to a course of training in this
school, it was decided to avoid saying that