Chicago's Five Maiden Aunts.

White Ribbon, Volume 12, Issue 144, 15 May 1907, Page 5

Chicago's Five Maiden Aunts.

“ Chicago’s Five Maiden Aunts ” form the subject of an article published in the American Magazine a short time since. One of the “ Aunts,” Dr. Cornelia De Hey, is a practising physician, a little woman weighing about ninety pounds. She is noted as having settled the great stockyards strike by securing arbitration. To-day she is the guiding spirit of the Chicago School Hoard. At the time of the child labour agitation in Illinois, Dr. De Hey was commissioned to investigate a certain factory at Alton. Being refused admission she simply climbed in over the wall, found the abuses she suspected, and when the bill came up for consideration was able to give evidence which led to victory. Speaking of the other four women, Professor Charles Zueblin, of the University of Chicago, says: “When Pro fessor James lunched with a party of prominent men during a visit to our city he said, * Aren’t you ashamed that the chief citizen of Chicago should be a woman?' He meant Jane Addams.

They rather hung their heads, but why should they ? Thun there is Mary McDowell, of the University settlement. She went to Washington to help put through a bill that would protect thousands of children. Julia Lathrop is the chief charity expert of Illinois and has done more efficient work in our charities than any man. Margaret Ilalev organised the Teachers' Federation, and has done more than any group of men in the twenty years I have lived in Chicago to adjust the city’s taxation system.’’