New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-06-19
WEST SIDE SETTLEMENT.
TO SOCIALIZE ITALIANS.
j. @. Phelps Stokes and Friends to
Control the York.

A brand new social settlement, backed by
many prominent and influential people and de-
signed to take the place of the West Side brancn
of the University Settlement, which is to be
abardoned on September l. has been planned
Among those back of the new settlement are
J. G. Phelps Stokes. Professor F. r. Giddlngs
W. Kirkpatrick Brice and Seymour L. Crorn-
we'll The new settlement is to occupy the build
ing at present rented by the West Side branch
which adjons the police station in Macdousal-
St. and possibly that at No. 80 King-st. which
is also leased by the University Settlement
Society A CORPS of residents has already been
secured and enough money, 5000 or $1,000
in fact has been pledged to meet the expenses
and rentals for one year Indeed, nearly every
detail, save that of a name for the new settle
nent, has been determined on and the prospects
of a prosperous career are exceedingly brlght
The decision of members of the University
Settlement Council to abandon their West SIDE
connection and concentrate their energies on the
East Side work at their building, No. IS4 Eli
dridge-st was reached at a monthly meeting
held on Tuesday night. This decision, II was
learned Yesterday. was mainly the result Of the
greatly increasing expenses on the west SIDE
together with the desire of the majority of the
council to confne the work to the East Side.
where the society has been actively At work
for many years The budget of the West Side
branch has gradually expanded from 5000 to
$4,000 and the work has increased to -that OF
a separate settlement Moreover, the work on
the West Side is largely among Italians, while
that on the East Side is exclusively among
Hebrews Another point of difference is the
fact that while the residents on the East oloe
are men those on the West Side are women
MRS. FITZGERALD TO BE HEADWORhER'
On the afternoon following the final decision
Of the council to abandon the West SIDE WORK.
the friends Of the new project, including those
mentioned above as interested in the plan' anu
Mrs Susan Fitzgerald, at present headWorker
of the West Side branch, met at NO. % hlhs-
st and arranged the details of the new venture
At this time it decided that Mrs. flt2-
gerald should become headworker of the neW
settlement, and all the present residents agreed
to remain with her. 1t was decided that the
new society should be cooperative settlement
that Is that the residents should be members
of the governing council. This is not the case
in the University Settlement.
The presence of J. G.. Phelps Stokes in TINS
new scheme brought out the fact that ne Is no
longer connected with the University settle
ment in the council Of which he has peen an
active member for several years AS was eN-
cIustvely announced in The Tribune some time
ago. Mr.. Stokes, together with his brothef-lh-
law Robert Hunter, resigned from the OHi'N'
sity Settlement. the one as a member Oh the
council the other as headworker Whlle the
council reelected Ntr. Hunter headworker. after
requesting him to withdraw MS reslgnatloh'
1t accepted Mr.. Stokess resignation MI Huhler
was. however, elected on a different basis from
that formerly maintained in that by the terms
Of his new contract the agreement was ter
nainable at the three months notice OF elther
party At that time it was known that Mr..
Hunter, who has just married the daughter OF
Anson Phelps Stokes ST.. had planned to start
a. new settlement and that all except two OF the
residents of the University Settlement mad
agreed to go with him Accordingly, It was
rumored Yesterday. that on his return from
Europe Mr. Hunter intended to join the new
settlement e....,.
The West Side branch of the University Settle
rnent now to be abandoned, was founded III
the autumn of 1909 and intended 20 Go
social work among the italians similar to that
done among the Hebrews by the parent organl-
zation After nearly a year OF exceedingly sue
cessful work the society received severe blow
hv the tragic suicide of its headworker. Mrs
Bond Thomas to whose efforts the settlement
owes its effective work and later successes
since that time the council has frequently con
sidered abandoning the work and did almost
reach this decision last January