New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-09-15
Big Sister
Organization

! conducted that, although started over Q
year ago. few people are aware OF Its
establishment and growth and the great
good accomplished by the methods Of this
/ society.
The Big Brother Organization, the Idea
of which suggested that OF the Big Sis
ters has been in successful operation
over seven years, and has reclaimed
many boys from the streets TO better and
higher living. This society was started In
! 1904 by Ernest X. Coulter. who has been
connected with the Children's Court since
/ its beginning. and who formulated plan
! for individual work among the boys out
/ on parole or just released from various
I institutions The scheme was that each
man should take one boy and become 10
! him a big brother. finding him work.
, amusements and friendships. and not
losing his hold on the boys interest and
| life until he places him beyond the reach
of his former temptations.
Day by day, in the Children's Court
scores Of such waits are brought In,
charged with various petty offences, and,
unhelped. these lads drift into worse
ways and are forever lost 10 decent liv-
ing Among them there are girls. way
ward and foolish. and sometimes worse,
and with feet perilously near the down
ward path. The idea Of individual help
TO such girls was suggested to the woman
who is now president Of the Big Sister
Organization by Franklin G. Hoyt. judge
of the Chudren's Court and president OF
the Big Brothers.
Here was a field for work which quickly
responded 10 the efforts of the few ear
nest women who took II W. in the be-
ginning, the plan was very similar TO that
Of the big brothers. but as time passed
il was found that differences would have
TO be made to fit the girl nature. The
association of big sisters is In charge OF
Mrs. ". K. Vanderbilt, an original and
practical philanthropist, who Is Interested
in several such movements. She Is q
woman Of unusual sympathy and re-
sourcefulness. and with her are associ-
ated about fifty other women Of like gym
pathies Many Of these are women Of
wealth and leisure, who find new and
peculiar interest in tho work.
When these young girls, perhaps from
eight to fourteen, are brought before the
Chldren's Court they are usually neg
lected and forlorn. and most Of their
badness" is due 10 their need OF just
such friend as one OF these big sisters
can be to them. The aim Of the associa-
ton is 10 keep such children out Of In
stitutions for It is felt that this Is
move in the wrong direction for the In
terests Of tho girl. When the girl leaves
the Children's Court with, at the least,
reprimand, or perhaps on parole and In
charge OF some probation officer, IL Is
great thing to find friend beside her,
quiet and efficient. who can and will show
her the way into the better living she
seems to have lost The friends this girl
makes Just at this critical moment could
come to her In no other manner through
life and she walks out Of the Children's
Court with the door open into better
ways
The emphasis in this organization is
placed on individual helpful relations.
Each girl who needs the assistance Of the
older woman is turned over to her, and
the new big sister begins to work out
the problem In her own way. She IL OK
new responsibility, and she u furnished
with little page Of suggestions" for
her guidance. But much Of the work
must be original with her. as we'll as
adapyed to the special case The child
she undertakes TO care for and become q
practical friend 10 she must hrst get ac-
quainted with, and gradually find out
why her protege IL at odds with society
aid what can be done to bring about
more desirable state Of AFFAIR.".
To many women who undertake such
unique work the feeling is as one inves-
tigating a dark continent, and the discov-
the big sister as to the little one. For
Instance, one Of the suggestions is to
"call upon the girl" at her home, and
another to Invite her TO your own home
and make her feel that she Ia welcome"
'If the girl is at school. see her teacher.
and find out through her something Of
what the girl needs and Of the condi-
tons OF her life" Such an entering into
the life of another is vastly different from
an easy giving OF money, or of time spent
at a meeting to talk over conditions. or
even Of a visit to some institution where
the girl could be placed. 1t takes more
time, II takes real sympathy, thought and
planning. and no one should become big
sister who is not willing to give all these
and anything more that may be required
for the good of the newly adopted mem
Der of her family.
One woman who is enthusiastic about
this new method OF charitable work said:
II only hope the girls get as much out
of II as | do. 1t has opened ideas TO me
l never thought OF. and possibilities that
once would have seemed wildly impossi-
BILE" To extend ones human sympathies
and to find out, in a practical way, just
how this little sister lives, what Is her
environment. her temptations, her limita-
TONS and why II is she is debarred from
the opportunities In life that one sup
posed were given to every girl, is a rev.
citation to the woman who investigates
these things.
In the Big Brother movement, the boys
are formed into clubs and places are
found for them IN summer camps. and
in gymnasiums or churches and the
y NJ. G. A. This work in groups has
not been found best by those In au-
thority of the Big Sisters. The work Is
still done by quiet friendships between
them and their little sisters. This, and
tho short tfuns thu asgocis tiop has hseu