The sun., 1915-05-30


Pratt Institute in Brooklyn charges
500, or thereabout, exclusive of
extras. A number Of prizes are
awarded art students here during the
year and they materially help out
those of limited means lucky enough
to secure them.
Although not a free school the art
department of the Young Women's
Christian Association offers unusual
advantages to the prospective art
student. Miss Sophie Walker, who
has the ability of relating every phase
of art to practical. every day use, has
some wonderful records among her
pupils to set forth as testimonials to
the poor girls who succeed.
For our IS week girl, however.
these schools are beyond her reach.
Two good art schools are opened to
her. One of these Is the National
Academy of Design, the oldest art
school in the country and the least
known, and Cooper Union. A girl can
attend the former for a nominal sum
of $40 a year. which is for use Of easel,
chair, &c, while the Cooper Union Is
free except for materials.
That many girls who study there
spend no more than s. week Is the
statement of q man connected with the
academy, and there are some, he says
who are doing II for less.
Tn this locality. 10th street and
Amsterdam avenue. the Harlem Y. w.
c. A. Is the nearest boarding place
that at all compares to the working
- $50 ha fs Crnrrplv
within walking distance. So most OF
the girls go in together and rent a fiat
in groups of five or six and do their
own work. Some Of the cosiest and
happiest homes in this section are
those of students from the academy
who are living in this economical
fashion. AS a rule the work is d.
yided so that the one who cooks one
week will do the marketing next. In
this way, Il doesn't become drudgery.
II girl prefers living alone, there are
any number Of good rooms in the
neighborhood to be had for 81 weekly.
Since no fee is demanded at Cooper
Union there Is corresponding gain
in the income. Then there are a
number Of nice homes in the vicinity
where a girl will be surrounded by
good atmosphere and can easily live
within the prescribed sum. Most OF
the art schools keep a list OF reason-
able boarding places on file for the
benefit of the students, but as rule
the working girls homes are not in
cluded in the list. 1t will be In favor
of one Of these our IS a week student
will naturally turn.
A good home N conducted by the
Episcopal order of Sisters Of st. John
the Baptist. where board and lodging
can be had for SO week. For this
sum n girl naturally will not have a
room to herself. In fact there are no
single rooms, but large dormitory
divided into cubicles.
Each cubicle has a single bed, a
combination wash stand and bureau, a
table and chair. The dormitory is
large and airy and there is the ad-
vantage Of a large living room well
supplied with comfortable chairs,
reading lamps. games. piano and
sewing machine for those who wish to
sew. \ fine gymnasium gives the
girls a chance for physical exercise in
winter and n roof garden the oppor-
tunity of getting out of doors in sum-
mer. The walk TO Cooper Union Is
only q matter of six or seven blocks.
The new boarding house for work.
ing girls called Varick House, just
opened, Is located in old Greenwich
Village. where a girl can literally get
all the comforts of a hotel for 81
week. Cooper Union may be reached
by "short walk and a far sight"
as they say down South, so carfare
hoh ht,- N essential for
those living there.
Among the working girls homes
are those of the Ladies' Christian
Union. and many Of them cater to art
students. One can get board for
$3.50 a week. Among them is Rose
mary Home, at 80 West Twelfth street,
and others at 40 West Ninth street.
30S Second avenue and 337 East
Seventeenth street. For the girls able
to pay a little more than IS there is
the Virginia, at 22S East Twelfth
street. started by Miss Virginia Potter,
a niece Of the late Bishop Potter, and
the Anthony Home. at 119 East
Twenty-eighth street. the pet project
OF Mrs. Frederick Vanderbilt, where
the board is Sc a week, with long
waiting list.
While some Of the houses may lack
the congenial atmosphere supplied by
the Three Arts Club, in West Eighty
sixth street or the Studio Club, both
patronized by art students. they are
pleasing and homelike. with good food
and a nice, motherly woman at the
head or course girls who are count
ing the cost of living won't spend very
much in the way of white under
clothes. They usually include knit
underwear, handkerchiefs and night
gowns in the list, and IL the former
and last are Of crepe they don't have
to be ironed. In most Of the houses
too there are provisions for home
laundry work, which is quite n saving
So II will be seen that II a girl comes
to New York bent on getting an art
aducation and Is willing to forego the
more exciting phases OF city life she
can do so and. what is more, make
good. There is no place in the coun-
try where the possibilities OF getting
work are better than right here. One
little Virginia girl. to quote one in
stance, spent four years at Cooper
Union, living at nearby girls home
and in all that time she spent no more
than IS weekly. For two years now
she has held the position Of art super
visor OF public schools in a thriving