New-York tribune., 1907-02-24
Success Of Settlement Work i'm Paris
Three Where Rich Needleworkers
andC Children Chief Benefciaries.

I are afterward sold TO the public by the large
retail houses. the resident Of the Maison Sociale
| is engaged in a hand to hand struggle to
! abolish the intermediary who beats down the
| market price on the one hand and initiates II on
the other The reform the resident of Menil-
montant is trying to bring about is 10 induce
the wholesale dealers to treat at first hand with
the prOduCerS-the women who actually create
the gOods-and she has succeeded TO some ex-
tent, inasmuch as one or two houses nave con-
tTacted to take at first hand from her workshops
as much as her sixty workwomen can produce.
Whatever may be the outcome of this effort,
which is obviously in its infancy, in another
direction the Maison SOciale is doing an excel
lent work among the children. II collects from
the streets many children can be got hold
Of and brings them 10 a large classroom IN the
Social House, where after school hours the chill
dTcn may do their home preparation I'm the ma
jOrity Of the poor homes among which the work
engaged during the day in some kind OF work
whether charing, sewing. or in factories. Thus
when let out Of school the Cnly refuge OF the
children is the street, with all its dangers and
temptations. Therefore the "Garderie" was
started, where the children may prepare their
lessons Tor the next day, and play happily ana
safely until their homes are ready to receive
them. Marks are given to the children TO stimu-
late them TO good conduct and twice year
there IS a sale of work at which the childrcus'
good marks are exchanged for some useful
ticle Of dress. As the garments thus obtained
all made IL the settlement Workshops Jhey
serve a double end.
This winter Menlmontant has developed it's
cnllQrenS 'tIdrQelle' INTO social refuge.
The Refuge takes children off the hands cf
their parents temporarily in periods OF stress
or special difficulty such illness of either
father or mother, the death OF either or both
parents or sudden destitution. Children 90
taken are kept for three months. and are then
returned 10 their parents or handed to some
orphanage or home. The refuge is not free.
Each child pays one franc (about 20 centsD. IN
cases whore the childs own family Is not able
TO pay this sum the resident interests in the
case some one of the group Of women resDon-
sible for the work Of the Social House. and the
money is privately subscribed.
There Is, however another side TO the Social
House. It endeaVOrs to provide recreation as
Wen as work for the poor, and It calls in std
dents from the Latin Quarter To help the resi-
dents ana visitors TO entertain and interest is
guests. The entertainments reflect the tastes
or the quarter in most curious way The
youth Of Menilmontant have proved TO have
arusuc tastes ana long musical programmes
are carried through with great s',rcess and en-
Joyment. Montrouge, the other hand has
pracucai instincts. and its youth club together
10 form mutual aid societies. subscribing thai-
cents to FORM funds for different co-operatiya
"DJectS. When they get up an entertainment =
CoiSISlS or lectures on variety OF scientific or
social subjects. Moutmartrc IS different again
ana the young people who gather at its Social
Itouse have a small theatre and n largely nj
Tended drawing and painting class
mere IS nothing denominational about tho
social houses Of Paris. The poor are heIpad ~
IsSLeCIiNe OF creed or party politics. DoctrinaI
Questions are kept carefully out NJ eIrbt .t5
All the work is the broa dcst r,oseiLIo liz, go
me movement is only two and half years Qua
Dut II mas already taken on an intnrae+ine, q
peet ana VIII probably be extended during tho
present year beyond the limits Of Paris and into
me manufacturing centres and provincial +ov,no
c. !. 3.