THE MAKING
OF A TRADE SCHOOL
By MARY SCHENCK WOOLMAN
Director of Manhattan Trade School for Girls
Professor of Domestic Art, Teachers College, Columbia University
WHITCOMB & BARROWS
1910
BOSTON
Copyright 1909
By Teachers College
Thomas Todd Co., Printers
14 Beacon Street
Boston
CONTENTS
| PART | PAGE | |
| I. | Organization and Work | 1 |
| II. | Representative Problems | 38 |
| III. | Equipment and Support | 53 |
| IV. | Outlines and Detailed Accounts of Department Work | 58 |
THE MAKING OF A TRADE SCHOOL
PART I
ORGANIZATION AND WORK
History
The Manhattan Trade School for Girls began itswork in November, 1902. The building selected forthe school was a large private house at 233 West 14thStreet, which was equipped like a factory and couldcomfortably accommodate 100 pupils. Training wasoffered in a variety of satisfactory trades which requiredthe expert use of the needle, the paste brush, and thefoot and electric power sewing machines.
Beginning with twenty pupils on its first day, it wasbut a few months before the full 100 were on roll andothers were applying. In endeavoring to help all whodesired instruction the building was soon overcrowded.It thus became evident that, unless increased accommodationwas provided, the number already in attendancemust be decreased and others, anxious for the training,must be turned away. It was decided that even thoughthe enterprise was young the need was urgent, demandingunusual exertion. It would therefore be wise tomake every effort to purchase more commodious quarters.In June, 1906, the school moved to a fine business building[2]at 209-213 East 23d Street, which could offer dailyinstruction to about 500 girls.
The movement owes its existence to the earnest studythat a group of women and men, interested in philanthropic,sociological, economic, and educational work,gave to the condition of the working girl in New YorkCity. They were all intimately acquainted with the difficultiesof the situation. Early in the winter of 1902this committee made a special investigation of the workroomsof New York. They were but the more convincedthat (1) the wages of unskilled labor are declining;(2) while there is a good opportunity for highly skilledlabor, the supply is inadequate; (3) the condition of theyoung, inexpert working girl must be ameliorated bythe speedy opening of a trade school for those who havereached the age to obtain working papers; (4) if publicinstruction could not immediately undertake the organizationof such a school, then private initiative must doit, even though it must depend for its support uponvoluntary contributions. The result was that an extremeeffort was put forth and