New-York tribune., 1905-03-31
A FRENCH SETTLEMENT.
Prominent Persons Interested in Founding
One in New-York.

The-production Of lola Dorian S play lie Hulan..
with Bonhomme Jadis." at Carnegie Lyceum,
tonight and tomorrow afternoon, by the French
Neighbors Of Greenwich House. while interesting
in itself is important from the it prob
ably the precursor of French Settlement in New
York. Plans for the settlement still inchoate,
but number of prominent persons are interested
in ii. among them Richard Watson Glider, Hamilton
w Mabe Mrs. Poutney Bgelow the Countess
Beroldingen. Miss Mary l. Aldrich. Nicholas Muir
ray Butler John Fargo. the CCmtesse Henry de
Laugier-Villars Mrs. Ernest E. Lorillard. Mrs.
Charles H. Russell. NJ. Maurice Souflet de Masny.
n. j. ]. Jusserand and others. The interest of
these people has been aroused by young French
woman. Mile. Girauit. who recently became resi-
dent Of Greenwich House. in which Mrs Vladimir
Simkhovitch is head worker. 49,
Greenwich House. No. IS Jones-st. is in a
region of contrasts. Within three blocks high
priced apartment houses. Yet in the short
block of Jones-st. running between West 4th-st
Bleecker-st dwell fourteen hundred people and the
region east and south to Washington Square South
ranges close to the lower East Side in the preva-
lence Of consumption sure Indicator of poor and
crowded quarters. The region is supposed to be
almost wholly Italian but Mile Girault when she
to the Settlement found many French families
scattered throughout it. In two houses directly op-
posite II fourteen French families found and
there were many others on the block not a member
of any OF which had stepped inside the Settle
ment doors. They had idea. in the first place.
that the Settlement intended for Italians
cusively. and in the second, that it charity,
and hence kept themselves aloof
Mile. Girault's method of introducing herself to
her new neighbors was original. She went to the
door OF the little French church, Washington
Square South Sunday morning, as the people
Were Issuing after the service, and made them q
little speech the sidewalk, like Salvation
Army lady she said quantity. She told them she
had come to be neighbor OF theirs. and asked
them If they did not think II would be good
TO get up French play together The word play"
had dramatic effect French ears More ma
terial than she could Immediately forth
coming She invited all interested to meet the
Settlement evening OF the following week
The play cast early in January, and rehears-
ing for the next two months steadily forward.
And all the time the interest of the participants
and the French residents of the vicinity steadily
increased
Mile Girault is a French actress who under the
name OF Astorlaine Montgomerie. played in OF
s g sEG e Of hs paH sas S
it at its first performance. She is personal friend
WIDOW Of the French official Who is deTotins her
life to the writing and producing Of anti-nilitary
for social betterment and thinks she way
usefuy to combine the two things in which she is
The French people are oxsr!ootea in the Settle
septatys tive They DO not 60 to the he S Or
oT foFG he and Rat for On the for he %
industry and intelligence would make them valuable
nients. want to see first. French club in every
now IN the thar o eh eReepg SO
sibly those the lower East Side. would find ma
terial for such club in its vicinity. We going
begin Immediately at Greenwich House with a
French club night a week.
Then l hope TO see dramatic work regularly
este bished among the French clubs of the Settle
ments Nothing appeals TO the French mind ike
a play. In other way quickly get at
French sensibtes and sentiments, and among
other people, believe will much latent histri-
many ways. In the first place, they will be ex-
cellent for brushing up the language. which gets
very rusty among the French in New-York. They
will form the best imaginable channel for the m
veyance of modern thought social subjects.
militarism, prejudice. all the subjects which
agitating the thoughts of social students. Also
they will make the best natural nucleus for social
gatherings. And they will be sure from the first
OF an audience OF those Americans anxious for op-
portunites OF hearing the French language
This play is given without definite purpose,
merely for benefit of the French residents of
the lower West Side, in any way that IL might he
definite IS known at this time but / can say that
believe French Settlement will be founded in
New-York before very long. suitable house is
already under consideration. Settlement work has
never proved a success in Paris. Neither has ii in
Germany. 1t TO have accomplished great
results only in America and England have been
asked by OF those interested in the subject
in Paris make study of the subject in New
York with view 20 discovering just what IL is
that makes American Settlement work successful
and report TO them That OF my purposes
in coming To Greenwich House 1t will be an in
terestng thing IL French Settlement can be made
q success in New-York when ii never has been In
Paris"