The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-04-24
WOMAN'S
EXCHANGE
Enters Eighth Year
on a Paying
Basis.
MANY FAMILIES
ARE Benefited
Institution Has Been Doing a Fine
Business and is in Pros.
porous State.

| The Woman's Exchange of Honolulu
has just passed its seventh anniversar,
and enters now upon its eighth year
| self-supporting and a factor in th'
business development of the city. 1t i:
! less than a quarter of a century since
! the scheme of combining business will
/ benevolence for woman's benefit espe.
cially, and known as the Woman's Elk
change, was inaugurated, but few have
had such a prosperous career as the
one here The woman's Exchange in
Honolulu was established to provide
some means of self-help, even though
more money be spent in the machinery
than can be worked out of it for its
beneficiaries, and also TO enable those
who sell their products through the
Exchange to maintain their self-re-
spect and feel that they are returning
something for the help received.
In March. 1895. the work was inau-
gurated under the auspices of the w.
c. 4. u. OF this city, the president of
that organization becoming the presid-
ing officer of the Exchange. 1t was
known that in Honolulu, as elsewhere,
there were capable women who, be-
cause of home ties and obligations,
could not go out as wage-earners, or,
shrinking from business publicity,
needed encouragement in the utiliza-
ton of the abilities they possessed to
aid in the enlargement of the family
income. The Exchange was not under
tot nr, Of tic ha-
ing a paying venture, for of all those
reported at the time on the mainland,
only two or three claimed to be able
to meet actual outlay so far as dollars
ard cents were regarded. The follow
ing statistics show the development of
the local Exchange during it's seven
years existence:
on April 8, 1895. rooms on King
street. opposite the Arlington Hotel
gate, were formally opened. to this new
enterprise, and the business capabili-
ties of Miss oliver freely given to the
launching of the undertaking. One of
the newspapers of that date said: "It
is hoped that those who are interested
will assist the enterprise financially
without further solicitation" That it
waiian especially the following quota
ton will indicate: Homemade poi
from responsible parties will be a spe-
cialty." Hawaiian curios, either man
ufactured or held as relics; plants,
ferns, etc, We're suggested as
desirable with the hope such would
prove a stimulus to native ingenuity.
So fully did the undertaking meet a
want in the community that by No
vember of the same year, a lunch room
was opened In connection with the
the one assisting the other.
Business grew steadily, and by the
time the Woman's Exchange had
out it's first year the possibil-
tiles before il were such as to call for
still further enlargement
From the first annual report the fol-
lowing sentences are culled: 1.-The
Woman's Exchange started with abso-
lutely nothing. but through the kind
ness of the Honolulu public. the year
closes free from debt Grateful ac-
acknowledgement is made in it to the
services of the manager. who had Ia
bored faithfully and untiringly, without
for the good works
sake. This she also volunteered to do
for the opening months of the second
year. in order to see the work enlarged |
and in more commodious quarters. That |
this might be accomplished the public
generously responded to call to the |
amount of over twelve hundred dollars. !
w. G.. Twins helpfulness, |
the rooms on Merchant street, which |
had been previously occupied by the |
Gazette Company, were secured, which |
quarters" were swept and garniShed, |
md made the rendezvous for the busy
brain worker at the noon hour, to par
AXE of a honeymoon meal at the I'M
)retentious price of twenty-five cents.
This proved not only an income, but its
made it possible to assist
| large number of depositors as well as
,thers.
BY the close of the second year, the
Institution was happy in feeling it need
10 longer tax or draw upon the public,
'ut by careful management could re-
,ard itself as self-supporting.
In the latter part of the year 1897. the
business venture was made of issuing
m Hawaiian souvenir in the form of
calendar. This idea, so far as Homo
ulu was concerned, was original with
he Woman's Exchange. Had woman's
agacity foresighted a copyright and
y il placed a limit on mans future
'owers OF adaptation, not only the self
period might have been at
aimed but the uphill road to compe-
ency started upon, but falling short of
his. no charge can be truthfully made
hat the Woman's Exchange of Homo
u!u has ever been a money making
Institution. except as it has aided its
By July 1899, it was deemed best to
ecome AN independent organization,
nd also to become Incorporated. with
ii the privileges and restrictions of an
Incorporated body according to the
Avs of Hawaii.
The Woman's Exchange has. through
he seven years now past, felt in COM
ION with business houses generally |
he rise and fall OF monetary condi-
onS on the Islands. but these have |
cen tided through and over by the q
arSful management and Judicious out :
iys Of the one who has stood at the
elm through the years since its begin
ing TO the present time.
One of the pleasant features in run
ing through the records as kept is
no reference from time TO time of one
nd another of Honululu's we'll known
usiness men. who have as occasion
eemed to call for il. rendered timely
nd gratuitous aid in the way of kindly
tViSe. monetary assistance, legal :