The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-09-23
MELTING POT
SWAMPED BY
FUN DEMANDS
Lack of Games to AmuSe
New Americans Hampers
Settlement Work.
AID EVICTED FAMILIES
Already Over Taxed FamiI-
les Now Must Care Also
for ShantytOWnS.

The city's melting pot" is boil
ing over with no outlet for its
amusement steam.
The pot" where the four cor
ners of the earth meet, is the
American Settlement, GIT West
Pearl street.
1t is there that hourly in the
day or night that the foreignLborn
and their children come to play
or learn how TO play American
games.
But i'll times are made worse in
the settlement by the lack Of
games for evenings of amusement
and too few books for those learn
ing the A. B. C.s of Americanism.
I've read all the books on the
shelves. Haven't you got something
/ haven't read" is the plant re-
ceived by Miss Mary Rigg, super
intendent of the settlement, from
Slovakian curlyheads and dark
haired Ruman1ans.
Serves Evicted Families
An extensive program of social
activities and play" parties for the
winter is Handicapped by the need
of artificial stimulus in more
checkerboards, more backgammon
tables, more puzzles, more books in
both foreign and English languages.
A new factor, that has increased
the need for recreational facilities,
is the addition of the evicted COM
munities of Hooverville and Cur
tisville, on the west bank of the
White river, to the settlements
patronage.
Where, in prosperity years, the
settlement was the educational and
social haven of those of foreign
birth or extraction, now it has at its
doorstep pleading for aid, amuse-
ment, and medical help the ten
ants of the timed shacks along
w IlJe river.
Bank Failure Worst Enemy
They are Americans by birth and
ancestry but in the settlement no
creed or race line divides, and so a
community fund body that has
helped newborn Americans for
years is proving itself true melt
ing pot by adding the evicted I'M
employed to it's rolls.
THE foreign-born and their fam
lilies don't form the charity lists
of the settlement. Some one in their
families has little bit of work and
sonleway, somehow they get along
without asking for charity" says
Miss Rigg.
She estimates that outside of a
dozen or so W: 'ows in the 5000 for
eigners living in the settlement dis
trlct, the rest are able to exc out an
existence without recourse to
made to- work" baskets.
One city bank failure proved to
be the settlements worst enemy"
Miss Rigg said.
Health Clinic Is Necessary
Another threat to the settlements
calm is that of adjustment of the
health clinic. The clinics doctor
was paid by another social agency
of the city. A cut in the budget of
the companion agency forced the
burden of payment for the clinical
service on to the settlement.
Our budget is around $1,000 a
year, and If we can possibly see our
way we want to include the clinics
cost in next years budget" Miss
Rigg said
But while the settlement awaits
the answer to this question, the
clinic is being continued for par
ents and children through the kind
heartedness of the attending physi-
clan.
Building Is Inadequate
The settlements building has
been totally inadequate for years.
1t has been termed "firetrap,"
'matchwood, by fire wardens.
Every possible precaution is
taken to prevent a blaze in the two
story wooden structure.
1t is estimated that the settle
ment serves a little town of ap-
proximately 1000 persons through
its nursery, educational rooms,
sewing classes, and social events,
MIRO OM IIFAI thin