The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-09-21

AN settlement movement in this
country signalizes this year It's TWEEN
ty-ilfth birthday says Robert A.
Woods, head worker south End house.
Boston in The Press Bureau. In
1900, Thirteen years after the first one
was started in the United States there
were i02 settlements. Since 1900 the
number has doubled every FIVE years,
SO that there were Alb settlements In
1910.
The movement developed in England
as one Of the results OF Joint effort
for improving social conditions made
by men associated with the universe
ties and the Church of England on the
one hand, nd workingmen prominent
in the trades unions and co-opera-
tive societies on the other. Among
the experiments which preceded the
settlement were the working mems
college. established In 1854; the sys-
tematic promotion of university extern
sion lectures by Cambridge In 1867;
and the experience of Edward Deni-
son, who lived In lodgings In east
London In 1857 and worked under
John Richard Green. II was even
proposed, at melting held In the home
of John Ruskin, to gather group of
men to join Denison. Toynbee Hall,
the first settlement was opened In the
east end of London on Christmas eve,
1884, Samuel "A. Barnett, Vicar of st.
Judes, was its head for twenty five
years. The settlement was named in
memory of Toynbee, an Oxford tu-
tor who had followed the example Of
Edward Denison.
The first American settlement was
the Neighborhood Guild, now the Uni
versity Settlement, which was estab-
lished by stanton Colt, one OF the lee
turers of the New York Society for
Ethical Culture. in August 1885. DR.
tells how difficult 1t was to persuade a
truck man, who had been engaged to
move his goods to Forsyth street that
there was not some mistake in the adj
dress DIR. Jane Robbins and Jean
Fine founded the first wonen's set
Element in November, 1888. in ten
ement on Forsyth street, opposite the
Neighborhood Guild. They were dis
possessed without warning in April.
1889 mainly because of the too con-
slant wear and tear on the stairs
In 1889 the College Settlement in New
York and Hull House In Chicago were
founded within a few days OF each
other Both were started with the
English tradition. Tn South End
House i'm Boston was founded by Prof.
William J.. Tucker. Of Andover Theo-
logical seminary.
A number of neighborhood houses
have sprung into existence almost
spontaneously. The Henry street or
Nurses Settlement, was founded in
1893 by Lillian d. Valid shortly after
she graduated form one OF the New
York training schools for nurses.
Moved by the wretchedness she dis
covered In treating q sick woman, she
determined to take a tenement and
devote herself to the service of such |
need as she might discover. While |
searching for habitual quarters she |
the College Settlement. |
Mr.. Ruths. Of Baltimore. a printer by
trade, started neighborhood work TO |
meet the problem Of amusing his
and their friends. In a short /
time he had the neighborhood at his |
doors. settlement in Chicago was /
started by Russian woman, the wife |
Of a physician, who tried to meet /
some Of the social needs which her /
husbands work was constantly re-
vealing. An interesting piece of |
work was the expert /
ment of Mr.. Jerome while district at
torney in taking up his residence on /
the east side of New York.
The most cursory study of the !
Handbook of Settlements recently is
sued as one of the Russell Sage Foun-
dation publications brings out the
stronly individual character Of the !.
may be said to be made up of a
group of people who live in neigh /
borhood In order to understand the
social life of the quarter, supplement
Il to the best Of their ability, interpret /
It's virtues and needs to the larger So
cial whole, and awaken and organize
It's citizens to attempt the solution of
their own problem
AS an incidental part of their work
nearly all OF the settlements have
been influential In obtaining some
form Of municipal Improvement such
as Fairgrounds, public baths, public
libraries. improved streets. housing
and sanitation, and more humane ad-
of public charity. Set
dement's have also assisted Ia Great
ing public opinion in favor OF the Ia
49, =. ). : :.