Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-11-22
big SISTERS" STRIVE
TO AID JEWISH GIRLS
Mrs. j. Marcus Polak, President,
Tells of Aims and Methods
of Organization
WORK OF JUNIOR ORDER

Unusual success has crowned the efforts
OF the. Big Sisters Association an organi-
cation Of Philadelphia women who have
been working during the last year TO
provide wholesome amusement and in
struction for the young Jewish girs Of the
city.
In the Organizations ten clubhouses.
scattered throughout the city. young girls
between the ages Of fifteen and twenty
are not only being provided with many
forms Of instructive and entertaining
amusements, but at the same time are
being educated on the most modern lines.
The organization has a membership OF
more than 400; each member willing to
be an avowed Big Sister" TO any young girl
who should need either comfort or advice,
or whose home conditions or environment
are not suitable to the spirit OF young
American womanhood
AIM or SOCIETY
Tho aim and plan OF the organization
were explained today by Mrs j. Marcus
Polak president "tn the last fifteen years"
she said. "there has been big imm grafton
Of Jews who have been persecutcd in Rus
STA, Poland Hungary and Rumaula They
have not been used to the privileges Of
liberty. and we found them almost OF a
different race entirely. As q rule. one jew
accepts another but here we suddenly found
a class that we could not assimate.
"These people were slow to become Amer
canized but their children. however. were
Americanized at a pace unusually fast, and
soon grew far beyond the control of their
more old-fashioned parents
The girls soon drifted away from their
home environment and missed the proper
home training, Ninety per cent OF the inn
morality Is among the class OF people
have just referred TO- and the almost direct
cause is tho lack of control which these
parents have over their children"
FOR REORGANIZATION
One Of the ideals of the Big Sisters. Mrs
Polak said. is to nstil In young Jewish girls
the American ideals. The first move Of the
organization is to form n Junior girls club
in tho selected neighborhood and elect one
OF the girls president and other officers.
The club meets every week at the presi.
dents home. The membership Of each club
Is limited to twenty members and each is
under the direct supervision OF Big
Sister.
I'VE first train their minds or start to
do So" Mrs. Polak said. zone weekly meet
ing is devoted to open discussions on inter-
estng and important subjects.
Then we have business night. with
lessons on hygiene, social conduct and how
to behave so rs to both command and de-
mand despect on other nights we arrange
debates and party nights.
"Our idea is not to stop the girls from
associating with boys. We encourage them
and make arrangements in certain cases
for them to receive worthy young men at
their homes, and discourage any possible
meetings with young men on the streets
So on party nights young men are invited
The method has proved to be a great sue
cess. Many interesting games are in
dulged in. OF course, kissing games are
not allowed.
There are more than 400 Big Sisters in
the organization and each is more than
willing to do as much II not more than
any real big sister would do, More than
$50 girls are members OF the Junior clubs
Of the organization, and these form one big
family throughout the city inocuated with
some of the finest ideals Of American
womanhood."
SMALL ASSESSMENTS
The organization virtually is independ-
ent. Each member of the junior clubs pays
the small sum of five cents weekly, while
each Big Sister contributes a very nominal
sum annually. This money is used only
in paying the expenses OF those who in
vestigate cases called to the attention of
the organization. To date forty personal
cases have been investigated, as well as
ten cases from the Juvenile Aid Society
and one from the Eastern Penitentiary.
The junior clubs OF the Big Sisters are
located as follows No. 2s42 Diamond
street, 2041 North ELEVENTH street, 1912
North Second street, 1000 North Thirty.
first street Twenty-fourth and Cumberland
streets, 322 South street, Gil North Sew
enth street, 3133 Montgomery avenue, 21O2
North Front street and 242s North Sixth
street. Headquarters of the organization