Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-11-30
TION'S WELFARE
PENDS ON HOUSING,
SAYS MRS. HOUWITz
seserving of Traditions and
Rearing of Good Citizens
Only to Be Had With
Clean Home Surroundings.

Ed we are to preserve our national
ssedtions, rear strong men who can ap
nfoach great economic questions with
broad viewpoint rejecting the intellect Of
nur forefathers, It Is necessary TO give
fht youth Of our country an opportunity
g live amid decent surroundings.
The most essential, or what might be
strmsd the fundamental principle that
should guide us, deals with the housing
problem"
This was the comment made today by
hdrs. George Q. Horwltz, wife of the
prominent lawyer who for years has been
Interested in the work of Improving the
1uvenile Court and probation system.
For years Mrs. Horwitz, woman OF
great culture, has devoted her time and
money toward what she terms her pet
bobby" Briefly that hobby deals with
The developing of future citizens Her
day nursery, In which 100 youngsters In
Houth Philadelphia have Joy health and
proper breeding, gives illuminating testi-
1nony concerning her theories.
WORK TAUGHT HER HOUSING
NEEDS.
In her work Mrs. Horwitz has been
hble to study and learn by personal con-
tact the necessity for good, clean, whole
eome homes Some OF the plthy phrases
in her statement dealing with Phlladel-
phia's problem are:
THE typical homes in which our aver
ege statesmen, physicians, lawyers and
Business men were reared differed oon-
aiderably from the present-day homes in
the oity-as the former on greater per-
pentaEe of them, we're in the country,
where good air, fresh water and an
abundance Of room to play were to be
FOUND
"The typical city home in the crowded
section lacks essentials that are con-
ducive to the health, happiness and NOR
ais of the young men and women.
BAD HOUSING CAUSES VICE.
"The home of two or three rooms in
which family must i've is not a proper
place in which to rear children, and whom
they reach the age of self-protection they
are forced into the streets and there they
become victims of vice."
THE rich man who educates his daugh-
ter in some European institution OF learn
ing and permits the daughter of poor
man to live in a wretched tenement with
improper sewage, light and air should be
given q course in citizenship; that type
of man must be taught to realize that
success in life must not be measured in
dollars and cents.
After all the greatest discovery of the
18th century is mans responsibility for
his brother"
HER NURSERY MODEL, INsTITU-
TION.
Mrs. Horwitz has demonstrated to her
own and to the complete satisfaction of
many mothers and fathers that it pays to
consider the housing problem seriously.
Her day nursery is model institution
where boys and girls of poor parents
arc taught to be good citizens.
"They are at least started on the right
road to citizenship" said Mrs. Horwltz
"I am in favor of any plan that will
better conditions in our so-called tene-
ment districts, and believe that scores of
old buildings should be wiped out OF ex-
istence. They are a disgrace TO their
owners and to the city.
'I will illustrate the necessity OF start
ing children right by citing one case-that
OF a little lad who entered my nursery at
the age of 3. His home was In one Of
the wretched tenements that Is so COM
mon in Philadelphia, When he entered
the nursery he was introduced to the
bath tub, which was an extremely novel
and unique experience to him.
Then he was given a place at the table
WIN Olnef CnlluTent VINO were dressed
hpick-and-span for the occasion. At the
table he began to observe that he was in
different company.
When he was ushered into the nicely
paved courtyard, where other children
were playing, he seemed for the first day
sntirely out OF place.
IMPROVEMENT SOON SHOWN.
"But the young mind was plastic and
IN three days he was beginning to demon
strate by his conduct that he possessed
sentJsmanIy qualities. Like the other
children he returned homo every night,
but at the end Of the week he remon-
Btrated with his mother when she called
90 take him away.
"At home he was able to teach the les
eons OF cleanliness TO his mother, and
that mother. to satisfy the boy, moved
20 house where she could give him what
be obtained in the nursery.
This case illustrates that no boy or
Rirl can be expected to develop mentally
il their mentality IL retarded by impure
water, air and other conditions"
"rhe successful manufacturer today"
hIrs HorWitn continued, realizes that to
reach the highest degree OF efficiency
the worker must be given clean, whole
some quarters in which 10 work. That
has been the reason why the cement fac
tory with big windows has supplantsd the
aingy. dark old building.
"Economists dwell at great length on
the question OF model factories, but II
We are 10 have strong men and women,
pnysically and mentally, to work In those
Ideal factories then We must guard them
IN early youth.
From my observations will state that
EoOd housing conditions would reduce
Juvenile delinquency, raise the moral
standards OF our children, reduce the
death rate and create an incentive for the
young child to study and cultivate q taste
FOR the better things In life
philadelphia must srappls with this
question because It a too vital to our
future progrssa to permit US to lag be-
hind New York. Boston. Chicago ana
ether great cities"