New-York tribune., 1901-04-09
HIRE COOKS WITH BABIES.
THEN SUBURBANITES WILL SOLVE ONE
DOMESTIC PROBLEM LECTURE
TO MOTHERS CLUB.

Engage cooks who have babies was the start
ling piece of advice given to the New-Yorll city
Mothers Club at its meeting yesterday at the
Berkeley Lyceum by Or. Jane E. Robbins OF the
Collegiate Alumnse Settlement.
Tenement house childhood was the topic for dis
oussion and Dr.. Robbins spoke of the effect of
tenement house conditions the health Of the
children She urged the members TO take poor
children 10 their country homes in the summer
and said that much Of the difficulty Of procuring
domestcs to go 70 the country would be removed
they would engage women with babies Il am
not speaking from theory but practical knowledg
Of its feasibility" said Dr. Robbins. a few years
ago my mother was having a good deal Of trouble
and ! thought that more trouble might help her.
50 sent her cook with three children. all un1ar
hVe years of age. The Youngest was i've months
old Well # did help her as much as it helped
them and the:- were with her until the baby was
year and half old Then The cook established
little home Of her own. and is making com
Portable living a Iaundrees."
Dr Robbins spoke also Of the overcrowdng in
the schools, and urged the members TO speak
WORD IN protest whenever possible. saying that
thirtE-tiVe children are enough in any sohooroom.
The Rev. j. Winthrop Heeenan. president oc the
Federation Of Churches and of the League for
crippled Children took for his theme "Co-operative
Efforts 10 Remedy Tenement Evils IL said:
The fettlements are the lest form that organized
ehort has taken, and churcheS-I had almost said
are the worst He emphasized the tremendous
need for work among the children, saying that
there IS { thoroughly organized effort corrupt
theH. and gave instance the fact that in
Chlcago there are what known kids
looms whore u back rooms. made cheerful and
attractive, boys are encouraged TO gather for
games. Sweet wines are served to them freely
with The deliberate intent to develop a love for
hqpor. He gave individual instances of youthful
depravity in New York the direct result saloon
associations, and declared that II the churches did
fLeir duty by properly organized and persistent
9-' 'aStS "t ll' llol hs PoSSI'lt
ne speaker dwelt upon the great Importance Of
mother love, the in and woman. in
an effort but pointed out that It's value a social
torce IS lost II not organized
he next speaker Mrs. Sarah J. Bird. Of the
Gospel Settlement. who spoke Of the Homema king
CAB and described the means taken by the settle
nent 70 cOunteract some tenement influences. The
nrst efforts directed to arouSnE feeling of
district. one plan is the tenement party, in which
some woman IS asked to invite all her neiEhDorS
IN the house. with their children. and the settle
ment visitors take tea. cakes. biscuits and other
eataoleS, joining in the social chat. ., 49, -,
Mrs. Bird made the practical suggestion that the
Mothers Club should hire room in Hester-st. or
that vicinity and have volunteer hostess there
every dav receive the tenement dWelIerS in a
you see it, said Mrs. Bird. the benefit II is TO
those women 10 come in contact with women or
culture and refinement go
Mrs Arthur Elliott Fish president of the auNiii-
ary 10 the Crippled Childrens tiulld. gave an &C
of the work with many interesting incidents.
A class Of the crippled children was brought in AZ
the conclusion Of her talk and sang some simple
songs prettily.
social life IN the tenements and Agnes Hume
Donaldson recited some pathetic poems
Mary Lowe Dickinson presided as chairman, m
Producing speaker with some tehctouS WORDS