The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1899-10-03

1t is now nearly a score of years
since a benevolent impulse in the ac-
tive brain of a wolnan took active form
and resulted in an Institution which
has done great good to thousands Of
other women. The institution is call
ed the New York Exchange For Wo-
mems Work, and while it is not con-
similar exchanges that have been es-
tablished in various cities all over the
country it is fairly entitled to be call
ed the parent organization, since it was
the %forerunner of the others, and the
others are practically modelled after it.
The way of it's birth was this: Mrs.
NJ. L. Choate, wife of the well known
William G. Choate, happened, one day
In a fancy goods store, to see a lady Of
refinement and culture selling some
fine n~eedlework of her own literally at
starvation prices and noticed the tears
that gathered in her eyes as she ac-
cepted the pittance. 1t occdrred at
once to Mrs. Choate that some plan
should be devised by which women
should be enabled to dispose of their
work at fair prices directly to consum-
ers without losing the middleman's
margin of profit. She invited to her
WI house a number of other women
well known for their philanthropy and
with them discussed the necessity for
such an enterprise and asked their aid
in formulating a plan for it.
Without going into a detailed ac-
count of the various plans suggested
and the arguments presented it is
enough to tell what was decided upon
and what has grown out of that meet
ing.
The first step taken was the forma-
ton Of d society Of which Mrs. Choate
was chosen president. Among the 9th
er officers and managers are the wives
of Cornelius r. Agnew, William Am
DRY, George f. Baker, Andrew Carnegie,
Frederic Coudert, Charles f. Chandler,
William E. Dodge, George Hoadly, NJ.
M. Holmes, Henry lyison, A. d. JUL
lard, Russell Sage, John L. Terry,
Francis b. Thurber, I. NJ. Wheeler, j.
Henry Work and others to the number
of about 40.
These ladies, acting under the ad-
vice of a board Of eminent lawyers and
business men, Incorporated themselves
under the laws of the state, taking the
name of the New York Exchange For
Women's Work. They then adopted a
set of rules under which to do q regu-
lar consignment business for the pur-
pose of carrying out Mrs. Choate's
original idea.
AS a matter of course, these rules
have been modified from time to time
as experience dictated, but they re-
main substantially the same as at
first. Nothing was done hastily, but
the system was carefully studied be-
forehand, and time has only elaborat-
ed the details of the original plan.
Feeling that the field into which they
were entering was too large for them
to cover entirely, they resolved to linn
1t their efforts to the disposal of the
handiwork of gentlewomen whose cir
cumStances make it necessary for them
to work.
A strong disclaimer Is made by the
board Of any motive Of exclusiveness
in this. The line is drawn where it is
because it is absolutely necessary to
draw it somewhere. Many hundreds
of would be c%onsignors apply to have
their work disposed of, and if all were
received there would speedily occur a
large surplus of supplies over the de-
mand which reaches this exchange.
"And what kind Of work is it that is
disposed Of? l asked Miss p. s. Vail,
the secretary Of the exchange.
almost everything that women can
make at home," was the comprehen-
sive reply. One special feature of our
work is that it enables a multitude of
women to maintain their homes who
would without such help as we give
be compelled to see those homes bro
ken up, perhaps the family scattered.
We learn to appreciate more and more
all the time the Importance of this
point as we see ladies who come here
distr ssed and almost ~heartbroken
with apprehension growing happy and
contented with the knowledge that
they are wholly or in part self sup
porting.
"a curious and interesting fact H.
Illustrating this" continued Miss Vail,
"is that the demeanor Of the ladies
who come to us changes rapidly. 1t
often happens when they first come.
and It happened especially often when
we first began, that they come in a
shamefaced way, closely yelled and
mufied SO as to avoid recognition, and
they talk almost in whispers, as if NOR
titled at the necessity Of working.
But after awhile they come openly,
with heads erect and faces glowing
with honest pride. The educational
effect of our exchange in this respect
has been very valuable"
The exchange is located on Fifth
avenue, where it occupies the whole of
a handsome mansion which is hired at
an expense of $4,000 a year. A dozen
or more ladies are hired at living sal
aries to attend to the different de-
partments, such as the fancy work,
the Infants, the toy, the bric-a-brac and
the domestic, or, more properly, kitch.
a. ~, - $50 ~ , -, ~.