The Washington times., 1913-07-07
FACTORY GIRLS LAUD
MISS JESSIE WILSON
kensington Folk, Whom She
Aided As Social Worker,
Like Bride-to-Be.

PHILADELPHIA. July 7.-Kensington
Is living over again the three years that
Miss Jessie Wilson. the Presidents sec
ond daughter, whose engagement TO
Francis Bowes Sayre, Of Bethlehem, has
Just been announced. spent as a social
worker In the mill district.
- To Kensington she is just Jessie"
and Jessie she always will be, the
girl who travelled up and down narrow
streets on visits Of mercy, who attended
the sick beds of mothers and was a
sister to the working girls and pal OF
the short-trousered boys who gathered
at the Lighthouse gymnasium.
Miss Wilson's work of social service at
the Lighthouse, 152 West Lehigh avenue,
brought her in close contact with the
men, women and children of the mill
sections, and to ali Of them she en-
deared herself by her modesty. her un-
assuming manner, her cordiality and
sincerity. The life of the settlement she
followed closely, spending five days a
week in routine work and returning to
her home in Princeton for the week
end.
Many a meal Jessie Wilson has eaten
at the uncovered tables of the Light
house restaurant with motormen and
millworkers for her companions. never
thinking herself a whit better than the
people who surrounded her.
Roast beef, fried potatoes. tomato
sauce, lemon pie, bread and butter, and
ccffee-wny should a Presidents daush-
ter want more? And she didn't want
more. So when it was more convenient
TO eat at the restaurant than with Mr..
and Mrs. r. Porter Bradford, the man.
ayers Of the Lighthouse, with whom
she resided, she ordered the menu
chalked on the wall of the restaurant,
full roast dinner for 10 cents.
o. When her appetite, after long day
spent in visiting the sick and needy,
which was part of her social work in
Kensington, demanded ii. she would
spend 20 cents, or even 90 the limit
she enjoyed every bit of it there with
the mill hands, car conductors. and
others at her side; for everything at the
Lighthouse is as good as though you
pay ten times as much for your dinner
Miss Wilson's approaching marriage
IN the fall is regarded with mingled
feelings of delight and regret by her
numerous Kensington friends.
During her three years stay in Phil
notwithstanding Monday morning at
Miss Wilson encouraged habits of in
dustry and carefulness among the
working people of Kensington. Often
have mothers Of six and eight chill
dren owned themselves surprised at
the practical, sage advice coming from
this girl in her twenties, counsel
which would prove fruitful aid to
them in training their children and in
the management of their household
concerns.
Says Marie Simon, one of the wait
resses at the Lighthouse restaurant:
efEtx-erxyhndv EEad haralISa she
gave herself no airs. She was never
stuck up, but always pleasant and
smiling. And many a time II was
strange to me how she never forgot
a face or name among the lots of
people she met mere after seeing them
once. She was always faithful to a
friend, and there never was any one
down here better loved"
Miss Wilson has lately been asso-
ciated with the national board OF the
Young Woman's Christian Association,
and has been active in work for the
bettsrment of factory girls.