The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, July 21, 1901, Page 8

THE PRIDE OF THE SCIENCE DEPARTMENT HIS is the fourth of a series of T articles being published by The Sunday Call in the interest of charity as exemplified by those char- itable institutions of San Francisco controlled by women. These papers are written by the officials of the different organiza- tions and therefore can be relied upon as accurate in detail, Coming from such sources of au- thority they cannot fail to awaken faterest among the many readers who know, in a general way, that good work is being done, yet lack specific information as to how, where and by whom. The present interesting paper on the California Girls’ Training Homse is by Mrs. E. F. Jacobi, the secretary of that organization. Next week will appear articles by officials of three auxiliaries of the Children’s Hospital on the condition of those branches and the good they accomplish. HEN 'a man dies mortals will ask, “What property hLas he left behind him?” But the an- gels will inquire, “What good deeds hast thou sent before thee?” This thought prompted the or- ganization of the California Girls' Train- ing Home. The need of 2 home to shelter girls too young to be sent to the State Reform School and yet need of disci- pline was brought forcibly to the minds &nd hearts of some philanthropic ladies of this city by a most pitiful case which came up in one of our Police Courts, A home was started on Hill street aboug nine years ago, and our work has pros- pered exceedingly. Five years ago we found our house inadequate for the num. ber of girls, and we secured a bullding at 147 Natoma street, which has been our home since that time. But that house ip turn is rapidly becoming too crowded, ang we are working now to ralse funds 1o bulld a larger and more comfortable home. A house with forty girls, and such girls &s we have, cannot help but be interest- lng. The came to us sometimes through WHERE THE GIRLY ] the covurts, sometimes through guardians or parents who find them too wayward to be controlled; often they have nelther guardians nor parents, and so have double need of such a shelter as we offer. Some- times the Soclety for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children finds our modest home the place that they need for theiwr pro- teges. Our girls are as happy as girls can be who are deprived of thelr liberty, for we must of necessity deprive them until they can be made to see the error of their way, and inspire a Jesire for something better than they have known. Our girls must work. We are bellevers in the old proverb that Satan finds m} jef for I‘dle hands, and we know that wholesome work is good for mind and heart. So we try to teach the girls every department of house- work. Our rising hour is 5:30 a. m. Before breakfast, which is at 7 a. m., the girls must get themselves dressed and “do out” their rooms, which means sweeping and cleaning and making the bed. Each girl has her own litile room—not half as nice as we would like to make it, but it is her own, and she can make it as pretty as opportunity and desire dictate. But the rooms, and, in fzct, the whole house, must be clesn, for we believe cleanliness rext to godiiness, and girls cannot be taught to keep some other body’s house clean if they can't keep their own so. At 9 o'clock the girls assemble in the schoolroom, where the regular work of tne public school is carried on until 12 m. Some of our girls are unusually hright, and we try to help them to the education they desire. Our laundry is one of the most interest- ing places in the home. Here one head girl with five assfstants handles between 200 to 330 pieces of washing per week. Jiere they are taught how to take the various kinds of stains out of clothing, and to starch and rinse and blue and iron, and when we say that we are proud of our laundry and invite inspection it is al) that is necessary to be said. Two girls do all the cooking for the home. How many housekeepers would know how to meesure and season and plan for forty-five peopie—and things can- RECIEVE THEIR CALLERS ON STATE OCCASION§ 3 q"» ‘41!; = " THF SUNDAY CALL. e il a1 the girls are supposed to put Inte practical use what they learn in the sclence cook- ing school, for which branch of our work we owe untold thanks to Mrs. Phebe Hébrst and Dr. Charlotte Brown. Here we feel cur girls are at their best. With white aprons, caps and cuffs twelve girls present themselves in the scientific schoolroom for a cooking lesson. We have a plant complete for twelve and have a~ number of outside classes, one of which is a tralned nurses’ class from the Chil- dren’s ilcspital, taking a speclal course in invalid cooking. Besides this there is a mothers’ class, housekeepers’ class and a class of young ladies from the High School. The room is a large, sunny one and is equipped with gas stoves and desks for twelve; also a gas and a coal range. Each desk has a tray, knives, forks and spoons, a bowl, rolling pin, salt and pepper and a tiny saucepan—just the smallest things that are made, but very useful withal, A pantry just off has shelf after shelf cov- ered with twelve of every kind of cook- ing utensils necessary for the work and with provisions—spices, sugar, etc.—that are used daily. There are blackboards and charts about, and the girls learn why they do things as well as how to do them. Miss Voorhies has been the teacher in this department and has done splendid work with her pu- pils. Six girls take entire charge of the din- ing-room and the pantry. They must see that the tables are carefully set, must wash the dishes and walit on the tables. In fact, they are held entirely responsi- ble for the department, which also in- cludes the matron’s table. In the afternoon we have a sewing class. The girls are taught to baste and hem -and stitch and darn and progress slowly under able guidance until they reach the not be wasted Lere? In this department) garment class. We have six girls in that class now, who make thelr shirt walsts and underclothes. The work of the house is enforced if need be by punishment. The girls do try, and our matrons are often amused at the way the older girls make the new ones ‘“‘toe the mark.” Sometimes the girls re- bel against this discipline of work, but it Is an excellent antidote for stage- struck girls and we know we are fitting them all for useful, independent lives. ‘We always find places for girls who have no relatives to go to when they leave us, and demand they be paid wages. Reward always sweetens labor, and a girl is much more self-respecting if she can earn her own way than if she works for her board and mistress’ old clothes. We are flooded with applications for girls. It iIs slmply impossible to fill all demands, for ‘we will not let a girl go out until she has had the best training in every department that the home can give. Our home boasts a recreation room, where are books, games, etc., for we krow all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy or Mary a dull girl, so we en- courage all the healthful amusements pos- sible. Our roof is walled in and makes a place for outdoor recreation. Everybody is in bed by 8:30 p. m. and is ready to sleep soundly and well. For all there must be such careful discipline and work, the girls are not unhappy. It is a pleasure to hear them sing while at work, and we have several unusually fine voices Fimontk the girls which we hope some day i1l tell somewhere for good. Dr. Edith Wells gives her services to the home, visiting us twice a week regu- larly, and ready always to come when called. We have a doctor’s office in the bullding, which is kept in order by one of the girls who is trying to qualify Her- self for a nurse. Just at present we are enjoying a serifes of lectures which the doctor is glving on toples particularly helptul to girls. The Sabbath day is kept holy even In this place. As far as possible the girls #re takep to church, and services are con- RVB - A - DVB- DVvB, THREE MAMS INA TUB - ducted in the home. We are strictly un- denominational. Every girl is allowed to hold her own Mne of thought if she has any in religion. Different ministers and laymen come to us, and so in that way most of the churches are represented. Our home, is supported entirely by vol- untary help. We have no assistance from the State. When girls are brought by relatives we exact a small payment monthly, but most of our girls have no one particularly interested in them, so we depend almost entirely upon the gener- osity of our friends for a maintenance. Donations of any sort—household sup- plies, provisions or dry goods—are accept- able. The managers take this opportu- nity of expressing sincere gratitude to the - LEARNING Business men of the city and all friends who have so cheerfully and graciously responded to our many calls upon their generosity. Certaln mornings a matron takes two or thrce girls and goes her rounds. At different places she gets what is needed most for the proper running of the home, and it is all given with the very kindest wishes. We are constantly surprised at the free-hearted generosity of the San Franeisco public. On the fourth Thursdays the managers hold a business meeting, to which any interested person Is welcome. We ars glad to have visitors, for to see the work is to become iInterested. BLOWING OF GLASS TUBES 300 FEET LONG. MOST interesting account is givem in the Idler of the wonderful state- alded Industry at Jena, where glass and lenses are made for sclentists. The industry has been bullt up by Pro- fessor Abbe and Dr. Schott and has throughout been conducted by sclentists whose efforts have made Jena famous among scientific men the world over. One of the most picturesque features of the Jena glassworks is the great corridor where the thermometer tubes are blown and drawn. We saw this glass in process of manu- facture. A boy workman caught a bit of molten glass from the furnace on the end of a blow-pipe. It was hardly larger than a walnut, but, by twirling and blowing and melding it, it grew to the size of an orangé, with the shape of an acorn. Mors glass was then added, and there was more rolling and blowing, and when the proper stage was reached the blow-pipe was passed quickly to the brawny master ‘workman. He, in his turn, added glass, blowing from time to time with cheeks outpuffed untll it seemed as though they must burst, and then rolling the great ball of glass on his iron kneading board until ft looked like a huge yellow gourd. Faster and faster he worked, keeping the ball always symmetrical and yet white hot. At length he lifted the glowing mass quickly in the air and a second workman attached his blow-pipe at the bottom. Then the two men ran In opposite direc- tions, twirling the pipes and blowing Justily from time to time. From a thick, portly vellow globe the glass thinned out quickly as the men ran apart, until fe became a dull red tube not larger than a man's little finger and nearly 300 feee long. Sometimes in blowing these tubes one of the blowers would not only run the lensth of the corridor, but far outside on the hill A Yonkers, N. Y., physfcian writes to the London Lancet that he has had most satisfactory results In many cases of diph- theria by administering anti-toxin by the mouth.