The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-05-10

a semi-official recognition by the Board of
Health. With this came the privilege OF
inspecting the tenements. and in this way
valuable information was gained In regard
TO the housing problem. This information
Miss Wald brought to bear in the campaign
for the better housing Of the poor. So I'M
sparingly did she set forth the terrible con-
ditions In certain quarters that the tene-
ment question became of vital interest. IL
led 10 the tenement house exhibit. Gov
ernor Roosevelt appointed tenement COM
missioner, and finally separate depart
ment was created for the city of New York.
Miss Valid was one of the first TO cham
pion the cause Of Fairgrounds for children.
She is not an agitator. Her methods, wnile
unobtrusive, none the less effective.
There were no Fairgrounds in her neighbor-
hood and she undertook to make one or her
own. She turned the back yard of the Set
Element house into a recreation ground Tor
children Ii was fitted up with hammocks,
swings and appliances for exercise. NO
better object lesson OF the need or play
grounds could have been given than the
extent to which this back yard was patron
lied. 1t fairly swarmed with children
ESTABLISHED A PARK.
This led to the establishment of q park
in the neighborhood. Jacob A. Riis and
Charles Il. Slower received valuable aid
from Miss Wald and her assistants. and
the movement resulted in the establishment
of the Outdoor Recreation League.
Although Miss Wald has made some pow
erful friends. who accept without question
her suggestions for the alienation of pow
erty, it is in the tenements that her in
fiuence is strongest. Here every one is her
friend. Even the blue-coated policeman on
the beat is a small figure in the community
compared with her. Her wishes are re-
spected as law. III garbage Is deposited In
places where it would be injurious TO the
y. Of oferfaE rhfa<ad w
from Miss Wald Is sure to cause It's In
slant removal II the street hucksters and
fish peddlers endeavor to take advantage
OF the poverty of the people In the COM
munity by offering overripe fruit or spoiled
fish they receive a stern admonition from
Miss Valid. A reproof from an official or
the board of health woulu not arouse one
half so much CONSERVATION. The decayed
bananas and bad fish are Immediately
carted off TO the garbage heap.
On one occasion Yiddish mother lay Ill
with typhoid in crowded tenement house.
Her case was a serious one and she was
approaching the crisis OF the fever. Miss
Wald asked the children In the block TO
make as little noise as possible. 1t seemed
an impossible command. There were hun
dreds Of nervous little ones In the street
who would have fidgeted themselves into
nervous prostration If their own mothers
had asked them TO remain quiet. But when
the word passed around that Miss
Valid had made the request there was
cessation OF noise which made ALI those In
the neighborhood marvel. All the children
who wanted to play trooped on to the next
block.
streets was stopped. Miss Wald posted
guards at each end of the block. When
the drivers came along with their wagons
they were halted.
"You can't drive along here" the guards
would say.
whats the matter?' would come from
the driver.
"a woman is very sick and Miss wald
don't want any more noise than possible
The mention of Miss Wald's name is suf-
ficient. If any driver is so unenlightened as
to be ignorant of her identity, the contempt
uous air with which he is given the in
formation convinces him he had better take
another route.
Perhaps this militant spirit which is
shown by Miss Wald in certain phases of
| her work Is responsible for the name BOSS
| Croker" which is jestingly applied to her
| by certain persons who have found II to
| their interest to obey her requests. Boss
| she most assuredly Is. but her rule is a
rule of love.
Whenever she makes her appearance on
| the street she is Immediately surrounded
| by troops of children. And one does not
realize how vain is President Roosevelt s
/ fear OF race suicide until he visits the
Henry-street neighborhood, near the
Nurses Settlement The little ones come
| out in swarms, in shoals, and Ii is not
uncommon to see Miss Wald surrounded by
/ her way down the street They clamor and
push to get near her, to hold her hand, to
| tOucn ner gown. And she Is equally glad TO
see them, for she pats them the head
and chats with them as If she were one of
| their playmates.
So greatly has the character of the work
| done by the Nurses Settlement widened
| that Ii now includes almost everything done
by other similar organizations. There are
thirty-five clubs, with memberships rang
| ing from those of the kindergarten age to
married people, classes in dancing school,
singing classes and private theatricals.
| There are classes in housekeeping, home
| nursing, needlework and carpentry, in ad-
| dition to the ordinary educational work.
Our work as nurses enables us to get
| closer to the people," said Miss Wald one
| day last week. 1T gives us an excuse for
| going into their homes. We can see what
| they need better than others. We are their
/ friends. No. this is not charity work. They
i do what they can toward paying us, both in
| money and in helping themselves. All they
i need is to be shown how to do things. They
| are not shiftless or slOvenly by instinct
| They do the best they can with the means
4 at their disposal When a nurse comes on
/ a first visit and shows the people how to
| heat the water and give the bath you ought
i to see how they try to have everything
/ ready for the second visit Their efforts
| TO assist us are touching, and could not fail
i to win our hearts.
/ hope to see the time very soon when dis
/ trict nursing. will be pursued not only on
/ the East Side, but all over New York. II
| Is the most logical way of being of aid to
| others"