USA > Ohio > Cuyahoga County > Cleveland > Official report of the centennial celebration of the founding of the city of Cleveland and the settlement of the Western Reserve > Part 16
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40
A few days ago the Prince of Wales, as regent, opened a new college in Wales. In the dedicatory exercises he announced "that this college shall be opened to men and women alike. All the privileges granted to one shall be granted to the other, and both men and women shall be found upon its executive board." To emphasize his state. ment he conferred two honorary degrees, one of Doctor of Music upon the Princess of
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Wales, the other, Doctor of Laws, upon Mr. Gladstone. I doubt if the Prince of Wales knew that the liberality of the new college was the culmination of the movement be- gun upon the Western Reserve. It is said that "Westward the star of empire makes its way." In this event we have proof that the empire of thought may move eastward.
Mrs. President, I know that vamn glorying is foolish, but it is not foolish to count one's mercies, and he who is born upon the Western Reserve, educated upon the Western Reserve, and is so fortunate as to find his life's work upon the Western Reserve, may rightfully feel that heaven smiles upon him and that the lines have fallen to him in pleasant places.
At 10 o'clock a number of brief papers under the general head of " Philanthropy " were read, Mrs. D. P. Eells presiding. The first of these was by Mrs. F. A. Arter, on the Young Women's Christian Asso- ciation. She spoke of the separate work of all the institutions under the control of the parent organization, and outlined in brief the history of the organization, from the time of its inception as the Women's Christian Association past the comparatively recent date at which the organization separated into the Young Women's Christian Association and the Day Nursery and Free Kindergarten Association, to the pres- ent. The work of the Retreat, the Eliza Jennings Home, the Boarding Home, and the Home for Aged Women, as well as the work at the head- quarters of the organization and about the city, was fully set forth. Mrs. Arter, in conclusion, expressed the hope that .the work of the noble pioneer women might be well carried on by their successors.
Mrs. Arter said the Boarding Home was es- tablished in 1869, the Home for Aged Women in 1876, the Eliza Jennings Home in 1887, and the Retreat in 1872. In the last named institution 1,500 young women were known to have been con- verted and saved. Miss Sarah Fitch wanted an MRS. GERTRUDE V. R. WICKHAM. endowment for the institution, and as the outcome of this wish on her part, the money for the Fitch memorial was being solicited and was partly raised. In 1882 the Women's Christian Association received the Day Nursery and Kindergarten Asso- ciation and in 1886 the Educational and Industrial Union. In 1893 the Day Nursery and Kindergarten Association went into a separate or- ganization, and the Educational and Industrial Union formed a closer connection with the parent organization as the Young Women's Chris- tian Association. The report spoke of the good quarters now occupied by the association, recounted the fact that the association employed a · woman with a badge to visit depots and direct arriving young women to respectable lodgings. Mrs. Arter spoke also of the classes in book- keeping, music, French, German, and cooking. The visitor of the asso- ciation made in one year 196 visits, by which she reached 2, 386 young women, inviting them to the classes and entertainments of the institu- tion. The association has a library of 500 volumes, and reading rooms; gives a lunch to business women, and maintains an employment bureau and business agency. It has an enrolled membership of 1, 100.
Mrs. L. A. Russell presented a sketch of the Circle of Mercy, as follows:
The Circle of Mercy is one of the youngest organizations represented here to-day. In February, 1892, it began its work with five members. In June of that year its mem-
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bership had increased to forty, when a constitution was adopted, a board of managers and officers elected, and the society put in full working order.
In 1894, convinced that we were firmly established, we became incorporated under the laws of the State of Ohio. To-day we have an active membership of 170 and 20 honorary members. The group of Catholic women who organized the Circle knew full well that Cleveland stood foremost among her sister cities in the care of her poor. The orphan asylums, rescue homes, hospitals, institutions for the care of youth, age and babyhood spoke for themselves. Yet visits to these institutions brought out clear- ly the fact that there was much of the Master's work yet to be done, which could only be wrought by the touch of woman's hand.
The charity patients, the victims of fever, of the accidents in machine shop or railroad, the sick woman brought from a home not deserving the name, all came with insufficient clothing for the period of illness. To supply this want was a problem of difficult solution by the good sisters and matrons of these institutions. This, then, was the primary object of the Circle of Mercy. To supplement the good work already being done by our handiwork; to supply the sick poor in hospitals with the garments necessary during illness; to seek out the sick mother in her cheerless home, procure for her the clean, fresh bed linen, new night robes and underwear, nourishing food, delicacies and medicines which she could not afford, and so brighten if not. perhaps, call back the life that might be sinking for lack of these. Our work is modeled after the lesson taught in the parable of the Good Samaritan, and is strictly non-sectarian.
The past year 1, 503 garments have been made in our rooms, and with those do- nated we gave out nearly three thousand. We assisted 168 families with clothing, food, medicines and delicacies. We furnished to hospitals 985 pounds of food, fruit and jellies, besides the supply of sheets, pillow slips, night robes, bed comforts and bandages, and, in some cases, money for the purchase of these. We also extended our charity to rescue homes and orphan asylums. We sent donations to the following in- stitutions: St. Alexis' Hospital, Apostolate of St. Francis, Cleveland General Hospital, St. John's Hospital, St. Clair Hospital, Newsboys' Home, Maternity Home, Fresh Air Camp, St. Joseph's Orphanage, Home for Friendless Girls, Home of the Good Shepherd, Huron Street Hospital, Lakeside Hospital, Home for the Aged. Association of Day Nurseries, St. Mary's Boarding Home, St. Ann's Infant Asylum.
Our three hospitals, St. Vincent's, St. John's and St. Alexis', annually care for over 2,000 patients free of charge.
Our country and city have many noble women whose names are held in loving memory. Martha Washington, Grandma Garfield, Lucy Webb Hayes, and our own Mary Brayton, are notable examples of these. Those who visit their resting places can but feel the world is better for the lives they have lived and the work they have done. There are other heroines who spend a whole life in works of charity and philan- thropy, who never appear in public to speak for themselves; to them also a debt of gratitude is due, though they be but examples of the "awful beauty of self-sacrifice" and sleep in nameless graves - the humble Sisters of Charity, they, too, are heroines of the Western Reserve.
It is a matter of satisfaction and pardonable pride to our members that our efforts have been so thoroughly appreciated by the generous pubhe in patronizing our enter- tainments, by those who spend their lives nursing the unfortunate, and by the least of those to whom comfort is given.
The Circle of Mercy is one of the least of the Catholic charities, and only supple- mentary to them, but is more widely known because of its purely secular character, and because its members are from all parts of the city. There are ladies and societies in many parishes who assist their own poor, sewing societies who work for the poor and for hospitals, young ladies' sodalities, with a membership of 3,000, who assist in organizing socials and fairs for the benefit of the orphan asylums, St. Ann's societies of Christian mothers, with a membership of 2,000, who do charitable work among themselves and in their respective parishes.
There are also benevolent, beneficial and temperance societies which have literary features and sewing classes connected with them, whose total membership is 1, 800.
Twelve thousand is an approximate number of Catholic women in ordinary life who are organized for philanthropie work. This is gathered from reports not recent. Access to later statistics might augment the number considerably.
There are under Cathohe auspices a number of institutions conducted by our sis- terhoods, notably among them the orphan asylums, which at present have 700 orphans the Refuge Home of the Good Shepherd, with 219 inmates, where 1.459 guls have been sheltered and taught useful avocations since its beginning some twenty-five years ago; a Protectory for Girls with zo pupils; and St. Ann's Infant Asylum, with two babies
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to tend. There have been born or received into this shelter 1,008 little ones since its establishment, in 1871.
There is a Home for the Aged, with 200 old people living happily under its hospi- table roof. One thousand and eighty have had its benefits in the past.
Mrs. M. B. Schwab presented the work of the National Council of Jewish Women. She said:
When I look upon this sea of upturned faces, it seems to me that this assemblage is a tribute to the nineteenth century advancement of women. May there be no limit to that advancement. At the World's Fair at Chicago, the women were invited to hold councils and congresses, as well as the men. The Jewish women came forward, timid- ly at first, having worked quietly and in the background for a long while, but were pleased to ascertain that they were well to the front in what they had been doing. There they formed the National Council of Jewish Women for the doing of good and for mutual improvement in the study of literature, history and science. We stand to- day with linked hands from ocean to ocean, a bulwark against prejudice from within, and often from without.
In Cleveland we are not quite two years old, but we have a home of our own and a membership of 400, with 100 more waiting to en- ter in the autumn. We are teaching our little girls to be home-makers. We care for our sick, and we are having our classes and our sewing societies. We do a char- itable work, and where the invalid in the family is its bread-winner we give substantial assist- ance to the family. We have our Young Girls' Friendly Club, number- ing 86 members. Our hobby is self-giving, that giving of love and sym- pathy to humanity. As the sun, which sheds its radiance upon sea and shore, does not dim its own luster, so she who gives her sympathy and love to the unfortunate CROWD DISPERSING ON EUCLID AVENUE, WHEREMEN'S DRIV. does not rob herself, but doubly enriches the one whom she visits, and upon whom she sheds the radiance of her helpfulness and love.
A sketch of the Dorcas Society was to have been presented by Mrs. E. J. Blandin, but unfortunately she was unable to be present. The following is a brief outline of her paper, furnished for this book :
The Dorcas Society is now (1896) in its thirtieth year. Founded in 1867 by Mrs. J. A. Harris, it has grown from a society of 20 to a membership of 300. In 1885, the so- ciety was incorporated and founded the Invalids' Home, which is now located at 600 East Madison avenue. The Home was purchased entirely from money raised by sub- scription from the generous citizens of Cleveland, and is, in this Centenmal year, en- tirely free from debt. The expense of running the Home is about $300 per month, and through the efforts of the ladies of the Dorcas Society, and help from generous friends, this sum has always been forthcoming. The Home shelters 35 inmates - incurable in- valids. These people have once been self-sustaining, but illness has overtaken them, and there is no one belonging to them to help them. Some are helpless, crippled and in pain, others old and stricken with blindness. It is the aim of the society to make these helpless ones committed to their care as contented and happy as possible. The society is under the jurisdiction of three fiscal trustees and a board of managers. At
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the present time the officers are as follows: President, Mrs. E. J. Blandin; secretary, Mrs. M. J. Caton; treasurer, Mrs. G. J. Jones; vice presidents, Mrs. W. J. Akers, Mrs. A. B. Foster, Mrs. H. P. McIntosh. Fiscal trustees: H. R. Groff, W. J. White, H. P. McIntosh. Board of managers: Mrs. E. J. Blandin, Mrs. M. J. Caton, Mrs. G. J. Jones, Mrs. W. J. Akers, Mrs. A. B. Foster, Mrs. H. P. McIntosh, Mrs. E. B. Esty, Mrs. E. A. Stockwell, Mrs. J. S. White, Mrs. J. M. Richards, Mrs. Horace Ford, Mrs. L. A. Benton, Mrs. F. W. Widlar, Mrs. J. E. Lewis, Mrs. J. T. Hunt.
"The Woman's Christian Temperance Union of Cleveland " was discussed by Mrs. Ellen J. Phinney, as follows, particular attention be- ing paid to the work of the Central Friendly Inn :
This society covers a somewhat different field than any other. Its history, extend- ing over a period of twenty-two years, is an epic of stirring power. It was born in the religious fervor of the crusade, that strange upheaval of moral forces that broke the incrustations of society, burned away barriers that separated classes needing help from those having power to help, and taught all that whatever differences might exist, we were all either directly or indirectly common sufferers from the curse of intemper- ance. Encouraged and led by the Women's Christian Association to organize for per- manent work, this society started with an impetus that still fires the hearts of many with unfaltering courage and undying zeal. The work from the first has been an evolution, no one being able to discern what its development would be. The idea of dissuading rum-sellers from dealing out drinks so long as they were permitted by law to sell almost without restriction was soon abandoned, though not without many not- able instances of saloon-keepers listening to the voice of conscience, and turning away from this body and soul-destroying business to honest vocations.
But neither the effort to stop the sale on one hand, nor the use on the other by in- ducing men, women and children to sign the total abstinence pledge, afforded a satis- factory solution of the problem. The very marked religious character of the work led to the establishment of three Inns-two of which were soon abandoned-where the un- churched masses were reached by religious influences, and the social needs of the poor in some degree met.
Through mothers' meetings, many lowly mothers were taught to perform their du- ties with greater fidelity, and by patience, cleanliness, and thrift to lessen the tempta- tion appealing to their own household.
Reading rooms sprang up, affording pleasant quarters and wholesome influences for hundreds of neglected boys. The visitation of homes revealed the fact that igno- rance was the prolific source of much profligacy and vice; that foul air and unwhole- some food are in no small degree responsible for the drink crave; that lack of skill prevents the glow of satisfaction that follows the performance of any task well done. Many mothers could not teach their daughters housewifely arts, having never acquired them, themselves, and the daughters growing up in squalor and wretchedness were like- ly, in due time; to become equally miserable wives and mothers. To remedy such condi- tions industrial classes were formed. 1. Sewing schools, where girls are taught to make and mend all sorts of garments, cleanliness and comeliness being emphasized as cardinal virtues, and scripture texts and temperance truths being liberally sandwiched in. 2. Kitchen garden classes for domestic training, in which everything pertaining to good housekeeping is thoroughly taught. 3. Cooking schools under thoroughly compe- tent instructors, where even little girls ten to twelve years of age learn what foods are most nutritious, and how to prepare them, not infrequently becoming the bread makers and chief cooks in their own homes, where radical changes are brought about through their agency, reaching even the contents of the dinner pail, where many a man's crav- ing for stimulants begins. All these lines of work, together with the carpenter shop for boys, followed in quick succession at the Central Friendly Inn in the Haymarket district.
Through the liberality of Cleveland citizens, a new building was provided less than nine years ago, affording better facilities for all such work and for additional de- partments that became necessary as the work progressed. Such has been the development that the Inn has really outgrown its present quarters, twice as many dormitories being needed to supply the demand for men's lodgings, clean and com- fortable, at a nommal price, and the Margaret Club finding more room indispensable for some of its activities. Besides the open air meetings and the regular chapel serv- ices, a most interesting Italian work is now in progress, consisting of a morning school attended by seventy children and an evening school for men who want to learn rudimentary branches.
Boys' Brigades have been a means of developing that which is best in hundreds
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of boys. The military drill cultivates prompt obedience to rightful authority, a re- spectful and courteous demeanor, and an alertness of mind and muscle that is of great value. Our boys take the triple pledge and keep it with rigid fidelity. Substitute Bohemian for Italian work, and we have mentioned the principal activities at Wood- land Avenue Reading Room; add boys' library clubs, and we have more nearly out- lined the work here and at Willson Avenue Reading Room, save at the latter there is no work for older girls under present limitations. Central Friendly Inn has been a pioneer in this unique combination of industrial, educational and spiritual endeavor, and the success resulting has stimulated the institutional church idea now setting so many new forces in motion under church direction.
The germ of the Training Home for Friendless Girls was the "Open Door," though, since the establishment of similar institutions, it confines its efforts mainly to preventive work, taking girls who are in imminent peril, surrounding them with the best of home influences and training them for honest self-support. The "Lakeside Outing" for working girls can only be mentioned, as also the Fresh Air Camp for care- worn mothers, the latter enlisting the co-operation of many organizations outside of Cleveland. This Union has expended in the twenty years of its existence $176,932.55, not including $53,000 invested in Central Friendly Inn. Much of the Union's success has been due to its noble leaders, the first, Miss Sarah Fitch of revered memory, first and only president of the Women's Christian Association for twenty-five years, until "called up higher." When she found the superadded work of this organization too arduous, she laid it down and was succeeded, after three years filled by Mrs. S. W. Duncan and Mrs. M. C. Worthington, by Mrs. Anna S. Prather, whose genial friendliness, ready sympathy, and ability to inspire others with a faith in the Union's enterprises that prompted generous gifts for their furtherance, meant very much for many years of our history.
She was succeeded by Miss Mary E. Ingersoll, universally loved and respected, whose cool, clear judgment, practical wisdom and unswerving fidelity to duty, emi- nently qualified her to guide the interests of this organization, setting Mrs. Prather free to develop the work made possible by Mr. Doan's gift of Music Hall for educa- tional and philanthropic purposes. By the side of these honored leaders, till a few months ago, stood Miss F. Jennie Duty, in whose fertile brain originated many of the plans most fruitful in blessed results. She was a rare worker whose place will long be vacant.
From the beginning this organization has been non-partisan and non-sectarian. It has held that the people differ so honestly, conscientiously, and intensely, in refer- ence to governmental, financial and economic questions, that they cannot be driven or coaxed into any one party, any more than into one denomination; nor would it be best if they could. Interests so vital should not be imperilled by party antagonisms nor go down in party defeats. If, as Miss Willard now says, "parties are of no more value than so many tin cans," how much greater the folly of allying our temperance organizations to any party whatsoever. We rejoice that the position taken by this Union at the beginning, adherence to which caused its separation from the first State and National W. C. T. U., is fully vindicated in the light of recent events, even "our enemies being judges."
The Woman's Christian Temperance Union of Cleveland owes a debt of gratitude to a host of generous, true-hearted men and women of all parties, who have made its work possible during all these years. Their continued help in multiplying safeguards about the tried and tempted; their encouragement in reaching out to those most likely to become a menace to society or to drift into the criminal classes; their gener- ous aid in pushing the industrial, educational and religious phases of our work will make the greater Cleveland for which we hope and plan, the better Cleveland for which we pray and labor.
" Cleveland W. C. T. U." was the topic assigned to Mrs. Sarah M. Perkins. She discussed the relation of this organization to reform work and city charities, in the main, speaking as follows:
When we remember the Master's directions about doing alms secretly that we may be rewarded openly, we think that things have got twisted about a little when we tefl our good deeds openly and get no reward whatever. But no woman with the love of Christ permeating her heart ever gives in charity expecting a reward. She does not even expect gratitude. If she depended on that sentiment for inspiration, she had long ago fainted by the way. But as temperance workers, total abstainers, with eyes divinely illumined, we see want and crime and misery all about us caused by the
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drink curse. We hasten to and fro on errands of mercy, caring for little barefooted children and discouraged, broken-hearted mothers. We go to prisons, workhouses and infirmaries and tell the shut-in ones the sweet story of the cross, of Him who came to save the lost and is not willing that any should perish. Our jail services in this city have been kept up for nearly ten years on each consecutive Sabbath day, and our faithful Mary A. Doty, who conducts these services, says that she has no fears of the weather; her hearers will be sure to be in their places, rain or shine. You all say that this work is most womanly; it is Christian, it is ladylike. But some of us are not blind, we see causes for all these evils, and we ask why do men with the ballot in their hands, American citizens, equal in power to the old Roman who exclaimed, "To be a Roman is to be a King"- why do they allow two thousand saloons to exist in our city and never lift a hand or a voice for their removal? Why do they take a revenue from the miseries and the vices of the people? Why do they seek to regulate the curse by voting it into the next ward, or by taking a saloon up from our side of the street and putting it down on the other side? Our politicians would put their hands into the hottest fire and burn them off before they would say one word against the saloon curse. Why? They had rather lose their hands than their heads-their official heads, I mean. They dare not offend their constituency. Then do not blame us when we say that when we give a man a loaf of bread, we do not want another person to give him a glass of beer. Remove the beer and the man could earn his bread. There must be something radically wrong in our country when a man boasts that he has eighty millions of dollars, and he can stand on his palace steps and see ten thousand home- less, hungry tramps go marching by.
It hurts a man's self-respect to receive charity. He should not receive it if it can be avoided. Therefore I plead to-day for the thousands of neglected, abused children who are growing up in ignorance and degradation, and say emphatically, remove the saloon, that these children may have a chance for education and self-respect. I plead for the poor, discouraged mothers, bending wearily over the wash-tubs, with shoul- ders blackened by blows, and tears falling from dim eyes, and say, remove the saloons, that these mothers may remain at home and properly train their children. These mothers cannot speak for themselves; they are not here to-day; therefore ever in our Centennial Celebration we should remember our duty to these neglected ones and seek to improve their condition. When we cry, "Is not this great Babylon that I have built? Is not this great Cleveland that we have built?" let us discuss the hand- writing on the wall, "Weighed in the balance and found wanting." Then when an- other centennial is celebrated in our city, may there be no traps to beguile men to destruction; may the Golden Rule be the rule of every person, and all be working hopefully, remembering that what ought to be, will be, in God's own good time.
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