New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-03-08

TIE NEED OF SUCH AN INDUSTRIAL INsT1-
TUITION IN THE STATE
~. r,,ntoture blizzard Of yesterday ala not pre-
r.r, several hundred women from congregatng in
N. Fifth Avenue Theatre in the interest OF the
s,s,. Industrial Training School for Girls.
TpA New-York State Federation Of Womens
rubs Is pressing this measure with all the zeal Of
noverfll organization. Senators and Assembly
-, from every part Of the State have been over
,htlued with letters from women. urging the
,s.sss. Of the bill which IS now in the hands OF
he Finance Committee Of the Legislature
More than ten thousand letters have already
IAN written 70 the members Of the legislature,
md the end Is not yet
There is nothing partisan in the movement Re-
,nb,,csn and Democratic women alike inter
a,.s Mrs Richard Croker who, with some
friends occupied one Of the boxes declared after
me meeting that she should at once telegraph 10
senator Grady the Democratic leader al Albany.
m use his influence for the bill in which she is so
much Interested
Mrs william Tod Helmuth president Of the Fed
Grafton opened the meeting with an allusion TO
the weather from which she drew comforting
s-ile-that the snow was emblematc OF the purity
Of the cause espoused.
Ms Clarence Burns the active chairman. was
ther Introduced She explained the proposed work
and the principal needs Of those unskiled in labor
and made earnest appeal Tor the cooperation
Of all women In this great work.
Mrs Ralph Trautrnan. president Of the Health
Protective Association. read excellent paper,
citing several individual cases to prove the theory
that Whatever is to he done for the girls of the
tenement districts must he done before they reach
reformatories or prisons The stigma once upon
them. they never reform.
Mrs Cornelia c. Hood. president OF the Kings
County HannNczf Equality League. read paper on
Or0OrtNritV, which fOrClDlY
urged The claim Of the tenement-house girls 10 the
special consideration Of the State. She said In
part that for girl 70 receive any industrial train
ing from the State she must first go to a reform
atory. The requisite for admission TO this IS that
she must be idle. vicious incorrigihle or homeless:
be committed by magistrate and convicted Of d
crime The crime may be only the lack Of care and
support by those who brought her into the world
and for being homeless she is branded by the State
as feon
Mrs Edwin Knowles gave era phlc account OF
the pitiful lives Of those who dwell IN the low
places OF life and said: rs it any wonder, with
such environments. that they 90 not possess a
single quality 10 render them self-supporting?"
She oeplored the fact that in the largest and
Weathiest city on this continent go little had been
zone 10 raise the standard of right living among
these people In conclusion. she said that good
women were half responsible for this state of af-
isirs they sat in their own sheltered homes,
iheir unfortunate neighbors
Mrs. J. Pierce asked the rather pertinent oues-
uon' What right had the State TO withhold any
advantage. any opportunity that would qualify
hese girls to obtain honest LIVELIHOOD"
lne speaker thought that the project that repre-
snied the wish Of twenty-five thousand women
o. this State not 10 be lightly ignored and
mat be would be bold and unwtse legislator,
whether Republican or Democrat, who refused 10
morse h. be Fed
hing else than the accomplishment Of this object
would have entry. she said. on the credit
zoe Of its life ledger that would illumine its pages
forever
Mrs Donald Mclean the last speaker, said she
was expected to give resume of the various Ideas
Ign gems OF thought that had been given out
~ al the speakers She did sound a warning
Ivy IN BIDDING the legislators at Albany TO re-
member the Ides OF March," when they see the
S,ssssssuon OF women who will appear before them
me members Of the e9mm4stss who 60 to plead
,SIt Fallows Mrs. Hood and Mrs Stephen Ste
s Srs.s ana Mrs. Ellen Hardin Waiworth teie-
Albany
N ra0,s on the platform besides the speakers were
NaxvC,, Il Denison. Miss Anne Rhodes and Anna
S ions were Introduced by Mrs Florence NJ stOwen
nn NM y The president Of a working wOnans club
numbering four hundred.
,."heress Il cannot fail 10 be obvious 10 even
S"sI Investigators Of the subject that great diff
rss.es ID present lie IN the way OF the acquire
,seh oy girls without financial resources OF such
s..aAlcal and Industrial knowledge As will render
M Sei-sqppOrting. ana.
er,nefeas II Is plain that the removal Of the dim
s.tres would tend 20 remove fertile elements or
NE WI danger and suffering; and.
~ .Ieress Dill is now pending In the Legislature
.nls state looking to the establishment OF a
t,onVe industrial training schOol for the instruc-
w.. unoer favorable conditions Of girls from
na..se 70 eighteen years. in all branches OF DO
snT uc science and in the details Of such trades
n~,. M methods Of sef-support as are suitable for
ppsua,hce ny women; Il is then.
for ,SLolNeu, ny this meeting. that the movement
sch Ce establishment Of this industrial training
o. u - one worthy OF the strongest COmmend0-
+ In on the part Of the women Of this State. that
pesrtx 49, 40 receive and hereby does receive our
,.iuoi seInent and that this meeting does
l. f,,r. - commend 70 and urge upon the Legis
nske a. u"S STATE that in It's present session IT
prom s't,iitClshl appropriation 70 insure the
school ana opening OF Su'" II
Girle' Ky tlve members Of Mrs Stowelrs Working
orsss,, ~ az employees Of John WanamakeT. were
al ber -, ,s'Sn 10 the speeches. and not one girl
net,;rg pay deducted for the time spent at the
Mrs FdvyS woe OF thanks was given 10 Mr.. and
me ~ Nv IN hhOWles. who 80 generously gave the
0'e o. the theatre for the meeting