INDUSTRIAL FARMS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 90, 10 January 1919, Page 2

INDUSTRIAL FARMS

Women of the unfortunate. class in New Orloaus are being placed, upon a dOO-acre farm near •" Kemier,' a suburb connected with New Orleans by" electric and steam lines and about-twelve miles from the city, and work on.tho buildings is being" rushed to completion. . It will have accommodation for 150 women, who -will be taught trades ranging'from housekeeping and commercial sewing to tho handling-of farm tractors 'mid teams, and . landscape gardening. Sufficient work Ikis been guaranteed; by the clothing 'makers of'Jiow 'Orleans to' insure women a fair wage, and,- in- addition, they will bo supported there,at a lower; rate than that at : which' they-could live in any city in the country. .The project is'supported by leaders in! the American P.rotectivo League here, says the'"Monitor,"'and business" men of tho city.• Women.will be given free classes in grammar" school branches;. at tbis farm, will be provided,with good, reading 'matter/ and will .have a npnfiectarian chapel"where church orgniiisa-. tionswill be free to hold services, alternatingl' so. that no one sect;shall'monopolise the services. A fund of 40)000 dollars has been subscribed and collected to pay for the establishment of the 'institution,' which if intended to be- a permanent home and.retreat. .

I; The first party oi"women went voluntarily to the ne'wjiome, and others will be 'sent: as'fast : "as 'they'apply' or are ordered there by tho Judges—of the cjou'rts 'of New Orleans, who have agreed tp give women, arrested in i)ie ■ streets sentences to the'farm rather than to the parish prison, Whore they have heretofore been sent. This moans tha-t-instead of being' sent)-"a step "farther /downward when -they are-arrested, theyivill ■ be given an opportunity to lead better lives and lie provided at the same tiihe with an honest means of livelihood.

. Colonel Hatch visited the'farm in'comnany with Lieutenant Christensen, of--the Fosdick Commission, who lias been investigating conditions here-for'sonie time, and Maurice Levy, assistant chief of the American Protective League branch in New Orleans. • 'There ho;-sawthe romplefed dormitory arid ' other buildings rapidly neiiring'comuletiori,'"'heard the plans «f the new institution, and praised th»m highlv. After the trip', he said:—

"New Orleans should lw proud of-the rehabilitation' .'farm "for unfortunate women. It is reform iii a real,' nvnc-' tical manner, and the city also should be, proud of the men who. are puttingiip their own funds to give .these, women a new start in. life*"-"' "■ •:'";'' .' '

After spending a certain, time nl; .tho fnrni, women will be"pWidf-'l.with nnf--side'.irnrk' here'or in other eitiesl-nssist-erl with loans or. other moans-tn reach r.h»jr ne\r>raplovme'rit Jn'ne.l"rsfiiTjliVTi thi"'nselves in.it, and encouraged to begin life anew.'' : " '"' ''■"''.', "':..'■'