Evening star., 1937-10-03
By Emma Perley Lincoln.
WELL-CONDUCTED tour Of


n the town in the company of
~ District official of the
. A Works Progress Administra-
ton revealed Just how more than l.
800 men and women-certified as
needy by local relief agencies-earn a
living for themselves and families.
This particular group Of needy men
and women works under the Division
OF Women's and Professional Projects,
administered federally by W. P. A.
Assistant Administrator Ellen S.
'Woodward-the only woman member
OF Administrator Harry L. Hopkins
staff. Under this division-which
employs throughout the country total
OF approximately 425,000 men and
women-come such w. P. A. projects
as art, theater, music. writing, nursing
and public health, housekeeping aids.
school lunch for needy children, Ii
brary extension, research and museum,
household service demonstration CEN
4, ters. sewing and number OF other
programs.
Perhaps brief review of how the
". P. A. came into being is pertinent
here. The Federal Emergency Relief
OF Congress on May IL, 1888. On
November 8, 1885, the President issued
an Executive order creating the Civil
Works Administration for the purpose
OF placing unemployed persons at work
cn socially and economically desirable
projects. Under the Civil Works
Administration, which operated until
spril /, 1884. the Federal Government
carried on work relief program.
Work projects on somewhat smaller
scale continued under the F. E. r. A.
I TNDER the Works Progress Ad-
ministration, which has been in
operation since July l, 1898, the
FEDERAL Government-which furnishes
the money for labor on community
projects-is responsible for the proper
expenditure and administration OF
these funds.
Under the w. P. A., work is provided
through projects which originate in
the communities. The projects are
sponsored by unsupported, Official
bodies OF States, counties, or towns,
and each one of them represents
, specific community need. The spon-
eors make contributions of such neces-
sites as space, heat, light, equipment,
and most of the materials. The
Works Progress Administration paws
the cost of labor.
Mrs, Woodward, who is a former
member of the Mississippi Legislature
end who also served for some time as
executive secretary of the Mississippi
State Board of Development, has
been connected with the Federal relief
program from its beginning in 1898.
She was called to Washington to head
what WAS then the Womans Division
Ct the F. E. r. A. When she first
trrived in town, a good many people
who didn't know her thought she was
Just pretty woman with an attractive
Southern voice, who wouldn't last long
on hard-boiled job. Not so however.
Che soon demonstrated forcefulness
hack Of her program that later caused
Harry l.. Hopkins to extend the scope
OF her duties to include professional
projects. Since July, 1896, she has
headed the Division of Women's and
Professional Projects, which at its
peak employed some 100000 men and
women over the country.
IN THE beginning-under the F.. E.
r. AIRS. Woodward appointed
!. woman to direct a program of work
for needy women in each of the 4s
etates. New York City and the District
o. Columbia. When Mrs Woodward
Took over the professional projects and
then assumed responsibility for the
employment of men as we'll as women,
,he nevertheless retained women di-
:ision heads in the various States.
Mrs. Mary Steele directs the projects
operating under Mrs. Woodwards
division in the District of Columbia.
With background of social service
training in settlement work in New
York, Mrs. Steele has met the multi
iude OF complexities in her job with
courage and fortitude, and with an
efficiency not traditionally associated
sith beauty and charm.
One Of the largest and most laudable
OF the many useful and interesting
projects under Mrs. Steele's direction
is that OF sewing and knitting. Several
thousand women and girls who could
not find employment elsewhere have
felt new hope in the chance given
them in this work.
A total Of 262,346 articles of wearing
apparel for needy families was pro-
duced by the sewing rooms during the
first seven months of the current year.
The gratitude Of the hundreds OF
women workers is expressed in the CO.
operation and appreciation which pre-
walls in the work rooms. The women,
all Of whom are heads of families, with
serious and pressing responsibilities.
say that in addition to the feeling of
pride and self-satisfaction that comes
from the knowledge of giving value
received for the wages paid, there are
happiness and contentment in their
work, because they know that people
like themselves are benefited from the
work done.
In this group are scores of women
unframed in practical sewing, but
whose natural aptitude and industry
eoon put them in the class of skilled
and efhcient seamstresses. Under the
supervision OF trained workers, they
embrace the opportunity offered in
the sewing rooms, located at 11l4 o
street northwest and at John Marshall
Place.
Besides clothes for boys and girls
babies and women, the sewing rooms
turn out pants and shirts for men, and
frequent special orders when the ma
terials are supplied by the organization
making the request.
Among the special orders recently
completed were cot sheets and pillow
cases for the Metropolitan Police Boys
Club, sheets for the Health Clinic,
play suits for Child Welfare, and out