New-York tribune., 1901-07-24
EFFECTS OF SETTLEMENTS.
SOME OF THE WORK THEY ACCOM-
PLISH IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD-
FEW INSTITUTIONAL FEATURES.

Miss Williams, head worker of the College Set
uenenL the principal speaker yesterday at
the Summer School OF Philanthropy. held In the
Charities Building The topic of the day was ''The
Development and Effects of Settlement Work
Miss Williams said that although the central idea
IN the Work-that of fellowship with the poor and
lgnorant-remains the same, there have been
changes in the methods employed as matter Of
course The tentative and experimental stage
passed away long ago, and there twenty
eight Settlements in New-York City alone. The
earlier began with well defined plans, but only
an earnest wish and readiness TO do whatever pre-
sented itself as helpful necessary, but expert
has made it possible TO formulate plans and
methods
Miss williams deprecated too great reliance. how
ever upon methods and stated that in her opin-
Ion anything Ike conventionasm should be care
fully excluded from such work "An institutional
features she said, should be kept out and nothing
should be admitted but work demanding personal
contact II is the personal element that has in
fuence in uplifting. The penny savings bank. the
gymnasium the kindergarten the day nursery. all
are excellent adjuncts. but should be kept apart
as far as possible from the Settlement proper.
''Ot course" continued the speaker, there are
exceptional cases constantly occurring and that
Is one reason why any hard and fast rule is OBJ
sectionable When we have created a taste for
certain desirable things. must supply them
far as may be, until II becomes possible TO sep
arate ne means for supply from the Settlement
!
started gymnasium, in response TO what seemed
z real need and continued IL until It became too
crowded and too expensive Then they persuaded
city take IL over. and so IL has become a
municipal institution Of increasing usefulness In
this way, the Settlement often can begin enter
prises that are really OF a public nature, and by
demonstrating their value induce the municipality
10 assume them after time"
The necessity for intoxicating the habit Of giving
as well as receiving among those benefited by the
especial ernphasis TT is possible to pauperize
spiritually and mentally. well physically"
she said land il is far kinder and wiser 70 make
them feel that they too. have something TO do. '
That this spirit is developed In many cases was
shown by g example given by Miss Williams who
cited the case OF young who was one of the
Settlements boys" and now is an earnest helper
in many ways. He has class Of boys. and never
fails them. however tired from his days work he
may be-
Mrs Florence Kelley was the next speaker She
believes that institutional features fl Settlement
work sometimes unavoidable because there
is no provision in the neghborhood for social Ife
other than the saloon, but agreed with Miss Will
ianas that they should be retained only until the
city could be prevailed upon 10 take them over
into its care.
The question was raised whether the settlements
accomplished anything that could not be well
ssa Mrs keeY aaid that only By R 6ecomng
resident can one gain strong hold upon the peo-
Section for few hours daily she declared they
do not feel the personal interest in you that they
viii II you share their discoEnforrs and assume
their deprivations. Nor can you learn their needs
SC well from the outside"
Miss Ovington, Of Brooklyn, expressed her belief
that the greatest difficulty as well as the runoa-
mental necessity in Settlement work fs TO Under
stand or neighborsf' Not long ago." she said
T took class Of little girls into the country for
q day They had been coming TO for three
years but that day l found them reckless
and unmanageable TO a discouragfng degree.
spoke OF II 10 friend in the Settlement. complain
ing Of their tracrability. but she asked how L
could expect these children. who accustomed to
taking care Of themselves. to wait tu1idly and
obedientIy for my leading as II they were little
girls from different social set, unaccustonec 10
self-reliance. The suggestion opened my eyes and
! that 70 deprive those children OF their I'M
pulse to take care of themselves would be TO
hamper them in their struggles with hre II Is
SO hard 20 leave form OF social environment
for another without taking all the accustomed
ideals and notions OF the first with one .
ting toll often exacted by employers, ana In
stanced an engineer in a factory who has had no
vacation in years and Sunday in three months
If the owners OF that factory could i've IN the
neighborhood for a time, she aVerreo, such
abuses would be rernedied." ,
In response TO query as 10 whether settie-
rnents produce any real difference IN neighoor-
hood member from Boston said that IN lne
section where he lives as a settlement worEe.
the change has been so great that a student OF
sociology who has been engaged for several years
book upon social conditions in Boston las.
year obliged TO rewrite the entire portion
relating that district.
member from Philadelphia said that similar
changes have taken place in that city, WnereVe.
settlements have been established. 1t was statsa
also that the increased interest in sociology dis-
played in universities and colleges fs largely cue
70 the attention attracted by the Settlement work