The Jersey City news., 1899-05-16
WHIT TIER HOUSE.
Completes Its Fifth Year
and Gives a Wooden
Reception.
DR.. GRANTS ADDRESS
Ten Dollars Has Increased.
Says Miss Bradford
Other Features.


public only on this occasion more of the
public responded to the call and the dec
orations were much more elaborate
There were any number of palms ana
ferns artisticaly arranged upon the plat
form and about the room, although these
decorations were almost indiscernible In
the crowd of people which overflowed as
sembly room, parlor, office and hall
Then there were any amount of roses
carnations and fleurs de- lis sent in prinel-
pally by out-of-town friends, while Unit
ed States flags, draped in every doorway
and window, and intertwined with smilax,
literally covered the walls.
Bishop POTTER was unable to be present
and in his place DR.. Grant, of the Church
Of the Ascension, New York, gave the adj
dress of the evening, being cleverly in
troduced by the Rev. DIR. J. M. Ludlow,
President of Whittier Settlement,
who presided.
DR.. Grant congratulated Whittier
House upon reaching with such great
success its fifth anniversary, and spoke
of just what the settlement work in gen.
eral meant, with It's results. 1t was not,
ne said. charity organization, though
necessarily institutional. "A Settlement
house" said he, ''does what the public
schools are supposed to do. 1t brings
the classes together. The classes must
know. understand and respect each
other Here he gave some personal il
Illustrations of this fact Settlement
work" continued he, undertakes to bring
those people in better circumstances in
touch with those less fortunate. 1t is.
in my opinion, a great means to the fu-
ture solution of the social problem Ii
people do not understand each other,
they therefore have no sympathy with
each other. 1t is great thing for your
selves, for your city and for your ma
ton"
He next spoke of the view some people
took of the work as being irreligious
because it was institutional. Bishop Pot
ter, he was sure, could that gentleman
only be present to speak for himself,
would take a different view of it. Set
tlement work" continued the speaker, "Is
warmed with all the benefits of religion.
1t is religion in action. Settlement work
ers are touching life with life. They
don't write books, they don't paint pic
lures, they simply give themselves. Set
tlement work must eventually be one of
the leading institutional works of the
land"
After the applause had sufficiently died
down, DIR. Ludlow introduced Miss Cor
nelia Bradford, headworker of Whittier,
who was to render her annual report and
whom the chair represented as sOur Re-
cording Angel"
: Miss Bradford took the audience back
to the very beginning of Whittier House
Settlement, when there was no Whittier
House. only room in the Peoples
Palace. Here the getting acquainted"
began and before Miss Bradford left the
Palace, the kindergarten and mothers
class had been organized and IT'S members
been gained for Whittier House. Miss
Bradford then told how work in the
present quarters begun. AS the Settle
ment was the first in the State it was
largely furnished from the neighboring
cities. The ladies of Elizabeth furnished
the sitting room, other ladies followed
suit. and thus the various rooms were out
fitted.
Miss Bradford then told how the work
with which we began our work, has in
creased to many times ten. The three
articles of furniture which were all we
had to put into our house, have now
grown to many times three. Jersey City
to us is no longer an unknown town, but
rather our home. The citizens who were
once strangers are now our friends.
"About us are our neighbors. The peo-
pie who come to us from various parts of
the city are as much at home in Whittier
House as are the residents
1.-The work" continued she, "has taken
an educational form. The pupils do not
look upon us as their teachers. but as
friends and companions. We throw away
all class distinction. The idea of settle
ment work is sharing the life Of others,
and that is why it is so hard to under
stand" From here Miss Bradford went
on to speak of the various departments
of the house, mentioning especially the
change that is taking place in the work
through the spirit of cooperation with
the Woman's Club in the street cleaning
department, with the legal and organized
aids and other institutions. She especially
praised the city officials for "the kindly.
delightful way in which they have met
u.s." I'VE look upon this said she in
conclusion, s-as a home, always written
with a small h.
Miss Lucy Nelson here bracketed
"violetsn and "a May Song" singing in
her usual charming way to the accom-
paniment of Mrs. Henry Blauvelt on the
new piano the result of the lecture given
by the chaplain of the Indiana in DR..
Herr's church few months ago, and of
the efforts of the Daffodil Club from
Bergen School for Girls. as Dr. ludlow
afterward explained.
DR.. Robbins of the New York Settle
ment, made a very clever address in
which she likened the settlement work to
"Our poor relations" saying, ''and we
don't want any poor relations. We want
no distinction
Mr.. Fox Of Bayonne and Mr. Gulway
of Chicago We're also among the speakers
and congratulated Whittier House on its
wooden anniversary. Miss Nelson then
sang THE Open Secret and the audience