New-York tribune., 1902-02-08
HOMES FOR YOUNG WOMEN
MRS. RIGGS'S PROJECT TO ESTABLISH
THEM FOR GIRLS LIVING ON
SMALL MEANS.

Zone Of the most urgent needs Of New-Fork to-
aay IS a class Of refined homes where young
women can board for 81 week or less and I
propose that We start one at least Immediately
was the suggestion made b. Mrs. I. ". Riggs in
repo--srg for The philanthropic committee of the
New-York League of Unitarian Women at the
meeting yesterday.
"A girl cannot live in New-York on less than s. a
week and continue well said Mrs. Riggs, and
there are many refined young women here, come
70 1T themselves for professions. who obliged 70
make z small sum week cover all living
penses. Some contrive TO do IL without apparent
suffering but many faint in the struggle and come
put OF = TOO exhausted ever to recover the lost
Fitality-and not a few die OF il.
They come from refined families, these am
bilious students and the coarseness and vulgarity
II the cheap boarding house are abhorrent TO them
and eventually demoralizing. Let them have
homes low in COST, but without the atmosphere Of
2enury."
Mrs. Riggs stated that she had studied the sub
iect closely from the practical point OF view, and
was confident that at ordinary prices. even pur-
chasing small quantities. the food for each could be
supplied for = a week. and that the house could
pay all running expenses basis Of 81 or 81 so a
week
Il we can keep it running for the first year,
after that IL will pay for ITSELF Mrs. Riggs as
ss-re5 .I will look after II myself until that is
accomplished. One should be started near Cooper
Union and one near Teachers College. in the near
future. Il one hundred persons would each guar
antee 500 year for the first year or two, the
possibility of success in such enterprise would
be demonstrated, and the work could be extended
Indefinitely"
No definite steps were taken, but Mrs. Riggs
urged the members TO give advice and suggestions
Is well as money, and repeated her determination
20 start the work Immediately
The religious news was reported by Mrs. Fisher
A. Baker.
The remainder Of the meeting was occupied by
papers on The Right Relations Between Parents
and Children in Their Teens" Mrs Samuel !.
Ba-rows gave the parents point Of view, and
Ms. Mary P. Wells Smith gave the child's.
Mrs. Barrows said that the ideal relation Of
parent and child is that of comradeship. The
Influence Of the playmate is far stronger in form
ing character than the advice Of the teacher, and
Il the parents are playfeIlows and chums as well
guides and caretakers their influence is tre-
mea0eusly strengthened, she Salc
Only the mother who IS q cOmrade, VINO snares
h the fun and helps 10 make il can expect 10 De
the condCaute Of her boy or girl she must Keep
young with the children
Mrs. Barrows asserted that she had no sympathy
WIKI the modern fashion Of introducing girls INTO
society, practically saying: Behold another VIC
nave the young men Introduced into the homes OF
young women. whose aim would be 10 inspire them
e higher ideals In conclusion. the speaker salG-
The wise parent thinks OF his example in daily
living. He does much talk of generosity.
he should talk the reforms and other pro-
gresslve movements OF the time with his young
own.'
Mrs. Smiths paper was read, in her absence, by
Miss Emma c. Low. II laid stress on the fact
mai each soul Is separate individual, and not
merely the parent born over again, as many seem
Every soul must live its own life learn its own
!essons, experience its own joys and sorrows.
lie boy OF girl Of twelve has begun to feel this
and advice