New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-07
VARICK HOUSE, FOR
GIRLS, DEDICATED
Dormitory and Gym Is
Last Step in Work Start
ed by Roswell Bates.

A dream which was in the heart OF
Roswell Bates before he went 20 South
America in the summer Of 1918 was
fulfilled last night with the dedication
at the Spring Street Settlement, pa
Suring St, OF a gymnasium and dormi-
tory for working girls. He never came
back 70 work in Spring st-his sudden
death while on a vacation was due to
overwork.
Bates House, the new gymnasium. IL
dedicated, not IN memory Of, but ITO
continue the work OF H. Roswell
Bates" as the inscription over the en-
trance reads. His associates at the
settlement say that this version Of
the dedication Is particularly sppro-
pirate.
Varick House. the new dormitory, is
named after Richard Narick. Mayor OF
New York in 1890 and at one time pri-
vate secretary to President George
Washington. Here there will be COM
Portable accommodations for seventy
seven working girls in an environment
closely resembling college dormltory
life.
The Rev. Norman NJ. Thomas offered
a prayer Of invocation when the dedi-
cation service began. The Rev. Will
lam Young Duncan read the Scripture:
William Sloane Coffin, close friend or
Roswell Rates and the one man TO
whom the Spring Street workers had
turned for advice in planning and
erecting the two buildings, delivered
the dedication address. He painted IN
simple words an effective picture or
the new buildings as a eliminating
step in the work of Roswell Bates, and
urged that the good work De continued
The Rev DR.. George Alexander made
a PRAYER Of dedication. and the service
was brought to a close by singing the
"Spring Street Rally Song" After the
service there was opportunity Tor In
spection of the buildings.
ave are going 10 try TO develop q
real homelike atmosphere here said
Miss Margaret Shearer, resident IN
charge OF Varick House, when asked TO
explain the place the new dormitory
ought to occupy in it's factory en-
vironment. "Varick House will be run.
as nearly ms possible, on the lines OF
a college dormitory with cooperative
government and few restricting regu.
lations. We want the girls to feel at
home when they live here"
you will notice" and she surveyed
the living room with a look OF pride,
"that We nave placed the mail boxes and
telephone switchboard around the cor
ner here, so that q girls first impress
sions upon entering Varck House Will
not be reminiscent of an ordinary
apartment or boarding house"
every effort has been made TO give
the girls adequate accommodatlons AT
reasonable rates" continued MISS
Shearer. I'VE have a sewing room with
electric power machines and there -
telephone on each floor. Our public
lunchroom for girls will accommodate
eighty We have two small halls for
dances and other entertainments. AS
soon as the dormitory is filled we will
organize a girls glee club and classes
in gymnasium sports"
In the basement is one OF the
smallest steam laundries in New York.
Following the example of heating sys-
TENS in London, Varick House has an
incinerator which burns rubbish from
the Spring Street neighborhood, and
thus provides heat for the new dorml-
tory.
One thousand persons can be seated
in the new Bates House gymnasium,
which will DE available 10 the men and
boys who belong TO the various Spring
Street clubs