The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-22

troll OF one OF another religious organi1a-
ton, there are few places where board
and lodging may be had for SO or 81 week,
unless II is in flats or tenements, where
accommodations are far from comfortable
and privacy is almost impossible
Again and again in court clergymen
and priests have come to me and asked:
Can YOU tell me Of any respectable private
family which would take young girl 10
boardT and always am obliged to answer:
I wish / did
Not long go I said to a priest whom
know very we'll, and who IL often in court
in behalf ~ some hayward one Of his flock;
Mrs. Blank ia willing to take several
young men 10 board at n very low price,
and give them a comfortable respectable
home
All, he replied how wish you could
tell mo o. some one who would take several
young girls TO board
80 do T. | said. sympathetically.
IA most people know, in private families
Young men are more popular as boarders
than Young women, paw the latter much or
little and IL ia this fact which has led 20 the
establishment of women's hotels
When the Martha Washington Hotel
was first talked Of many of my associates
thought they saw ray Of light for the
homeless working girls, but. az IL has turned
out. only women who are making fairly
good income can afford 10 live there. the
lowest rate being 50 week, Mt which price,
or even for a dollar or two lover 1t IS possible
TO get fairly decent boarding accQmmoda
tons in many respectable boarding houses
and private families. am not worrying
abont that class OF wage earners. They are
not the ones who oftenest turn up in court.
The girls am looking out foi-an there
is a tremendous army Of them in New
York-earn from IS to so a week-no more
which means that they cant possibly pay
more than 81 or 81 for board and lodging
VIII you please tell me how can live
on So week2 has been the cry over and
over again of the girls I have met while
on duty as probation officer.
Only few days ago two refined looking
girls who came from the West to New
York last fall to earn their own living
taarfuily put that question TO rue before
they were taken before the Justice. And
the saddest part of 1t all is that don't
know how to answer such questions.
THE only solution. 10 my mind, is
clearly. holnelike boarding house, where the
maximum charge is 81 week, where every
boarder may have a room TO call her own,
small though it might be-a place where
she could spread out her photographs on
walls and bureau to suit herself which
would include pleasant sitting rooms, and
last, but not least. be unsectarian and quite
free from the sometimes castiron charitable
institution rules.
There will be no prayers in the pubic
parlors I would have every young girl
/ know do her praying at the time and IN
the place which suits her best, and II she
feels like it attend the church which best
pleases her, or stay AZ home If she Is so
inclined believe that the rules which
govern any small respectable boarding
house or hotel which entertain- women
viii be quite sufficient TO operate wonan's
boarding house accommodating $50 or 900,
which Is the number wa purpose entertain
ing. smaller number could hardly be
made to pay.
Il have consulted with practical house
keepers who agree with me-and !, too, ain
n practical housekeeper-tha even at the
low prices quoted good. wholesome food
and room 70 every boarder can tie PRO-
vided. without mourning dehc!t In fact
that phase Of the enterprise gives me less
concern than does tho task of securing "a
suitable site in respectable neighbor-
hood which shall he sufficiently near the /
shopping district to remove the necessity
of the girls paying carfTe.
Il have not got 40 far "a TO determine
whether we shall rent any Of the rooms
without board or not, Miss Smith re-
marked. In answer to a question. Two
things are certain, however there will be no
and guests will not be Obliged
to give tips. In fact, they will be asked
not TO do any feeling.