The Denver star., 1914-10-03
SOCIAL SETTLEMENT WORK.
How Mr.. and Mrs. w. p. eurreiI Are
Shaping Young Lives.

East Orange. n. 1.-THE East Orange
social settlement. though but a little
| over a year old. is one Of the powers
for good in Essex county. 1t Is under
the auspices of the ladies' guild of the
Mum Avenue Presbyterian church OF
East Orange. N. j.. Of which the fol
lowing ladies are the ofticerS: Mrs
Geo. Il. Howe. president: Mrs. Cyrus
Hitchcock. secretary. and Mrs. DR.
Charles A. Groves. treasurer.
For fifty years the Mum Avenue
church has taken front rank in its up
lift work for colored people all over
the country. One lady Of the guild has
been especially untiring in her work
for the settlement. Mrs. NJ. L. Cook.
In April. 1913, the services Of Mr.. and
Mrs. W. p Burrel of Virginia were
secured, and through them the settle
ment was organized and placed in
practical operation. The purposes as
taken from the Settlement folder give
clear idea of the work of the settle
ment 1t says:
The East Orange social settlement is
conducted for the betterment Of the
community life of the colored people of
East Orange.
Its purpose is to help people to help
themselves. to extend a sympathetic
hand to those who may. because of cir
cumstances, feel downtrodden and op-
pressed, to hold open the door of hope
to every worthy colOred boy and girl
and to reclaim those who are erring
The settlement house is a model of
neatness and cleanliness, and in itself
is powerful object lesson to the many
children who come within its portals
daily and who are pleased to call It
home.
Habits Of cleanliness, thrift and self
respect are inculcated, and the chill
dren of the settlement are taught to
be Jealous OF their good name. Each
child who is enrolled becomes . part
of the settlement family, and Mrs. Bur
rell becomes the little mother" while
Mr.. Burrell is the "big brother" Of
every one.
As no two children are alike in dis
position and requirements, a careful
study made of every child in order to
find out how he or she may best be
helped. Race pride. is taught through
the study of prominent examples OF
Negro manhood and womanhood- The
children are taught that here 10 hope
for them and that they will be reward
ed according to their merit, in spite of
their color.
The model fat. or home, as it might
better be called. shows that a home
can be clean and healthy though hum
BILE. and that one does not have to sell
himself to the installment man In or
der to be happy. The settlement teach
es that 1t Is better to watch the cost
Of high living than to be botnef4d
about the SO called high cost Of living.
Through its cooking classes it shows
how one may live well and yet
cheapy.
The doctrine of self help underiies
all the work Of the settlement, and
the children hre taught to depend on
themselves for success in all things.
The settlement seeks to help not only
the children. but the parents are also
visited in their homes and timely sug-
gestions made as to how they may
make the most of life for Themselves
and their little ones.
The sick are visited. the hungry are
fed. the naked clothed and those in dir
tress Of any kind receive helping
hand. The influence of the settlement
for good is recognized on all sides
and the Judge of the children's court
of Essex county has commended chD-
dren to its care and supervision.