The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1913-01-28
A CHARITABLE WORK

human beings last year and yet so
quietly and unostentatiously was this
great work accomplished that there
are thousands of people who have
never even heard of The Needlework
Guild of America. 1t was organized
in Philadelphia in 1885, and incor-
porated in June of 1896. 1t owes its
origin to an English noblewoman
who was foster-mother to hundreds
of orphans in an institution which
she had founded and who conceived
this unique and practical way of
providing for her wards. Every
charitably disposed person within
her reach was asked to contribute
two garments a year to help clothe
these needy little ones. In 1885 an
American lady travelling in England
came in touch with this practical
charity and brought the idea home
to this country. Her niece became
the founder of the American organi-
zation through influencing a few
of her friends in the work. From
this small beginning has sprung the
national body which governs
branches throughout the whole
United States and is constantly ex-
tending it's work.
Branches in Thirty-Six States.
The Needlework Guild now has
about three hundred and fifty
branches in thirty-siX states. Each
branch controls it's own work, but
the national body is affiliated Off
cially with the American Red Cross
society and that organization has
agreed to act as a distributing agent
for all the contributions donated by
all of the branches of the Guild for
the special relief work of any great
national disaster. The Guild is also
affiliated with the General Fedora
ton of Women's Clubs and is en-
titled to representation in its meet
ings.
The object of the Guild is to col
lect and distribute new garments to
hospitals, homes and other charitable
institutions, and to extend it's use
fulness by the organization of other
branches. The garments are collect
ed from the members of the Guild,
the contribution of two new gar
ments each year or a donation of
money-no amount specified-con-
stituting the qualification for mem
bership. While it is considered a
woman's organization, the many men
who belong usually contribute money
instead of garments. There is no
special requirement regarding the
quality of the garments furnished,
other than that they be new. Pre-
ferably they should be plain, and
there is a greater demand for warm
garments than for thin ones. Arti-
cles of fancy lingerie are of compare
lively little use. Stress is laid al
thn Wnr1 - oc
there are always many agencies to
handle the partly worn garments.
The Guild by it's charter cannot ac-
cept them.
The effect of new substantial cloth
ing upon a person made suddenly
destitute by sickness or other cause
is that of moral uplift rather than
pauperization. There are thousands
of people who pass each year through
the medical and charitable institu-
tions of this country most of whom
are insnfficiently clad and these in
stitutions rarely have the means at
hand to supply that lack. For in
stance, when children are brought to
the Children's Aid society, it is sell
dom that they have sufficient cloth
ing. More frequently that which
they have is in such condition that
it has to be burned. Hundreds of
consumptiVes, under outdoor treat
ment, are unable to provide them
selves with the warm clothing essen
tial to their recovery. The majority
of day nurseries require additional
clothing for the little ones in their
care, while the rescue work for men
and women, the Seamen's aid, the
Society for Discharged Prisoners and
numberless other organizations are
in constant need of garments which
their own resources do not supply.
Helps the Hospitals.
Perhaps the greatest work done by
the Guild is in the supply of gar
ments to the hospitals. A member
once went to a large and well-cared
for hospital and asked to see a pa
tient admitted. Presently the sound
of the ambulance bell announced the
coming of a man who had been in
jured in the machinery of a large
factory. Before he was taken into
the ward, he had been prepared for
bed and on the stretcher bearing his
covered form was his hat bearing his
name and the number of his bed. 1t
was the only article of his clothing
which was fit to keep. Yet the man
would have had nothing to wear
when he was discharged and the hos
pitfalls had no available means of sup
plying him.
1t does not make any difference
how the garments are secured by the
members so that they are new and
suitable. Many of the sewing clubs
of similar character require the mem
bers to make the articles donated,
but members of the Guild can pur-
chase them if preferred, although the
! joy of sacrificing ones own leisure
to do work which will give comfort
to some less fortunate human being
| is sufficient to make hundreds of
women spend their time in making
garments for the Guild. The gener-
Gus English woman who founded the
work in that country took for her
rule, always have piece of Guild
/ work on hand and at hand - Ouaan