New-York tribune., 1905-12-29
USEFULNESS IN LIFE.
Mrs. j. @. Phelps Stokes Tells Col
Iege Girls of Settlement Work.

az 6o,,t think was ever inside a college be-
fore" said Mrs. J. c. Phelps Stokes formerly hose
Pastor, addressing 8 meeting Of the Cornell Alum
M Club at the Cornell University Medical College
YESTERDAY afternoon Il know very few college
women and I don't know how to talk Co college
women IN general. but think that, II ever nae
taken q college course, I would have taken long
coarse in q college settlement afterward It seems
70 ne the only way in which one can be equipped
for anv real usefulness II life. College women
Know only one side of life-hardly that, usually
snd don't think any one is really educated VINO
has not a firm hold on the other side OF NE
.T don't know anything at all about the scientific
side of social settlement work. All know is the
practical. I first entered settlement when was
fourteen years old. in Cleveland 1 got to know
n great number OF poor people-people of my own
olass-and a good many people Of another Class
found many excellent women on both sides
thought they were not very unequal after all
Yet It seemed 10 that the women Of the favored
class were not quite so strong as the others. The
Girls who came to that club recipients Of bene-
Cts seem 70 me now to have been finer human be-
fnev more inspiring more uplifting to the spirit,
shan people have met since then AT least. they
were quite much so.
s.oae poor girl who came to that club attracted
NV attention particularly. She was more poorly
snd less neatly dressed than the rest of US, and
4be leader did not pay much attention to her. I
walked home with her one night and she told me
sFi1hous a trace Of seif-conscousness, just as
though there was nothing of the ordinary in it,
father was dead, her mother invalid and her one
big brother had deserted the family, leaving the
sshoIe burden of its support on her. And she was
working herself 10 death. quite as a matter OF
course 70 keep many souls alive
Another girl knew was keeping house for her
a,rothers and sisters. her mother being dead she
for them IN The morning DeIoTe Sfe
STsnf 10 work returned home at noon to get their
suncllecn ard spent the evenings WsShIngs SCRUB
hing and cleaning. And she had no idea that she
sSFsrv rirIs and bovs who go to the settlements
IS recipients doing great deal more than the
men and women who come down to help them:
They are giving the poor about them spiritual
1lplift that very few give Ineir charllles are
are none so poor among the poor as not TO pe ape
70 help some one poorer. knew one faI1iIy lhat
had only half loaf OF bread and some black col
Zee for breakfast. The head of the house was III
IN bed and the family knew rot where tnelr next
wa from Eut z poor man came "
fhe door and they set what they had before nlIll-
He was so hungry that ne ale all the oread, ehd
the cofTee that was left useless because they
had 10 bread 20 eat with il and 10 milk 10 put IN u
Fst tev were glad that they had been able 10 heIp
unfortunate Llan tleY, ana lie4 SEM nm
away with their BLESSING 80.
There are many among the poor who 90 tnlngs
nf fffs kind They give all that they have, and 90
not think il extraordinary. Those OF you whose
opportunities have been larger should give tneIn
fnoTledEe help ana opportunity That Is no more
Than voIr snare for your wealth was given 10 you
20 use for others
other Speakers were Hamilton Holt. managing
aff<or of TrdeDepcenT: Mrs. flao1Tnlr SlIn-
trovffch head resident of Greenwich House; MISS
SSifzsbefh s Williams head resident Of the Colege
EeftIement and Mrs Herbert Parsons. MISS E!lze-
10Th Rhodes presided, ard the meeting was neld
cor the purpose of interesting the CoTneu aiuInas
a the work OF the College Settlements Association