New-York tribune., 1902-12-28
HEBREW WORKROOM.
Helping To Lift the Burden Of the
Te,v Poor.

Nearly a thousand little dresses of gay fannels,
woods and prints daily finding their way
by twos and threes into the homes of hundreds or
little people who without them could not attend
school or in some cases, appear on the street
All through the summer months these dresses were
patiently peced together from contributions. rem
nants and rags. and represent a part OF the
hot weather work accomplished by the busy fingers
In the .Workroom for Unskiled Women opened
some little time ago under the auspices of the
United Hebrew Charities Twenty-1rst-st. and Sec
ond-ave.
Many of the applicants for employment have
never before used needle, and to these are given
the piecing quilts and comforters, then the cut
ting and sewing of simple little dresses referred
to above. and later instruction In such Factory
work eventually be done in the home. Inc
primary aim of the workroom Is nos to proViue
temporary assistance but to train its applicants so
that they will speedily be independent OF It's aiu'
To this end experienced factory hands are eii'
Moved as teachers in these advanced departments
Great care has been taken to select such WORN d
will in no way conflict with prevailing tenement
house regulations and such industries as the max
ing of neckwear. garters. silk belts. flowers featn
ers colored pillow covers, beadworK anu Ahi'
goods have been found feasible
MUST SUPPORT LITTLE ONES
The principal obstacle the work has had to en-
oo,,,+ar ie the reluctance of factory foremen and
the heads of large industries to meet its EFFORTS
halfway and supply the work Wnen the women
are ready for it. After some persuasion hoWeVei'
a number of large manufactures have consented 10
put out work In small quantities. and alreaoy
wages are being earned by a number oil women
with children too young to be left alone during
the long factory hours and too old Tor oay huIseiS
care. The workroom hours are from 10 ciocA
with an hour at noon. and the wages paiu are a.
the rate of 10 cents day SO great Is the huihoeF
of needy applicants and so limited the quarters
now available that the expedient OF seVeral siiiit
Of workers week has been resorted to- IN TINS
way twice the number of families can De heipeu
with few dollars weekly From thirty to forty
women daily take their places In the Dig "oi
room whose OF double windows anoro ainpie
light and air Rows of shelves as hign as sie
hand can reach hold the incoming materials anu
| the recreation and transformations tnat '
| place with these are matter of marvel I'M eau "
/ hare dress suits reappear natty little NorioiN
| Jackets and REFERS, torn and napless oVereoa :,
| come knee breeches and new" coats, ana the
| clothing possibilities of even plain rags VIZ.
srbtected to the ingenuity of this worKrooii aie
| a revelation. - .h,e
| An antiouated little cobber has corner Oh 'hiS
. nace ard all the worn shoes that are sent 10 the
nst;t,tion nass through his hands In rows ABOUT
| him on the floor the morning The Tribune re-
! porter called ranged dozens OF aH SUI
! sizes and conditions. Some bore the stamp VI INC
| Bon Marche, some the name of London hrms- one
pair had begun life in Russia and some hieh iiee'e
SINNERS in Rome But and all they were cor-
verted into good. serviceable American Ioot"eai
| and sent down eventually to the supply room IN
tbe basement there to await their turn with the
dresses little and big, the quilts. comforters etc.
Il for which there are daily requests.
HUMAN NATURE TOUCHES
Every donation that is not entirely new is thor
oughy fumgated and there has never been case
of illness traceable TO this source. Many OF the
worBroom applicants cannot speak a word OF Eng
ush and the director is of necessity something Oh
linguist. Every application for assistance Is o,
course, thoroughly investigated. and the limited
quarters make rigid discrimination necessary. So
popular Is this special department OF the institu-
ton chat amusing expedients are sometimes re-