New-York tribune., 1905-04-14
TENEMENT MOTHERS.
Day Nurseries and Pensions to
Tighten Their Burdens.


future VIII be develop the activities OF social
Settlement with resident workers under tho charge
OF matron who shall be a composite OF the trained
nurse the trained Settlement worker and the born
conference OF The Federation OF Day Nurseries at
Shcrry's
Dr.. Leo x. FrankeI. OF the United Hebrew CharI-
oeS struck the keynote OF this feeling which
seemed 10 grow and define itself as the conference
wore on, in the opening address. in which no
characterized the day nursery as a necessary
evil - makeshift-"
ABNORMAL CONDITION.
For a poor family TO be revolutionized at the
death Of TIE breadwinner-the mother going out TO
work and the younger children being placed In a
day nursery-is abnormal In ninety-nine out OF
hundred cases the mother is the best day
nursery a child have.
i contend that the only thing TO do under these
conditions is 10 give the naOther enough OF pen
sion 10 keep her family together I plead for
system OF pensions But II must have day nur-
series, let them be made tc resemble as closely
as possible the homes that have been broken up.
Don't develop the day nursery into an institution
am optimistic enough TO believe that the time wall
come when every block large tenement house
VIII have its own day nursery.
And let not stop with day nurseries. Let US
have night nurseries. Day nurseries ought 70 be
social centre In their neghbOrhOOds. like Settle
ments."
PENSION THE WIDOW.
In reply 10 a query from Miss Pingree. OF Boston.
as 10 whether pensions would not have a pauper1z-
ing effect their recipients. Dr. Frankel answered
positively:
You can't pay the rent with anything but money.
You can't buy food with anything but money. In
the case Of q widow deserted wife with three
or four children. claim that one has any right
10 ask a single thing from that woman except
20 bring up her family The State should recognize
her right 10 an income"
I'VE ought TO take OF hats and present arms
20 the tenement house mother" said Mrs Vladimir
sirnl3lovitch. head worker at Greenwich House. in
discussing The Responsibility OF the Nurseries
Toward the Mothers" " The more see OF her the
more marvel at her. The tenement mothers who
come TO our Settlement look fifteen years older than
the workers ct the Sediment although IN many In
stances they really younger They work TOO
long: they work too hard: they are not having q
good time The men have their pleasures; the
young people have something done for them But
the mothers?"
GIVE THEM FRESH AIR
ASrs- simlhovitoh went on 70 dehne the nursery's
Responsibilities 20 the mother as including fresh
air and good food for her child
THE streets are not 50 bleak as they're painted
she said 'and often think a child is better OF
IN the street than IN the day nursery or Settle
rnent, FOR there IS air there And / do want 70
protest against making the day nursery child an
experiment station IA food the receptacle OK mo
heterogeneous donations that drift into day nuTs-
cries. Great care should be exercised in looking
into the milk supply and IN bringing about conrnu-
ity between the life and food Of the child at home
nrs IN the nursery. There ought TO be great
such institutions than there Is
''FTriendlv visitors, ike poets are pofns o0t
made" put in Mrs. ". ]. Nichols. OF brooklyn AZ
takes exactly much saVoir 1a1re 70 enter oenss
Tnent house gracefully as one OF your Iriends
houses You Wouldn't 90 70 your Ir1enoG houses
IInless you were invited. Well, don't believe IN
visiting IN the tenements unless you are invited ana
know you are welcome"
MOTHERS KILL BABIES.
Mrs Garlin Spencer emphasized the educational
value OF day nursery work. Il believe the !ustifca
ton OF the day nursery rests solely its educa-
tional side. What DO We want TO do? To prevent
the holocaust OF babies How IS It the list OF dead
babies IS so long? Because their mothers kill them
They kiu them before they are born they Kill them
when they infants and when they're a little
older. The day nursery must give them a stand
ard Every mother knows she can't drop her
t.s7 Of three story window. but she doesn't
put II IN the same bed with adults She needs
z standard. I believe day nursery with q
standard would effect more in this big wilderness
OF a CITY than fifty Of the ordinary kind"
Reports and q symposium district nursing IN
relation 70 day nurseries occupied the afternoon
session The federation voted 10 Join the National
Conference Of Charities and reelected its entire
thur II. Dodge, New-HOr; first vice-president. Mrs.
p C Dudley, Chicago: second vice-prestdent Mrs.
w W Frazier Philadelphia; corresponding secre-
tarv Mrs ". ]. Nichols. Brooklyn; recording EecTe-
tsry and treasurer. Miss Frances G. Sturgis. BOs-
ton