The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1903-01-08

Nothing was too hard for her to under
take-nursing the sick, comforting
them in their distresses and Affections,
standing by the bedside Of the dying,
losing their eyes and laying out their
lifeIess forms for their long last sleep.
Being possessed Of vigorous health. a
marvellous love for children, great ca
pacity FOR all kinds of work, which she
was thoroughly capable Of performing,
she brought to her task all these. with
a progressive. trained mind, capable Of
grasping new ideas and new methods
Of charitable work in advance Of any
thing which had been attempted in
Hartford up to that time
One has only to read the early re-
ports Of the City Mission to see how
thoroughly she entered into the new
spirit Of helping the poor to help
thesemlves,'' method which has since
become the "A, B, c. of modern chari-
ty. In the papers she read before the
National Conference of Charities, of
which she was a member. she shows
how thoroughly she had studied and
understood the questions discussed, and
how clearly she could state them.
1t was in the same spirit that she in
stituted the loan system. whereby self
respecting persons might obtain small
sums to meet their most pressing
wants. So with the women's sewing
class and reading society, the singing
school for girls, the Boys club, the
work for temperance, the flower mis-
sion and others.
In the summer of 1879 she began the
work far children especially. which he
ing outside the original objects of the
mission, was considered a new depar-
ture.
In 1878 she established the boys
evening schaal, which was continued
under the tuition Of Mrs. L. r. Ross,
one Of the very efficient collectors of the
present Chlldren's Aid society. The
Rev. George Hinckley. now of the Good
Will farm at East Fairfield, Me. a
school for boys, was one of the assis-
tants in this school. The same year
she started the girls sewing school,
which numbered one hundred and six
ty-eight pupils, with fifteen teachers.
Mrs. A E. Warriner was the head of
the sewing school for many years.
IN 1880 she began training classes TO
teach young women household duties.
The same year an effort was made by
her to have corps of nurses to care
for the sick poor, and also a cooking
school to teach the poor economy In
their own households. In this year,
1880, she found homes for ffty-one chill
dren, and the general work for chill
dren was farther advanced; eighty-twO
sick and ailing ones We're sent to the
country. At the same time relief was
given to needy families as part of the
missions original work.
In 1881 the frame building next south
Of the City Mission rooms was hired as
an industrial building in which the va
riOus activities Of her work might be
carried OLA laundry. a cooking school
under the management of Mrs. Dwight
w Thrall, always a feature Of the VIM
ter's work; a day nursery, and boys
workshop, in which the use Of tools was
taught to such boys as are usually
found in the streets of city at night.
They were able to make Il few small
articles which were sold for their own
benefit. There was also a temporary
refuge where women and children could
be housed for a short time until homes
could be found for them.
AS an adjunct to the girls sewing
school, Mrs. Smith opened. in the win
ter of 1901 free kindergarten, the
first free kindergarten ever formed in
the state of Connecticut. Miss Alice
Flynn was engaged to teach a class of
fifty little children. This was the be-
ginning of kindergarten work in the
state. The little school in the indus
trial building was such a complete sue
cess that it was transferred to the Nor
gan street chapel 1.-THE property of the
City Missiom. There it became SO
crowded that in February. 1883, a socie-
ty was formed for the purpose of car
ryinE it on, and was called the Free
kindergarten association, with Mrs
John c. Day as president; Mrs. George
Kellogg, Mrs. William r. Cone, Mrs.
Henry e. Burton, Mrs. b. f. Hooker,
vice presidents; Mrs. Virginia T. Smith,
secretary; Mrs. Seth TalCott, treasurer.
In the winter of 1856 the ladies Of
the Free Kindergarten association ap
pealed to the general assembly for a
law authorizing the establishment of
kindergartens in the public schools
throughout the state and permitting
children to enter them at three years of
age Mrs, Smith appeared before the
committee, making a notable appeal
F. F. BarrOWs, so long principal of the
Brown school. appeared with them at a
hearing before the educational commit
tee, which afterwards reported unani-
mOusly in favor Of the bill, which
passed both houses without dissenting
vote. The West Middle school opened a
kindergarten that same year, and two
years later the Brown school erected a
building for that purpose and took in
the school carried on SO long by Mrs.
Smith and the Free kindergarten assn-
citation.
In the year 1884 Sunset cottage was
built on land owned by Mrs. Smith in
West Hartford, by contributions of
money from several ladies. and this
was in use for four years as a refuge
for sick children from the city. The
same year saw the formation of the
Sister Dora society by Mrs. Smith. an
organization designed to reach young
working birls,
During all these years Mrs Smith
was engaged in work which constantly
increased, one thing inevitably leading
into another. wherever she could find