The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1907-12-14
Mr. wnod. al snarro,u,a Point. nalivaj

Mr. WOO0, or sparrow EOlnt, O0lVerk
Interesting Lecture.-The improvement o
industrial communities by corporations, the
provision of comforts for the workingmen EN-
ployed in great mills, and particularly what
the Maryland Steel Company has done to make
Sparrow's Point an up-tO date industrial set
tlement-these and other themes were EN-
bodied in an address by Mr.. Rufus X. Wood,
general agent of the Maryland Steel Company,
delivered lately at the State Normal School.
There were present not only students of the
institution, but a number of guests as we'll.
Mr.. Wood gave the reasons why the steel
company established its great plant at Spar.
rows Point and then described the growth of
the settlement. Now it is little city. of its
own, be said, with its own underground sew
erage system, water supply, fire department,
schools churches and police.
The betterment of living conditions in indus
trial centers. Mr.. Wood said. was done by cor.
porations simply as a business proposition.
The establishment of homes and schools in a
community, he said, tend to produce better
pride of employees in their work.
The movement was started he said, by the
cotton manufacturers of New England, who
saw that healthy and moral community was
better for business. Schools were established.
clubs with reading rooms and places for de-
batting and literary societies were formed and
associations of employees were organized.
Speaking of Sparrows Point and its reasons
for being there, Mr.. Wood said that in 1885
about 1000 acres were bought because the site,
being on the seaboard, made the handling of
ore from the mines controlled by the company
in the Mediterranean and Cuba more convent
ent. By this extra acreage the direct water
shipment of products was facilitated.
After telling of the establishment in 1887 of
four blast furnaces, Bessemer steel converting
plant and the mechanical departments en-
ploying 5000 men, Mr.. Wood said that in order
to secure reliable workmen it was found neces
sary to provide permanent homes near the
works, and so the settlement was accordingly
started.
He said that streets go feet wide were laid
out, young shade trees planted, water supply
was insured by the sinking of groups of arte-
sian wells from $50 to 400 feet, underground
sewerage was established and inexpensive but
comfortable houses, to be rented at low rates,
were built. To make the settlement an ideal
living place system of sanitary inspection
was inaugurated for the sake of the public
health.
ITO reduce the evil of intemperance in a
manufacturing town to minimum" said Mr..
Wood, 1.-The passage OF bill by the Legisla-
ture was secured which prohibited the sale of
spirtuous liquors within radius of three
miles of the public schools, and no saloons
have invaded this circuit to the great advan-
tage of the works and the satisfaction of the
majority of permanent residents.
THE opening of public schools was consid-
cred one of the most important necessities of
the settlement. The corporation of the county
school authorities was enlisted, the steel COM
pany agreeing to provide the schoolhouses free
of rental, the county furnishing the teachers
and assuming the responsibility for the con-
duct of the schools.
THE State law provided that the school age
was from to IT, but there was no compulsory
requirement. The Maryland Steel Company
made the rule arbitrary that the children of its
employees attend school and has at times had
to enforce this regulation upon parents under
penalty of dismissal. Foremen are not al
lowed to employ boys under H. except in rare
instances, for the help of disabled father or a
widowed mother. All parents are urged to al
low children to remain in school as long as
possible.
"The suggestion of public school kinder
garten to the School Commissioners was not
favorably received, probably because the
methods ofteaching were not understood. We
did not wish this primary form of instruction
to be carried on as private enterprise, and
after three years of persistent effort succeeded
in getting the School Board to provide trained
kindergartener, the steel company providing
the building, as usual.
I'm September, 1892, the first public school
kindergarten south of Mason and Dixon Line
was opened at Sparrow's Point. The direct ef-
feet of the training upon the children has been
"
vantages for a few hours each day into the
bright, refining atmosphere ofchildren of more
favored localities and under the influence Of
earnest and progressive teachers.
MANY a home has been frightened by the
love of flowers. the introduction Of books and
pictures and fondness for music which have
been awakened by the enthusiasm of the little
folk who have had taste for these enjoyments
at the public school. In more than one in
stance home of intemperance and despair has
been reclaimed by the loving example of
kindergarten child"
Mr.. Wood then told of the increasing popu-
lation and the necessity for corresponding in
lilies and boarding houses for single workmen.
Rents, he said, were lower than in the city.
Secret Orders Elect.-Garden Lodge, L.
o. o. F., of Gardenville, has elected the follow
ing officers for the ensuing year Noble Grand.
George G. Koppleman Vice-Grand, George
Melcher; Recording Secretary, Charles Dollin-
ger Financial Secretary, ]. Hartman Schone;
Treasurer, Henry Fisher Marshal, Joseph v.
Hofstetter, Jr.; Chaplain, Robert T. Oyeman /;
representative TO GRAND lodge, Wiiiiura II.
Hofstetter; Trustees, Alexander Mccormick,
Committee on Education, r. T. Oyeman, Alex
ander Mccormick and Clarence E. Hoey.
Mt. Zion Lodge, 1. O.O.F., of Pikesville, has
elected the following officers: Past Grand,
Arthur Shipley; Noble Grand Roy Flickin-
GER Vice Grand, Wilbur Kelly; Recording
Secretary, N II. Coe; Financial Secretary, G..
Albert Salter Treasurer John R. Clark Mar.
shall, William II. Smith; Chaplain. H. A.
Davis; Trustees, Philip Watts. Walter Brooks
and Arthur Chenoweth; Representative to
Grand Lodge, Henry A. Davis.
Hereford Lodge, 1. O. O. F., has elected the
off Avn
Shultz Vice Grand, lego T. Bull; Recording
Secretary, Joshua Armacost; Permanent Secre-
tary, Robert H. Mays; Treasurer, John W.
Hicks; Marshal, William Ruhl; Chaplain,
John T. Diven Trustees, Amos Shultz, How
ard Miller and John.E Lloyd Orphans Com
mittee, Amos Shultz, R. Harry Mays, John E.
Lloyd, John T. Diven and George Miller
Representative to the Grand Lodge, Carroll a
Gorsuch.
Marble Lodge, 1. O. O. F., of CockeysviIle.
has elected the following offices: Noble Grand,
John G. Leaf; Vice-Grand, Benjamin G. link
Recording Secretary. August w. Clark Per-
urer, Charles G. Hoffman; Marshal, G. B.
Kenney Janitor, Adam Kramer Orphans
Committee, Adam Kramer, George A. Bar
shinger and g. B. Kenney; Trustees, Lewis f.
Eckhart, William T. Griffith and August w.
Clark; Relief Committee, George B. Kenuey
Hall COMMITTEES, George link, George B. Ken
ney and John G. Leaf; Representative to the
Grand Lodge, August W. Clark.
A Young Married Man Meets With Seri-
GUS Accident.-The Westminster Sentinel of
last week said when the report reached
this city, few days ago. that Mr.. William
Grove Lawyer had met with aserious accident,
host of friends made anxious inquiry with
the hope that the rumor would be found to be
incorrect. When the truth of the report was
ascertained sincere expressions of sympathy
were heard everywhere. Mr.. Lawyer was in
jured at his farm, near Christ Church, between
Lttlestown and Hanover, Pa, while working
with a corn husker. In some way his right
hand was drawn in the machine. The index
finger was i'll part torn away, the other fingers
seriously mangled and the hand lacerated. DR..
Grouse, of Littlestown, who rendered the sur
gical attention needed, found it necessary to
amputate the first finger. The other fingers
will be saved"
Mr.. Lawyer was lately married to daugh-
ter of Mr.. Thomas Todd, well known farmer
near Warren, Baltimore county, and within
the last three weeks he was an usher at the
Catholic Church ofthe Immaculate, Towson,
when his wife's cousin, Miss Eleanor Todd,
was married to Mr.. Edward Schmidt.
Injunction Refused by the Court.-On
Wednesday Judge Burke filed an opinion in
the Circuit Court here in the case of the Con-
solidated Gas, Electric Light and Power Com
pany against the Northern Central Railway