The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-02-05
MUCH ACCOMPLISHED BY
HOUSE OF HAPPINESS"
Annual Report Shows That People
Connected With This Work Have
Been Active During Year.

The annual report OF the House
of Happiness" which has Just been
made, shows that much has been ac-
complished during the last twelve
months
The House of Happiness" is settle
ment work, located at Twenty-first
and Venable streets, and carried on
! under the auspices of the Baptist
Women's Missionary circle of Rich
mond and vicinity Twenty eight
churches help in this work. In the
recent campaign for an extensive fund
for the Baptist Council of Richmond
funds were secured to purchase a per-
manent home for the settlement. The
! work has. until now. been conducted
in rented building. The report
made to the churches is as follows;
We bring you report this year
that we feel peculiarly your own
since we are now the adopted child
of the Baptist Council
We are in our third year and. like
any healthy. growing child, we are
full of new strength. new needs and
new possibilities having nearly dou-
bled in size.
Going from the figure to the reality
We, are glad to report that the total
attend dance at the settlement this year
has been 14,452. We are reaching
through our activities about 900 in
dtviduals, who are being streng .hened
and uplifted and taugh, many practi-
! cal and useful lessons. such as sew
| ing, cooking. millinery. shorthand.
basketry, paper folding and cutting,
hygiene and sanitation.
DR. Grefell suggests that the only
way to reach the soul is through the
body" and that the settlement strives
to reach the neighborhood bodily,
mentally and spiritually" Through
our Bible classes a large number who
do not attend any other religious ser
vice are reached. The settlement Is
in no sense "a substitute for the church,
nor a rival but rather a feeder for
our churches. Quite n number of our
club members have professed CONVEX
sion ana united with the church this
! year.
! Absu- nifty regular volunteer work
ess- and many occasional workers
make IL possible to carry on the work.
( The attendance on the Bible classes.
/ the service for foreigners, the Home
/ makers Club for Mothers. the Camp
/ fire group, the hluebirds for junior
! girls, the Boz Scouts, the Younger
/ Boys Club, the Sunshine Club for lit
! lie children. the cooking class. the
? piano t'NSIUS, AUr llDIdtN anu FtaN
ground make it necessary TO increase
the number OF volunteer workers.
/ Our summer camp on the farm Of
/ clyde w Saunders gave two weeks
Of needed rest and recreation to TWEEN
! ~ OF our Campfire girls. most OF
whom work in factories.
Refreshing entertainments and
hikes have from time to time varied
the club programs These are often
! 30. b., 4 as4si
SUNDAY school classes. and on several
occasions the Westhampton College
girls have entertained the children.
Our Big Sister committee IL do
ing invaluable work in giving friendly
advice. aid and love TO girls who need
Over 500 visits have been paid this
year by the director. and seventy by
the ever faithful leader Of the Home
makers Club. Mrs. s r, Witt, q vol
unteer worker. In connection with the
Home makers Club there Is loan
and emergency fund. Time forbids
telling of MANY instances of relief
brought to those In distress and need.
and Of the reunion OF families torn
asunder by adversely. Medicines have
been supplied in cases of illness, and
food, clothing ana furniture furnished
where sorely needed.
II may seem that our work has
nearly doubled IN the two and half
years OF our existence. so II We are
nv any means 10 meet the present
opportunity and go forward. we must
have larger and nose adequate
building. a large current expense fund
and more regular workers,
We are happy to say that the Bap'
fist Council viii provide us with a
permanent home. and We have a COM
mittpc already al work for this.
However, the council does not fur
nish our current expense fund. so let
it be remembered that We must con-
tinue 10 meet this; and more than
than, to increase II II We are TO go
forward,
Counting on your interest and help
We bring you this report, in the name
Of Him who looks to US to visit His
friendless,to care for His sick. to be
friend HIS strangers. to comfort His
weary and oppressed, and 10 give each
Of His children a chance to make the
best of his life.
Respectfully submitted.
MAMIE WEST. Director.
CAROLINE C.. HOILApAY.
President