The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-24
A STUDENT AT HARVARD.
One OF New York's Ghetto Aiming
to Help His People.

| tFrom tho Boston Post.)
Meyer Bloomfield. of Harvard is a son
of the Senements. And 1t is his aim Ia
spend his life working with those who
were born as he. Today he is a Harvard
senior. This because he had the courage to
come to Harvard and work as carpeu-
ter until he got chance to take car ge
| OF Jewish evening schools in Boston
through the influence of Edwin D. Mead.
the anti-imperialist Of Boston.
He plans merely. after Jacob Ri's of
! New York, to live with his people and do
what he can to help as many as he can.
/ Already he is doing this Already his
work in the North End schools of Boston
/ has endeared him to the hearts of the
! poor Hebrew boys. He Is their best
/ friend.
He came to Harvard from the poorest
| part of the East Side. He was born in
Bucharest. Roumania. but came to Amer
lea with his people when but seven years
old.
Before he came to Harvard he was one
of the boys of the East Side. just like all
others, for his father was a poor teach
er OF languages. For sixteen years he
lived there. Today he is almost twenty
three. His father taught English to men.
after they had finished their days work
In the university settlements and about
the pubic schools Bloomfield picked up a
himself through the Technical Institute
and New York City College, He got his
degree from there in 1899 He was then
worsing his way along, spending evenings
In university settlement work In this
way he caught the attention of certain |
wealthy New Workers.
Immediately. when he got a college am
bition, they wanted to help him They
offered to put him through Harvard But |
he refused He came to Harvard alone
When he landed in Harvard two years |
ago he didn't know which way to turn He !
got modest room and lived modestly. His
first thought was carpenter work He /
rad never done any practical carpentry
His technical institute training fitted him
for the work theoretically. but he met a
new problem. A woman who owned lot !
OF cheap tenements gave him chance to
do some work. He knew how to use his
tools. He knew how to make boxes and all
that. StIt when he was confronted with a
tumbledown stairway and a badly smash
ed door he felt that there was new prob
lem in life. He solved It, though. and the
woman was satisfied. From this carpentry
work he would go to lectures LAYING |
aside his overalls and jumpers he would
urn back to the lectures.
He got more repairing to do and in this
way made money enough to live on. But
before he had established a reputation as
he was brought to the notice of
edwin Mead who has much interest In
'oys clubs and practical mission work.
Bloomfield haG already done much work
If this sort
Immediately he was offered charge Of an
.vening school in the North End and an
ther and then another and another until
Il last he was recognized as the most eff
lent Of the teachers.
To such an extent has he acquired a rep
tation in Boston that the Twentieth Gen.
ury Club. Boston's most typical, aristo- | !
ratio and blue stocking society has time {
nd again had him to read papers on the C
lbject. and magazines are always at him d
= articles. T
He entered to advanced standing ar Har- I
ard by virtue of his New York City Col Il
ge work. Today he lives in a cosy room Il
yer business block. IN this room he has II
lie comforts of the average college man. fl
Though only twenty-three he looks a
UGH older He dresses neatly. with much il
lie fantastic and artistic quality which il
iinters adopt. His face is remarkable for p
,iicate lines and well-formed features. He V
lows none of the East Side and few OF Il
e Jewish facial qualities. e