Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-02
SOCIAL SETTLEMENT
Institution for Work Among
Colored Folk.
DOWN IN BLOODFIELD
ESTABLISHED BY MRS. s. c. FER
NANDIs FOR HER RACE.
But Single Building for Its Home,
but It's Influence is Strong
ly Felt.
DOWN IN BLOODFIELD

Away down in the sinful precincts OF
'Bloodfeld." near the banks of the moi
some James creek canal where drunken
revelry sometimes runs riot, is located a
modest little institution which, with its
limited resources, is accomplishing much
good among the colored denizens OF the
reighborhood. The little establishment has
been named by its interesting founder, Mrs.
s. c. Fernandis 1.-The Social Settlement"
although II is comprised of but single
building, and that a small five-room struc-
ture.
Mrs Fernandis is a bright, educated
young colored woman, who is endeavoring
in a small way to conduct in this city the
work Booker Washington has undertaken
in the sunny southland for the unfortu-
nate members of his race. She is Chris
tan woman and has entered into her phil
anthropic work with heart and soul. The
settlement" has been described as an
oasis-a bright garden spot Of good-in a
desert of poverty and wickedness. SO mod
est has been the humane efforts or It's
founder that the existence of the little tenn
pie of charity and usefulness is scarcely
known beyond the bounds Of "Bloodfeld.
A Star reporter who tramped through the
byways and across the commons or that 10
cality yesterday to find the Social Settle
ment'' and talk with its founder and man
ager was directed to the place by an aged
bright winter sunshine as he sat upon a
soap box in front of a small corner grocery
store.
'De soshul settilmunt? Yes, sab, I dun
heardteu OBJ it. It's one OBJ dem small brick
houses in dat row ober yander. an l tells
yer boss. 1t am a mighty gud place an
dc cullud lady in charge OBJ 1t am dom,
sight OBJ gud work fer de poor cullud folks
an dere chillun In dis sinful place round
heah"
A rap on the door of the small building
hrnlI o. q
response from small colored girl whose
cleanly appearance and tidy clothing were
In strange contrast with the general as
pect of the children of the neighborhood
before entering the house the reporter took
a quick survey of the vicinity. Scarcely
stones throw to the east was the foul
James creek canal with its fetid waters
ripping past on their way to the Potomac
On the opposite side of the street was
field piled high with sand taken from the
defiled stream, while on all sides were
homes of grim poverty and want. Surely,
thought the visitor. strange surroundings
for a social settlement
scrupulous Cleanliness.
Inside the settlement the scrupulous
cleanliness of the place was at once ap-
parent and the inspiration for its establish
ment was evidently picture which occu-
pied a prominent place on the whitewashed
wall-Christ surrounded by little ones, with
the inscription: Suffer little children to
come unto Me and forbid them not. for OF
such Is the Kingdom OF Heaven. On
all sides were piles of books of an elevating
nature magazines, out of date, but none
the less interesting and instructive for being
back numbers, and other things TO amuse
and instruct the guests OF the Social
Settlement
yes. sir" said Mrs. Fernandis, after
greeting the reporter Il am trying In
my humble and limited sphere to scatter
a little sunshine in the gloom which has
pervaded some of the homes in this part
of Washington. My feeble efforts are be-
ing directed toward the elevation and
Outstanding of the colored people.
want to assist in making better citizens
of them, and in my little sphere, with
Gods help. I am meeting with grati1y-
ing success.
this meritorious work, is a graduate OF
Hampton Institute. She was a student
there when Booker Washington was
teaching. She is a cultured woman, full
of desire for the elevation of her race,
and one of her friends said recently: Her
work is as deserving of the sympathy
and support of the people of Washing
ton as that of Prof. Booker Washington
is of the people of the country.
The Social Settlement.
The work is carried on in the small five
room house, of which two rooms have
been made one by removing partition.
Here some 1875 children, about equally
structed every day in the week in differ
emf classes or clubs. A number of volun-
teer workers, men and women, mostly
teachers in the colored schools, assist
Mrs. Fernandis in the instruction and
entertainment of the children both on
Sundays and week days. Mrs. Fernandis
also receives and cares for a number of
babies while their mothers are away
from home at work, and she has had as
many as ten babies in her charge in one
day.
The work is hampered by want of both
money and room. The receipts are scarcely
$50 a month and the room is overcrowded.
Every effort is made to prevent children
being sent away. but this, it is said, must
be the case If more room is not provided.
Mrs. FernandiS' outdoor work is largely
devoted to endeavoring to get Maynard
and neglected children to attend the pub
lie schools. She says she realizes that the
uplifting of her race can be accomplished
through two potent agencies, Christianity
and education, and ii is principally along
these lines she is working. She has found.
she added, that intemperance is proving
powerful factor for evil among her
people, and that much of the squalor and
suffering is due directly to the evil of
strong drink.
Some mothers" she said turn their
children out in the streets to roam about
at will. regardless of consequences We
have taken such little ones in. found cloth
ing for them and sent them to school,"
1t was learned that men and women fire.
quently go to Mrs. Fernandis for counsel
and advice; that wayward girls are taken
into the institution and taught to dust
wash, scrub and do other things of import
arce to housekeeping, and that they are
advised and warned against leading evil
lives, and are instructed to be self-support-
ing.
Negro Not Naturally Bad.
I'VE hear a great deal about the negro
being a born criminal and brutal fellow
said Mrs. Fernandis, but 1 know the
negro is not naturally bad He can be
reached and influenced, not by brutal
ueans. but by kindness. He will yield to
the Chrstly touch where clubbing would
drive him TO despeI alton and bring out the
worst that is in his nature. l have made
men who were described as desperados
melt under the influence of kindly words
and sympathy.
Lessons in morality form another feature
of the work of the Social Settlement. :"
Proper marriages are encouraged by Mrs.
Ferrandis and her assistants. When asked
about this feature OF the work Mrs Fernan-
dis described recent wedding at the set
Element" A young colored woman who had
been accepting the attentions of colored
workingman in the neighborhood, who was
industrious and steady in his habits was
induced 10 give her consent to become his