Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-20
r<TRIENDSHIP." wrote Hugh Black
many years ago. lis not only q

><"RIENDSHIP." wrote Hugh Black
many years ago, lis not only a
beautiful and noble thing for
man. but the realization of it is also the
ideal for the state'-and there is. In
Washington. an association which, max
ing the quotation a living motto. has for
ten years been systematizing friendship
and making it the means of uplift and
Frightening of a community numbering
thousands.
THE Friendship House Association is
the name of the organization and It's
home is at 324 Virginia avenue south
east. There, in the smoke and haze OF
constantly passing freight cars. sur
rounded by the tiny homes of those who
must struggle to live. the little red build
ing of the association stands always
open, not as a place Of refuge-noth1nS
could be farther from it's aim-but as
place where men, women and chiidren
NAV foregather in friendships name;
may chat, read, study. sing or play. and
forget. for the time being, the work-a-
day humdrumness of their existence
Friendship House is not house OF
charity Miss Lydia A. H. Burkl1n. VINO
Is in charge Of 1t, Indignantly resented
such a charge. So also would those VINO
make use OF the little building.
''Our house is operated on exactly the
same plan as the Y. M. c. A. or the \.
w. c. A." said Miss Burklin. but our
work is broader In it's scope. Friendship
House is for both men and women. boys
and girls and even babies In other
words. the house is for the benent Oh
everybody. But We have regular dues
we charge our members one or two pen
MES a month-not very much. but enough
to enable those using the house TO feel
that they are paying for the privileges
they get. Also, those pennies help in no
small measure in paying our expenses.
*
Friendship House Is unique both in its
conception and management. 1t was
founded in 1901 at the suggestion of Miss
Adelaide Rochefort, a charity worker
whose experience had shown her that
there We're sections where something was
needed but where an attempt at charity
would not only prove failure. but would
be bitterly resented. y community
house was the solution hit upon by her,
and Sc she and few of her friends rent
ed three rooms at 10th and NJ streets
southeast. furnished them and threw
them open to the neigbborhood. Every
hCdy was invited to come in and get
acquainted with everybody else.
And everybody came-they came in such
numbers that il soon became necessary
10 secure larger quarters 30 sinai
house was rented at 10th and Georgia
avenue southeast. 1t was called Roche
foTt House. and just as in the case of the
rooms its success was so marked that In
I.Oa il became necessary to seek quarters
still larger. So Miss ROchefort and her
friends rented the house at 324 Virginia
avenue-a historical old building which
was the home OF the first mayor of WASH
ington.
Meanwhile the work of the little band
who We're supporting the association be-
gan to attract attention. Mss Burklin
was detailed to look after the house Its
name was changed and the Friendship
House Association was organized with 800
members. Before this. there We're only
fifty. There still 800 members in the
association. These pay dues of 81 per
year-aGd these dues. with the penn es
paid in by those using the house, are all
that il has with which to support itself.
Since the cost of living is high the sum
is Insufficient This year, for instance,
Miss Burklin has estimated that her oper-
atinE expenses, kept down by the most
economic management. will total nearly
$S.000 Hence the association, unless ii
can secure more members, faces a big