After considerable looking about, two floors were engaged over a private stable on Park avenue, near

Sixty-third street. The situation proved, on the whole, to be a good one. It was quiet and clean, in a highly respectable neighborhood, and one easily accessible to the friends and patrons of the laundry.

The committee named it the "Park Avenue Laundry." They wished both the name and the appearance to have nothing institutional about it, thinking that the women would work more cheerfully in a laundry which had no suggestion of charity work about it. In

this the committee semed to be wise and quite in accordance with the spirit of the Charity Organization Society. Society. Yet the plan of keeping the laundry like a small private busi

ness did not work well in some respects. The absence of close cooperation with the other departments of the society was a mutual disadvantage.

The laundry on Park avenue was well fitted up according to the laundry science of the day. A professional was consulted and no expense was spared. No machinery was needed as the work was strictly done by hand, but many improvements

and labor saving devices were put in and not less than $3,000 was expended.

But

The district agents, especially those on the East Side were quick to recognize the value of the institution. In the early years of its existence the nearby districts supplied the lion's quota of the women. later on an effort was made, with some success, to ensure a more equal representation to the more distant districts. Of late years, and in fact since the great demand for places since the hard winter of 1893-'94, the superintendent has often had to resort to portioning out the week to different groups of women.

The idea of making the laundry primarily a training school has been adhered to more or less steadily. But this has been somewhat difficult of practice, for the laundry has always been a temptation to the district committees when they had women who badly needed employment even if they were not promising laundresses. And on the other hand the laundry superintendents have always been somewhat loth to let their best women go to make room for the raw recruits. A factory run on the principle of always discharging its workmen as soon as they became capable would be a difficult one for a superintendent to man

age cheerfully and prosperously. Yet this is what our laundry superintendent is asked to do, except that she also tries to place her women before discharging them. In this respect the custom that has grown up among the friends of the laundry of sending to it for temporary cleaners and washing women has been very helpful. In this way the women are introduced into private houses and often secure more or less permanent employment.

As a business venture the laundry was, at first, not very successful. In spite of the fact that it had quite a list of friends who yearly subscribed some three or four hundred dollars to meet deficiencies, still there occurred several crises when the committee seriously considered abandoning the enterprise.

Laterly, however, with greater economy, and better mastery of business details, the laundry has done better, and the committee have felt so satisfied that it was on a paying basis that they have made bold to strike off the subscriptions.

For a long time the committee have felt that the laundry should be moved. The rooms on Park avenue grew dingy and the "plant" became out of repair. The two floors were too small and were badly arranged for carrying on a large business. Not more than two hundred dollars' worth of work in a week could be done, and this high-water line was often reached. Not more that twenty-five women could be employed

within the space at our command, and these it was difficult to look after in the small rooms into which the The committee space was cut up.

also felt that the work should be enlarged, and more work provided for the many women needing it and whom the district agents were constantly sending to the laundry. It seemed as if a very much larger business might be carried on with but little more care on the part of the committee and with but little more

superintendence. But a good place

to which to move was hard to find. The members of the laundry committee had hunted the city over. The rents were too high or the neighborhood was too poor. Finally the Central Council offered the beautiful upper loft in the Twenty-eight street building, and after some deliberation we decided to take it. Here we gain nearly all we have been looking for, light, space, a new model equip ment, a fine drying ground, and we get it all rent free. We have fitted up the space in the most approved fashion and under the eye of an experienced architect. All the newest appliances for a model laundry have been put in. And the whole has been made clean and bright as a new pin.

Expense has not been spared and most of the little savings laid by as a sort of sinking fund have been put into our new plant.

The last objection is partly nega tived by the fact that we are on a car line, and the East Side women

the New York System of Caring for Dependent Children? Do These Reasons for the System Still Exist?" by Homer Folks, Secretary of the State Charities Aid Association, New York.

9.10 P. M.-Discussion opened by Professor Franklin H. Briggs, Superintendent of the State, Industrial School, Rochester.

9.20 P. M.-Discussion. (Speakers limited to five minutes each.)

9.40 P. M.-Paper, "What Causes are Leading to the Commitment and Surrender of Children as a Charge upon the Public by Parents or Others? Can Any of These Causes Be Removed, and if so, How?" by Dr. William O. Stillman, President of the Mohawk & Hudson River Humane Society, Albany.

10.00 P. M.-Discussion opened by Hon. John W. Keller, President of the Department of Public Charities, New York.

10.10 P. M.-Discussion. (Speakers limited to five minutes each.)

10.30 P. M.— -Miscellaneous business. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1900-MORNING

SESSION.

9 to 9.30 A. M.-General business of the conference.

9.30 A. M.-Report of the Committee on the Mentally Defective.

9.50 A. M.- Paper, "The Duty of the State Towards its Idiotic and Feeble-Minded," by Dr. John F. Fitzgerald, Superintendent of the Rome State Custodial Asylum, Rome.

IO IO A. M.- -Discussion opened by selected speaker.

10.20 A. M.-Discussion. (Speakers limited to five minutes each.)

10.40 A. M.-Paper, "How Shall We Educate the Permanent Wards of the State to Make Their Education Useful to Them and to the State?" by Dr. L. P. Clark, First Assistant Physician, Craig Colony for Epileptics, Sonyea.

11.00 A. M.-Discussion opened by selected speaker.

II. IO A. M.-Discussion. (Speakers limited to five minutes each.)

11.30 A. M.-Miscellaneous business.

AFTERNOON SESSION.

3.00 P. M.-General business of the confer

ence.

3.30 P. M.-Report of the Committee on the Treatment of the Criminal.

3.50 P. M.-Paper, "Houses of Refuge for Women; Their Management, Purposes and Possibilities," by Mrs. C. R. Lowell, Member of the Board of Managers New York State Reformatory for Women, New York.

4. 10 P. M.-Discussion opened by Professor Herbert E. Mills, President of the Board of Managers of the House of Refuge for Women.

4.20 P. M.-Discussion. (Speakers limited to five minutes each.)

4.40 P. M.-Paper, “The Prison System of the State of New York. How it Can Be

Improved," by Hon. Cornelius V. Collins, Superintendent of Prisons, Troy.

5.00 P. M.-Discussion opened by Hon. George McLaughlin, Secretary of the State Commission of Prisons, Monticello.

5.20 P. M.-Discussion. (Speakers limited to five minutes each.)

5.40 P. M.-Miscellaneous business. Adjournment.

Mr. Leonard E. Opdycke has resigned as a member and as secretary of the board of managers of the Association for Improving the Condition of the Poor, on account of the expectation of prolonged ab sence abroad. Mr. Opdycke also resigns his position as trustee of the United Charities Building.

Classified Advertisements. Advertisements under this head, two lines or more without display, 5 cents a line.

THE

HE CHARITY ORGANIZATION SOCIETY asks for further contributions to pay the rent of an old German couple, who have lived in the same house for twenty-five years. The man had one leg amputated nearly ten years ago, and the woman, now seventy-two years old, has been the bread winner until her strength gave out, and she can now only earn the food needed. There are no children or relatives. The following contributions for this purpose are gratefully acknowledged: "Anonymous" and Mrs. James Timpson, $10 each: "A. L. L." and "H. S.". $5 each; "S. S. K.", $2; "M. D. F.", $1.

ΤΗ

HE SUCCESSFUL SUPERINTENDENT FOR five years of a well-known institution, wishes a change from her present position to one yielding a larger salary. She is a widow, 40 years old, practical, educated, well-bred; conservative, yet progressive; a trained nurse, thorough housekeeper, careful manager, fine executive; and has had wide oppor tunity for observing the administration of hospitals and institutions in this country and abroad. Locality, not a consideration. Address Ŕ. E. G., care CHARITIES.

ANTED-A position as matron or managing

WA housekeeper, by a lady of long and successful

experience in large suburban institutions. Best of references. Address N. E. M., care CHARI

TIES

New York Medical College and Hospital for Women,

19 WEST 101st STREET, Between Central Park West and Manhattan Avenue,

MAINTAINS:

(1.)--The only college in the State exclusively for the education of women in medicine. Dr. M. BELLE BROWN, Dean.

(2.)-A hospital (medical and surgical) for women and children. Patients charged according to ability to pay, or free if necessary; supported by board of patients and voluntary contributions.

(3.)- Dispensary for women and children; open from 9 a. m. to 5 p. m. Women physicians only in

attendance.

(4.)-Obstetrical out department; staff of 20 women physicians attend the needy poor women in their own homes during confinement. Cards for free attendance may be obtained from the resident physician.

Mary Knox Robinson, President.