Chapter I: Preface

Much of the material contained in this book has been published in a series of six articles that appeared in the _Atlantic Monthly_ from March to August, 1915. And indeed it was due to the kindly insistence on the part of the editors of that magazine that more permanent form should be given to the record of the House on Henry Street that the story was published at all.

During the two decades of the existence of the Settlement there has been a significant awakening on matters of social concern, particularly those affecting the protection of children throughout society in general; and a new sense of responsibility has been aroused among men and women, but perhaps more distinctively among women, since the period coincides with their freer admission to public and professional life. The Settlement is in itself an expression of this sense of responsibility, and under its roof many divergent groups have come together to discuss measures “for the many, mindless, mass that most needs helping,” and often to assert by deed their faith in democracy. Some have found in the Settlement an opportunity for self-realization that in the more fixed and older institutions has not seemed possible.

I cannot acknowledge by name the many individuals who, by gift of money and through understanding and confidence, through work and thought and sharing of the burdens, have helped to build the House on Henry Street. These colleagues have come all through the years that have followed since the little girl led me to her rear tenement home. Though we are working together as comrades for a common cause, I cannot resist this opportunity to express my profound personal gratitude for the precious gifts that have been so abundantly given. The first friends who gave confidence and support to an unknown and unexperimented venture have remained staunch and loyal builders of the House. And the younger generation with their gifts have developed the plans of the House and have found inspiration while they have given it.

In the making of the book, much help has come from these same friends, and I should be quite overwhelmed with the debt I owe did I not feel that all of us who have worked together have worked not only for each other but for the cause of human progress; that is the beginning and should be the end of the House on Henry Street.

LILLIAN D. WALD.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I. THE EAST SIDE TWO DECADES AGO 1

II. ESTABLISHING THE NURSING SERVICE 26

III. THE NURSE AND THE COMMUNITY 44

IV. CHILDREN AND PLAY 66

V. EDUCATION AND THE CHILD 97

VI. THE HANDICAPPED CHILD 117

VII. CHILDREN WHO WORK 135

VIII. THE NATION’S CHILDREN 152

IX. ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN THE SETTLEMENT 169

X. YOUTH 189

XI. YOUTH AND TRADES UNIONS 201

XII. WEDDINGS AND SOCIAL HALLS 216

XIII. FRIENDS OF RUSSIAN FREEDOM 229

XIV. SOCIAL FORCES 249

XV. SOCIAL FORCES, _Continued_ 270

XVI. NEW AMERICANS AND OUR POLICIES 286

INDEX 313

FULL-PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE

THE HOUSE ON HENRY STREET _Frontispiece_
Etching by Abraham Phillips

LILLIAN D. WALD AND MARY M. BREWSTER IN HOSPITAL UNIFORM, 1893 6

WITH PRAYER-SHAWL AND PHYLACTERY 22
Etching by Abraham Phillips

THE NURSE IN THE TENEMENT 28

A SHORT CUT OVER THE ROOFS OF THE TENEMENTS 52

AND THEIR ECSTASY AT THE SIGHT OF A WONDERFUL DOGWOOD TREE 78

IT HAS BEEN CALLED THE “BUNKER HILL” OF PLAYGROUNDS 82

THE CHILDREN PLAY ON OUR ROOF 82

THE KINDERGARTEN CHILDREN LEARN THE REALITY OF THE THINGS THEY
SING ABOUT 90

USES OF THE BACK YARD IN ONE OF THE BRANCHES OF THE HENRY STREET
SETTLEMENT 162

HERE AND THERE ARE STILL FOUND REMINDERS OF OLD NEW YORK 170
Etching by Abraham Phillips

ESTHER 182
Drawing by Esther J. Peck

THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAYHOUSE 186
Drawing by Abraham Phillips

IN A CLUB-ROOM 192
Drawing by Abraham Phillips

AFTER THE LONG DAY 204
Drawing by Abraham Phillips

AN INCIDENT IN THE HISTORICAL PAGEANT ON HENRY STREET,
COMMEMORATING THE TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SETTLEMENT 214

THE OLDER GENERATION 218
Etching by Abraham Phillips

PRINCE KROPOTKIN 234

BABUSCHKA, LITTLE GRANDMOTHER 242

THE SYNAGOGUES ARE EVERYWHERE—IMPOSING OR SHABBY-LOOKING
BUILDINGS 254
Etching by Abraham Phillips

A MOTHER IN ISRAEL 268
Etching by Abraham Phillips

THE DRAMATIC CLUB PRESENTED “THE SHEPHERD” 272

A REGION OF OVERCROWDED HOMES 298

AT ELLIS ISLAND THERE IS A STREAM OF INFLOWING LIFE 308
Photograph by Louis Hines

THE HOUSE ON HENRY STREET