New-York tribune., 1911-01-15
for Mofbers Helpers
Where Little Girls Are Taught To Be Useful at
Home-Work Maintained by Rich Woman.
EARTH BOUND.

! The hOspitablc Odor Of baking cake came
down the dark stairs even before the door
AZ the top was flung eagerly open. Then a
! flood OF hot. spicy air and a swarm of It'll,
| girls i'm blue aprons burst forth upon the
! visitor
Are YOU the Mothers Hepers'?" she
asked. though the smell OF cake and tho
uniformed children made the question seem
unnecessary.
"Ycs'm," came the chorus. Then came
bustling upon the scene Il rosy checked
little woman and invited tine stranger in.
. directing one Of the helpers" to get chain
and then run and see that the cake doesn't
burn
The deck being cleared temporarily for
action the matrOn and the visitor had a
moment TO themselves ana the visitor had
! an opportunity TO learn something about
. the interesting little establishment at No.
535 East loth street over which she pre-
sides.
Mrs. Mathilde Rieko, for so the rosy
checked matron is called. always has two
girls from the ucighborhood staying with
her iu hcr tiny HAT. They remain for a
week at time and learn To- keep house
just as little girls would in their own
homes if their mothers We're not too busy
10 teach them. At the end Of the week
. they 20 away, usually fearful and Mrs
itieke invites a second couple for a week
They learn that little girls beds have 10
he aired and made up neatly before school
in the morning, that the breakfast table
must Ee tidy and pretty, that little girls
can help cook and wash dishes and must
wash the dish towels aftcrward The best
Of il is that with Mrs Rickc it is lust fun
To do all these things and then when they
have 10 80 back 10 their own homes they
try 10 max" things neat and pretty there.
Mother can't do all the houyckccpinr. he
cause she is too busy and too tired, but
after Rachel has lived with Mrs Ricke
Shc KNOWS That she can do ever so many
things TO help mother at home.
OF course all these things can't be learned
in week, and Mr.. Rieke's little guests
don't bid her goodby forever after their
weeks visit. Almost every afternoon after
school some club meets at the fiat. ON
Tuesday there is the cooking club. on
wednesday the sewing club. and ON Thurs
day oyenint Mrs. Ricke and her two guests
and the little girls of the various clubs
and all their friends 60 over 10 the Hebrew
Technical School for Girls. on Second ave-
nue., aud dance On Friday Mrs. Rieke
has big strong woman come To- scrub and
clean. but in the afternoon a batch of little
girls In blue aprons go through that little
house with dust cloths and make il shine
They have lesson in bed making. too.
ana IN polishing brass and cleaning bric-a-
brac. Then comes Saturday. which is play
day, and # the weather is fine il really is
the best one of the whole week. for they all
90 OF In the cars to the park or to the
museums with Mrs. Reke. VINO. the girls
are sure, just knows everything.
why, they come to me with all kinds Of
questions she said-"thngs the school
teacher asks them to hunt up. Instead of
going 10 book in the library next door
they say I'm ask my club teacher II IS
very embarrassing. / had To get an ency-
clopHdia and tell them it's better for them
to hunt things up themselves"
Miss RicSc"
Yes, dear"
Shall | set the table, an are you son'
tcat with us?'
"Yes; wait minute and I'll show you all
how 10 make the cocoa"
Then The house mother had 10 stop her
conversation and hurry into the kitchen To
prevent disaster to the cocoa