The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-02-06
SETTLEMENT WORK.
Y.W.C.A. Glasses Under Miss Radford
Showing Improvement

Kansas City. Kas., Feb. 6-In six
small. nicely furnished rooms over a
butcher shop at No ( James street a be-
ginning in settlement work was made
on the 10th of last December by the
Young Women's Christian association of
Kansas City, Kas- Miss Radford, of To-
peka- state secretary Of the association,
is now in charge of the work, and devel-
oping the plans for it. Every afternoon
little girls come here to learn to sew,
and almost every day the young women
gather here in classes for one purpose or
smother. Tuesday and Thursday after
Moons the young women and girls meet
here; Tuesday night the mandolin class.
under the instruction of Mrs Grimrod;
Wednesday night the class in fancy
work, and Friday night is the regular
time Of meeting OF the Young Women's
club.
This is a society organized for the mu-
tual benefit of its members and is the
basis Of the work of the Young Women's
Christian association in this locality
From among its members are organized
the various classes in. music, fancy work,
physical culture; and as the club grows
classes in dressnaking and other
branches viii be made up. Tonight the
club will give a literary and musical en-
tertainment at It's rooms
The club has a piano, and the begin
ming of a library. The work is still in
its infancy, and every week new fea-
lures Of the plan are introduced. A class
in cooking is soon to be organized for the
young married women, and a mothers
club viii be formed. Then the kinder
garten work viii be taken up, and for
this there is particular need The Chris
tian Science school is doing excellent
work in a fertile field with its kinder
garten, north of Central avenue, but the
south side of Central furnishes an eio-
quent opportunity for workers among
children. Then it is earnestly hoped by
the time summer comes a plot of ground
in this vicinity can be secured. out OF
which a playground for the children and
a park and place of recreation for older
girls can be made.
This work of the Young Women's
Christian association on James street is
the first attempt in Kansas City to or
ganize what is known as settlement
work in the thickly settled factory dis
tricts. The work in Chicago has pro
gressed rapidly, and on a large scale,
fOstered by the late P. D. Armour, and
it is hoped the humble beginning at
No. James street will develop into
something like the Armour institute of
Chicago. The district at present has no
Mace of amusement aside from the
music and dance halls in connection
with saloons and the purpose is to fur
nish a hall where lectures and concerts
may be given.
Another plan upon which the assOcia-
ton is working is the institution of
lunch rooms in the various packing
houses and large factories Such rooms
have been fraught with much benefit to
girls and women in large factories IN
other places where they have been
opened and though at first looked upon
with great disfavor by the proprietors
OF the factories. have in the end proved
profitable to all parties concerned. The
managers Of three OF. the packing houses
have been approached on the subject,
and have signif1ed their Witness to use
their influence toward the project by
Offering to set aside rooms in their
buildings for the purpose. At present
the girls eat their luncheon wherever
they work, and frequently their work is
not done amid surroundings that are
pleasant at lunch time.