Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1920-07-17
Lack of Suitable Housing Accommo-
datfons For Catholic Girls Is
Revealed.
National Counril of Catholir Women
Works to Relieve Present
Conditions.
visitation Home and Sisters of Mercy
Care For Many Working
Girls.
SEEKING EXTENSIVE QUARTERS

A deplOrable lack of suitahla
housing accommodations for the
catholic girl compelled to seek EN-
ployment in cities where she has no
friends or relatives has been disclos-
ca py a preliminary survey of this
situation by the National Council of
catholic Women. According to the
report, fifty-five Catholic boarding
homes out of total Of eighty-nine
nave been compelled to establish
waiting lists because of. inability to
accommodate girls. The survey in
Guides reports from sixty-two of the
27l cities in the United States hav-
ing a population of more than
$4,000 and shows that 1884 girls
were being accommodated in the
eighty-nine houses.
New York State, with twenty-four
houses, heads the list. accommodat-
ing 1901 girls. Massachusetts
with nine houses, accommodates
564. Ohio has seven houses. with
accommodations for 479, and Penn
sylvania four houses with accommo-t
dations for 454 Ten of the houses
are conducted under the auspices Of
the National Council of Catholic
Women. including three in Washing
ton. Twenty-seven States and the
District of Columbia are represented
In the survey, which points out con-
clusively the necessity of Immediate
action to care for the Catholic girl
and young woman who are friend
less and homeless in large cities.
| lt has already been suggested that
chain of national community
houses. with accommodations for
working girls be established by the
council and that each house be given
a uniform name SO that a working
girl arriving in a strange city will
be able to locate 1t without diff
! Guilty, In a majority Ole large
cities, it is pointed out, ~ hotels
are crowded and, moreoveiYin these
the living costs are high. Private
families are averse to taking In girls
to room or board They are too
much trouble, ii is claimed. Men
boarders are preferred. The conse-
quence is that during the past few
years four or five girls have very
often been forced to crowd into a
small room and on occasions girls
have been compelled to go from door
to door seeking shelter and, not
finding 1t, have been compelled to
spend the night in the station. They
are frequently the victims of extor-
tlonate and thieving landlords and
landladies. These girls run grave
moral risks getting into unknown
and unrecommended houses, some
times houses of more than question:
able character.
National Catholic Welfare Council
surveys among 1921 girls and wo-
men employed in factories and stores
in st. Louis, Milwaukee, Columbus
and Detroit show that more than
IL per cent. of them are living
: away from home. In many occupa-
} tons the percentage is higher. In
1916, for example, 32 per cent. Of
the women restaurant workers In
Massachusetts, were found to be-
living away from home.
The Catholic Women's Association
OF Cincinnati already has taken a
decisive step to provide quarters for
! the working girl. Plans have been
made for a unique downtown hotel
for business women, which will in
clude club rooms for organization
} meetings, an auditorium seating
about 400, a restaurant, swimming
pool and gymnasium, as well as
: sewing and domestic science classes
and other educational work.
Here in Louisville the Visitation
Home and the Sisters of Mercy have
cared for many young women for
years past with the most satisfactory
results, until now a new and larger
home Is needed. This will be real
lied as soon as the subscriptions to
the recent drive have paid their sub
scriptions, which will enable the
good Sisters to secure a larger and
more c0mmodious building in favor
able quarters. Then Louisville will
boast of one of the finest houses In
the entire country The local fund
for this purpose has already reached
nearly $150,000 which doubtless
: will be added to when 'the new site
{, has been decided upon.