Minneapolis spokesman. [volume], October 19, 1934, Image 4

About Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000

Image provided by: Minnesota Historical Society; Saint Paul, MN

                
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Page 4
The new p>
dent’s office, libr
of five rooms,
kitchen, playroom
are located the w
club room, three
laundry, and e
sewing room,
second floor ai
transient, men’
dents’ kitchen,
sients.
When the
the building:
I
The youth study made many years ago by the Women’s
Co-operative Alliance suggested to its president, Mrs. Rob
bins Gilman, the need of a boarding home for Negro girls.
A more intensive survey, conducted by Mrs. Joseph D.
Bryan, under the direction of Mrs. Gilman, disclosed the
fact that the real need was a meeting place where Negro
boys and girls could have an opportunity for wholesome
supervised recreation. From this beginning there developed
the idea of a settlement for Negroes. Mrs. Gilman turned,
naturally, to the Woman’s Christian Association to under
take the new project. This appeal met with immediate
response from the Association; Mrs. James Paige, its presi
dent, presented to the Council of Social Agencies the need
of a Negro settlement and an appropriation was granted to
carry out the project. The location chosen for the settle
ment was the old Talmud Torah school building at 808 Bas
sett Place.
The Board of Directors of the new’ settlement house
chose as Head Resident, W. Gertrude Brown, executive sec
retary of thfc Federation of Social Service for Negroes in
Dayton, Ohio. The arrival.of the Head Resident coincided
with the official opening of the House on October seven
teenth, 1924. In addition to Miss Browm, the staff consisted
of an office secretary and a part time boys’ worker.
The name, “Phyllis Wheatley,” was chosen for the
House in memory of a little African girl brought to Amer
ica on a slave ship. This little emaciated, eight year old
girl, whom no one wanted to buy, because she w’as too weak
to do hard work, was finally sold on the auction block in
Boston to Mr. and Mrs. John Wheatley, for three bundles of
tobacco. Phyllis was appointed special maid to the Wheat
leys’ little daughter, who was only three years Phyllis’
senior. The little mistress grew much interested in Phyllis
and with her parents’ consent taught her to read and write.
With Phyllis’ natural ability and retentive mind, she had
mastered four languages at the age of nineteen, and at
twenty-one she began to w r rite verse. In 1773 her first book
of poems w T as published. Because of her Christian char
acter, her faithfulness, her determination to take advan
tage of opportunities, it seemed quite fitting to call the new
house “Phyllis Wheatley,” in the hope that the people who
came within its walls would catch the inspiration of her
life.
Phyllis Wheatley House is wholly supported by the
Community Fund, governed by a Board of Directors, with
the assistance of the Phyllis Wheatley House Auxiliary.
Special committees of the Auxiliary are responsible for
house membership and assist with the house programs and
activities.
On the sixteenth day of March, 1934, articles of incor
poration were filed under the name of Phyllis Wheatley
Settlement House Incorporated.
The facilities of the House were soon outgrown. In
1928 a special committee from the Boards of Phyllis Wheat
ley House and the Woman’s Christian Association was
appointed to launch a building fund campaign, with Mrs.
James Paige as chairman, and Mrs. Hugh N. McDonald as
chairman of the building committee. $94,000 was raised
for the new Phyllis Wheatley House. The initial gift,
SIO,OOO, was made by the late Mrs. Mary T. Welcome. The
second gift, $500.00, came from Miss Susan Kingman. Each
of Mrs. Welcome’s sisters, Mrs. Frances M. Cressy, the
Misses Laura A. and Clara L. Taylor. $5,000 and their
brother, Mr. George R. Taylor, SSOO. The Woman’s Chris
tian Association gave SIO,OOO. The late Mrs. H. G. Harri
son gave a dollar for every dollar given by Negroes, the sum
amounting to $3,874.41. A long list of friends added to
these initial gifts.
The old building was wrecked in April, 1929, and the
cornerstone of the new building at 809 Aldrich Avenue
North was laid on Sunday afternoon, July fourteenth, at
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four o’clock. Miss Alice Webb, then president of the Wom-
Association, officiated at the ceremonies.
lant consists of main office, the head resi
ary, directors’ room, and the nursery, a unit
kindergarten and dining room combined,
sleeping room and bath. In the basement
ommunity kitchen, girls’ club room, boys’
dressing rooms for boys, three for girls,
jparate showers for boys and girls. On the
boys’ athletic director’s room, girls’ athletic
*e located eighteen bedrooms, resident and
s club room, dental and baby clinics, resi
dining room and parlor, and parlor for tran-
House was completed many friends furnished
The Board of Directors of Mabeth Paige Hall,
Phyllis Wheatley House
1924
Phyllis Wheatley Settlement House
the parlor; the Board of Directors of the Central Club, the
assembly hall; Miss Frances W. Janney and Mrs. Charles
M. Case, men’s club room; Business Women's Clubs of the
Y. W. C. A., seven bedrooms; Big Sisters, two bedrooms;
Minneapolis Children’s Relief Association, two bedrooms;
the Misses Laura A. and Clara L. Taylor and Mi; George R.
Taylor, in memory of their sister, Mrs. Mary T. Welcome,
the nursery and kindergarten; Mrs. H. G. Harrison, the
library; Woman’s Auxiliary, Minneapolis District Dental
Society, dental clinic; Mr. C. C. Webber, landscaping of the
grounds. In addition to these furnishings numerous in
dividual gifts were received.
Phyllis Wheatley House numbers among its treasures
a first edition of the poems of Phyllis Wheatley, published
in London in 1773. This book was a gift to the House by
Mr. Edward C. Gale.
Among the newer possessions is a grand piano, the
gift of Mr, James Ford Bell. This instrument is the means
already of better music for the Settlement. A trophy and
display case given by Mrs. Margaret Kendrick Blodgett in
memory of the late Mrs. Marjorie Helen Paulson, a former
member of the Board, affords an excellent opportunity to
exhibit trophies and craft work.
This present modern building was dedicated on October
seventeeith, 1929, just five years after the establishment
of the work.
The music department, through its various groups, the
Glee Club, Community Chorus, quartets, and orchestra, has
been our best means of advertising, these organizations
having served as our “good-will messengers” to many inter
racial groups. The Glee Club is noted for its annual Vesper
services and its carol singing tours throughout the city and
Lake Minnetonka district on Christmas Eve. The Music
Department, during the first five years, with the support
chorus of a hundred voices, under the direction of George
of the Board and the Auxiliary, presented a Twin City
L. Johnson of the National Recreational and Playground
Association of America, and an artist’s recital by Marian
Anderson, contralto of international reputation.
Athletics, in season, have played a big part in the
recreational program, as well as have hikes, swimming,
skating, tennis, group games, and dancing.
Regularly scheduled classes are offered in sewing and
textiles, foods, millinery, needle art, public speaking, craft,
Negro literature, dancing, painting, poster-making, clay
modeling, and manual training. Citizenship and civics are
taught through the medium of a carefully developed Minne
apolis Sunday Forum program.
The Phyllis Wheatley Players is the oldest dramatic
group in the House and has presented several excellent
plays. Among these are “The Mystery of the Seven
Gables,” “The Unexpected Debut,” “Between Trains,” and
“The Affair at the Sea-Gull.”
The two newer dramatic groups have presented several
Negro plays, including “Plumes,” “Dreamy Kid” and a
pageant, “The Light of the Women,” depicting the develop
ment of the Negro race.
The nursery, which was made possible through con
tributions of the relatives of the late Mrs. Mary T. Wel
come, provides a real service to the working mother, the
over-crowded home, and to the child who needs special
training in good habit-forming. The nursery, open at 7:30
A. M., conducts the following program: Supervised play,
The Kindergarten and Nursery Mothers’ Club has been
the backbone of this department. This Club meets every
Tuesday afternoon. Speakers are invited to address the
Club on subjects relating to parental training. Each year
this Club has helped to finance the summer camp,
lunch at 11:30, bath at 12:30, rest period 1:00 to 3:30, lunch
at 4:00, and return to homes at 5:30. These services are
rendered for the payment of a very small daily fee.
The regular pre-school kindergarten program is con
ducted from 9:00 A. M. until 11:00 A. M. without charge to
the parents of the participating children.
An honest attempt has been made to secure jobs for
men and women. During these years of depression the Em
ployment Bureau has been unable to make many placements,
but has performed a valuable service in the promotion of
projects to maintain the morale of the persons enrolled.
The Library, also, came into existence with the new
building. It has nine hundred and ten volumes, with thirty
weekly and monthly magazines and papers. This library is
fast becoming a reference library on the Negro.
TRANSIENT QUARTERS
Rooms for the use of transients have filled a big need.
Here one finds comfortable quarters at a reasonable rate.
The House has been honored with many students and dis
tinguished guests. Among them have been Mr. Richard B.
Harrison, “De Lawd” in “Green Pastures”; Roland Hayes,
the great tenor; Ethel Waters of “Rhapsody in Black”;
Frank Wilson of “Porgy”; Dr. W. E. B. Dubois, editor of
the “Crisis”; Mr. T. Arnold Hill, acting secretary of the
National Urban League; Miss Jane Hunter, Executive Sec
retary of Phyllis Wheatley Association; Mrs. Mary M.
Bethune, president of the Bethune-Cookman School; Mr. A.
Philip Randolph, National Organizer, Brotherhood of Sleep
ing Car Porters, and many others.
Bi-monthly Infant Welfare Clinic, under the Com
munity Health Service weekly dental clinic and bi-monthly
chest clinic are conducted for the community. The fees for
this service, if any, are very small.
MINNEAPOLIS SPOKESMAN
The following program has been developed:
MUSIC
NURSERY AND KINDERGARTEN
—
RECREATION
EDUCATION
DRAMATICS
EMPLOYMENT
LIBRARY
CLINICS
For the first time, Phyllis Wheatley had a real camp in
the summer of 1932. This was made possible largely
through the loan of Wells Memorial Camp at Big Lake. The
financing was effected through private contributions. Dur
ing the three seasons four hundred eighty-one children have
enjoyed a week’s outing each summer.
This club, one of the oldest in the house, has, through
its programs, financed many projects for the house, includ
ing the redecorating of the community kitchen and the gift
of a kitchen electric clock.
The Auxiliary, which meets the second Tuesday in
every month, presents interesting programs and assists
with the annual Twin City Negro Health Week Observance,
the Community Fund Drive and many other community
activities.
ASSOCIATIONS AND GROUPS
The Twin City Federation of Colored Women’s Clubs;
National Association for the Advancement of Colored Peo
ple ; American Legion; Pullman Porters’ Organization and
its Auxiliary, the Minneapolis Sunday Forum, two church
congregations and many church societies are included
among those who enjoy the privilege of the house.
Phyllis Wheatley House, commonly known as the
“Heart Center of Bassett Place,” has been helped greatly in
the Children’s Four o’Clock Hour by members of the North
High Girls’ Service Club. The Adult Educational Depart
ment, Board of Education, of which Miss Katherine Kohler
is director, has furnished leadership for many classes. The
aggregate attendance at the House for the ten years has
been 562,869.
The Settlement has been the scene of many new activi
ties during the fall and winter of 1933 and spring of 1934.
The National Recovery program made possible the P. W. A.,
C. W. A., and F. E. R. A. The neighborhood survey upon
which was based the request for a Federal Housing program
for the Sumner Field district was conducted under C. W. A.
Sewing units worked in the House, recreational workers,
and dramatic instructors were given employment there. The
first Negro nurse was placed in the University Hospital; the
first Negro bookbinder was engaged by the Minneapolis
Public Library; the first Negro file clerk was employed by
the General Hospital. It is hoped that this will be an open
ing wedge for the permanent placement of trained Negroes
in these fields.
The settlement is a center in which the workers and
the community have found the infinite value of knowing one
another, of working together, of living together with a com
mon aim. May the next few years find the Negro prepared
to take his just place in the community and may the Com
munity in turn be prepared to give him his true citizen’s
privilege to work, to play and to live.
CLASSIFIED ADV.
RATES: Three cents per word with a
minimum of 30c per insertion. Terms:
Payable strictly in advance.
FOR RENT BY
C. E. RUCKER & CO.
902 Sixth Avenue North
HYland 9746
Seven-room Modern House in
excellent neighborhood, South.
Four rooms, SIO.OO, South. Sev
eral apartments, South. Six
rooms, Modern, North. Four rooms,
Ist floor, North. Furnished house,
North.
Upper duplex for rent, 2915 Gar
field avenue.
Modern room, private bath, for
rent, reasonable. Call D. J. Thor
son, DUpont 8322. 10-6-34.
ST. PAUL CLASSIFIED
Elks’ Rest hall for rent, enter
tainments, card parties, etc., at
reasonable price. Call CEdar 3190,
H. Hunter, Chairman of trustee
board.
KEYSTONE HOTEL
379 Carroll Avenue
Starting October 20, 1934—Serving Regular Meals,
Barbequed Pork, Beef and Chicken a Specialty
C. F. Williams, Prop.
HYland 9746
OUR ECONOMY MARKET
902 Sixth Avenue
McDUFF WOODARD, Prop.
hMNHmnMK
CAMP
THE PROGRESSIVE CLUB
THE AUXILIARY
-9-28-34
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1934
FRATERNAL NOTICES
Ames Lodge, No. 106, I. B. P. O.
E. W., meets first and third Mon
days of each month at Elks’ Rest,
148 Hyland Ave. N. J. W. Pate,
exalted ruler; Cecil E. Newman,
financial secretary. Downtown of-
fice, 309 South Third St. Phone
Bridgeport 3595. Elks’ Rest phone,
Hyland 9925. Visiting brothers
welcome.
ST. PAUL FRATERNAL
NOTICES
Gopher Lodge No. 105, I. B. P.
O. E. W., meets the first and third
Wednesdays of each month at the
Elks’ Rest, 207 W. Central. A. J.
Lewis, exalted ruler; J. W. Bolden,
secretary; Dale 6533.
Lower five rooms, modern du
plex, garage, 3728 Fifth avenue S.
LOcust 8755. 10-19.
Upper duplex, heated, 5 rooms,
S2B. 1088 N. Dale St. Humbolt
3847. '
—U.
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