New-York tribune., 1902-03-13
RAINSFORD ON ECONOMICS
HE URGES WOMEN TO GO INTO TENE-
MENTS AND TEACH THE MOTHERS
HOW TO MAKE HOMES

This ReY. DR.. William s Rainsford spoke on
'Hopls EoonoInics Arlong the Poor People Of New
York before the New-York State Household Eco
uon:c Association in the Berkeley Lyceum yes
iss3ay,
What the tenement people Of this city need"
Dr.. Raiusford said. SIS better homes better food,
cheaper dress and wholesome recreations.
He deplored the incorporate way in which the
American populace rush into recreatIons as into
everything else He cited as an instance the zest
for darcing which ebbs and flows On the East Side
like tha t.Ge, and which at its height, is pursued
by young working men and women. night after
night. without cessation The example Of such
folly. ne said. is set by people who ought know
better The working class follows the precedents
established by society. II fad in funerals
comes cut in F1fth-ave. II is copied the Bowery
IN less than six months.
DR.. Rainsford appreciated the philanthropic spirit
shown by Mr. Carnegie in founding Libraries for tho
people but protested against spending g 90 900 for
such purpose in this city now. when other enter
prisss are so much needed. IL all the COM
mittcd under the present social system 1t is the
lrtle children, he said, VINO are sinned against.
Dr. Paiusford exhorted the members OF the So
clety TO FACE ho-ney social situations into
personal contact with the people Of the tenements
and 20 reach them hoTnemakirg. All movements
for the betternent OF the people he said, have a
mistaken tendency TO establish organizations,
when. in fact only individual effort will work. Or
ganiZations are TOO often placed between the peo-
pie who need and the people who want TO do To
deal merely with these things through organiza-
1ions IS TO deal with them at all.
Among the unfavorable forces with which the
social worker is bound TO meet DR.. Ransford men
TONED high rents, which show tendency to
lower. low wages for unskilled labor, which pre-
vent The poor from marrying. at the best be-
coming homemakers; poor supply Of provisions af-
1orded the working class and prevailing high prices
for food. In this connection he declared that one
Of the greatest dangers menacng the country is
enduring things that should not be endured.
To the criticisms that the poor can dress and eat
more economically, he said that the price of living
rises naturally with increased standard of life
induced by education. It is Of the concomitant
difficulties attending the educational movement.
People OF this generation are unwilling live on
the butternk and potatoes that nourshed their
parents N the old country.
Want is q curse" he said Il am sick and at
the point Of swearing when I hear codhearted
phIanthropists talk about want spur in the
side
Dr. Rainsford commended the work of the tene-
raent house cooking classes recently re-established
BY the association, but admonished the members
not 10 hire a teacher for the work, but to go into
the tenement homes themselves. 4 believe" he
said, If We are going 70 advance the cause OF
civilization which means the cause Of Jesus Christ.
that people who know and nave must come into
personal touch with the people who do not know
and DO not have
sometimes needed 10 hold even a good man, put
the whole country is cursed by bad cooking. TOO
often tae deadly shade Of the deadly frying pan
spreads itself over beautiful childish races
The last lecture Of the course VIII be given next
Wednesday afternoon at o'clock by Mrs Fred
erick Nathan. Her subject viii be he shopper