Part 2 — CHAPTER XXXIV (continued 3)

On March 20, 1911, Lady Hingston called together a number of ladies from the various English-speaking parishes and invited their cooperation in forming a Catholic Girls’ Club. The idea was enthusiastically received, a committee was promptly formed and, with Lady Hingston as president, the scheme was fairly launched. A house, 63 Victoria Street, was rented for a year and thanks to an efficient committee, was furnished and ready for occupation in an incredibly short space of time.

Early in June the rooms were formally opened by His Grace, Archbishop Bruchesi, under the name of the “Catholic Girls’ Club,” while the opening for the members took place on June 6th.

A large and successful bazaar, under the convenership of Mrs. Cornwallis Monk, was held in October, 1911, the proceeds of which enabled the committee to arrange for the purchase of the present handsome club house, 311 Mackay Street, and to make the first necessary payments.

Among other agencies for business girls may be mentioned “Ave Marie,” La Providence, Maison St. Nom de Marie, Patronage d’Youville and the business organizations under affiliation with La Fédération St. Jean Baptiste. There are many also among the non-Catholic population, the branches of the Young Women’s Christian Association, and the like.

XIII

RECENT SOCIAL MOVEMENTS

NEIGHBOURLY CHARITIES—THE KING’S DAUGHTERS—THE UNIVERSITY AND IVERLEY SETTLEMENTS—THE SETTLEMENT IDEA—SOCIAL STUDY ORGANIZATIONS—THE CANADIAN SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS.

“Neighbourly” charities in Montreal flourish in many a corner too numerous to individualize. Of late both in the French, or English and foreign sections of the city, Free Air and Summer Vacation committees, and others such as the “Holiday” Home, the various crèches and relief associations and churches, do their utmost to give rest and holidays to poor mothers and children. Other bodies assist in sewing and making garments for them such as the “Needlework Guild,” and the sewing circles of the various church clubs. Then there are associations with a wide scope which are ready to take up the social work most needed for the hour, such as the Victorian Sunshine Society, which originated at Westmount, and many others.

THE KING’S DAUGHTERS

One of the latter societies is the “King’s Daughters,” an international association founded in 1886 and established in Montreal in 1888 by the Ready Circle in connection with the American Presbyterian Church. This work is now carried on by the crèche on Côte des Neiges Road opposite the old entrance to the Mountain Park. The primary aim of the King’s Daughters is to deepen the spiritual life and to engage in social works. The crèche is one form of such and since its establishment in 1908, first at Outremont then at Côte des Neiges and now at the above place it receives poor families with their children during three months of summer for daily rest, fresh air and relaxation, even paying their transportation thither.

THE UNIVERSITY SETTLEMENT

The “settlement” or “neighbourhood” movement which culminated in the formation of the University Settlement House at 159 Dorchester Street West in May, 1910, when two of the organizing committee, Mrs. W.P. Hodges and Mrs. D. McIntosh set to work cleaning up the little tenement and founded the nucleus of a settlement round the classes of the McGill Neighbourhood Club, may be traced to an earlier move originating with social workers in connection with McGill University. The following synopsis will show in brief the progress accomplished from 1889 to 1913:

1889—The Mu Iota Society was formed by the women graduates of McGill University.

1890—Its name changed to Alumnæ Society.

May, 1891—Girls’ Club and lunch room was opened by the Alumnæ Society at 47 Jurors Street.

May, 1894—Girls’ Club was moved to 84 Bleury Street. Evening classes, etc., were held. First Christmas tree and entertainment for 100 children of the neighbourhood.

May, 1895—Dwelling over shop was rented, giving sitting room and bedrooms for working staff and four club members.

1895-96—Library opened. Addresses on settlements were given.

May, 1896—Adjoining shop rented.

1899-1900—Further addresses on settlement work, one by Dr. Graham Taylor, of Chicago Commons.

1902—Moved to east side of Bleury Street. Shop and dwelling rented.

1903—King’s Club for boys and girls was formed in fall.

May 1, 1905—Girls’ Club closed.

1905-07—King’s Club continued—Bi-weekly use of rooms in Dufferin School was made possible by courtesy of the Protestant Board of School Commissioners.

Christmas, 1906—First Christmas dinner held in rooms of Montreal Protestant House of Industry and Refuge. Eighty-two boys and girls of King’s Club were present.

1907-8—Rooms taken for the King’s Club at 308 Lagauchetière Street West.

October, 1908—Workers’ Committee formed into “The McGill University Neighbourhood Club” as part of the Alumnæ Society.

January, 1909—McGill Y.M.C.A. formally joins in the work of Neighbourhood Club.

Fall, 1909-Spring, 1910—The use of the Belmont School granted by the Protestant Board of School Commissioners.

January, 1910—Settlement Committee formed by the Alumnæ and McGill University Neighbourhood Club.

February 8, 1910—Lecture by Miss Sadie American on “Settlements,” given under the auspices of the Montreal Local Council of Women in the interests of the Neighbourhood Club. Boy Scouts organized.

May, 1910—The University Settlement of Montreal formed and recognized by the corporation of the University. House rented, 159 and 161 Dorchester Street West. The use of Dufferin School gymnasium again granted by the Protestant Board of School Commissioners. The first president was Prof. J.A. Dale of McGill University.

October, 1910—Annex of rooms at 189 Dorchester Street West, made necessary. Becomes headquarters for Scouts, library, and kindergarten.

December, 1910—First salaried headworker engaged.

January, 1911—Use of two rooms in St. John’s Parish House, Ontario Street West, given by Rev. Arthur French. Becomes headquarters of Boy Scouts. No. 189 Dorchester Street West retained for library and kindergarten.

October, 1911—Factory flat rented on Dufferin Square. Second salaried worker engaged (kindergarten).

April 3, 1912—Incorporation.

April, 1912—Property purchased on Dorchester Street West, near Dufferin Square.

August 12, 1912—Summer camp with one tent at St. Rose, Quebec.

February 13, 1913—New building opened by H.R.H. Duke of Connaught in a handsomely remodeled bottling factory at 179 Dorchester Street West.

THE IVERLEY SETTLEMENT

The Iverley Settlement followed in September, 1911, through the instrumentality of Mrs. Ivan Wotherspoon and her friends, the organizing committee meeting on June 4th preceding.

A house was taken on September 13th with the approval of Judge Archer and Mr. Eugene Lafleur, K.C., who from the first have evinced their entire sympathy with the work, and active preparations were made for its development. From the moment the Iverley was ready, children and their parents flocked in, thus showing the value even of the settlement idea as a powerful modern force for social betterment. Other settlements of a more parochial or church affiliation have since adopted the movement.

The settlement idea has been productive of imitation or a readjustment of other forms of charitable endeavours so long employed in connection with the many churches, religious and other institutions of the city.

SOCIAL STUDY

The social movements just recorded also have succeeded in bringing social students together. Cooperation between the English and French associations began about 1910 to be more frequent in social enterprises. Intercommunication by lectures and round table conferences, the interchange of literature and intercourse with expert sociologists from England, the United States and the continent, have had a very broadening effect on our sociological life. A school of social study and publication started up in the French educational circles about 1912 under the title of L’école Sociale Populaire, the English Catholics having previously, about 1911, started a Social Study Guild. In connection with the leading social organizations, a Social Study Club was also founded about 1912 for discussion among experts of problems of sociology. All these forces having influence in high civic circles, Montreal received at this period a stimulus in social reform which has been distinctly a phase of our present civic life.

XIV

MUNICIPAL CHARITIES

The action of the city as such has been partially noticed also in other social works. Its Department of Assistance Municipal, organized about 1904, dispenses the city’s charities regarding the reformatories and industrial schools; the insane, of whom in 1913 it supported 242 at St. Jean de Dieu and 98 at Verdun insane asylums; the incurables, of whom 43 were kept in 1913 at Notre Dame de Grace Hospital for Incurables and the Grey Nuns; tuberculosis patients, for whom in 1913 the sum of $14,300 was apportioned as follows:

Hôpital des Incurables$7,500.00

Royal Edward Institute3,300.00

Grace Dart Home500.00

Bruchesi Institute3,000.00

The department deports from the city for causes of misbehaviour, illness or insanity. In 1913 448 cases were deported to England, Ireland, Scotland, Jamaica, Judea, Egypt, Russia, United States, Austria, Guadeloupe, France, Italy, Normay, Germany, Australia, Switzerland, Greece and Belgium.

Two hundred destitute persons were repatriated in 1913, or fifty-eight more than in 1912.

Relief is given to homeless poor and unemployed, which was larger in 1913 owing to the economic crisis prevailing over Canada and to the fact that in the fall many immigrants flocked from the harvest fields in the West to the city, and also because there was an extraordinary influx of foreigners whose cheap labour caused the discharge of others of British origin. The number of cases dealt with in 1913 by the city apart from the ordinary regular volunteer charities, was 648 (or 105 per cent more than in 1912).

These 648 cases reported to the city department and handled by the Charity Organization Society for it, were dealt with as follows: 181 were temporarily relieved, 79 repatriated, 43 committed to the “Assistance Publique,” 10 committed to various institutions, 9 committed to the Hôtel-Dieu, 6 given with employment, 6 deported, 5 confined in the Notre-Dame Hospital, 5 referred to the Society for the Protection of Women and Children, 5 given legal advice, 5 referred to the Municipal Labor Bureau, 4 committed to the Hospital for Incurables, 4 referred to the Baron de Hirsch Institute, 4 placed in the Royal Victoria Hospital, 3 referred to the “Union Nationale Française,” 3 placed in the Protestant House of Industry, 3 placed in the General Hospital, 2 referred to the Old Brewery Mission, 2 placed in the Institution of the Grey Nuns, 2 placed in the St. Bridget’s Home, 2 referred to the Salvation Army, 2 referred to the St. Vincent de Paul Society, 1 was placed in the Bruchesi Institute, 1 placed in the Maternity, 1 referred to the Montreal Ladies’ Benevolent Society, 1 placed in the St. Henry Asylum, 1 placed in the Youville Patronage, 1 placed in the Nazareth Asylum, 1 placed in the Sheltering Home, 1 placed in the St. Benoit Asylum, 1 placed in the St. Paul Hospital, 1 referred to the Belgian Society, 165 were refused relief and 88 did not report.

The city in 1913 made grants to the charitable institutions and public bodies of Montreal to the amount of $105,996.00. The city, however, remits a great amount of the assessment of charitable institutions.

The value of the properties belonging to charitable institutions and exempted from taxation, in 1913, was $23,131,660.00.

The assessment of 1 per cent therefore represents $231,316.60.

The City of Montreal paid, in 1913, for the relief of destitute persons a sum of $497,712.35, as follows:

Remittance of assessments$231,316.60

Grants105,996.00

Maintenance of insane83,249.60

Maintenance of children in industrial schools69,450.15

Miscellaneous7,700.00

——————

Total$497,712.35

Or $53,809.94 more than in 1912.

In 1912$443,902.41

In 1911356,758.00

FOOTNOTES: