CHILDREN of the slums.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1851, 10 September 1913, Page 3

CHILDREN of the slums.

■ — e CHANCE TO AID THEM. Miss Woods/ who was in charge of the party of domestic workers who arrived in tho Dominion recently by the lonic, is an enthusiastic worker for the Ragged School Union and the Shaftesbury Society. She is also a personal friend of Sir John Kirk, the of both unions, whose visit to Now Zealand 1 some time back, on behalf of tho poor children in the slums at Home, met ,with so hearty a response. The Ragged School Union Free Day Schools are practically tho only means of education open to tho children of the slums. The society embraces 140 missions and Sunday Schools. A proportion of enthusiastic teachers aro drawn from the ranks of those wlio ill their childhoo'd received influence and help from the ragged school workers of their day. With a view to carryiug out its first president's principle of "Sticking to the gutter," what are called drift services' aro held v during the winter, : when fresh ' children not - already oorinected with_ any other mission, are swept in by drift workers. This effort is in addition to Sunday school work, penny banks, Bands of Hope, mothers' meetings, and gymnasiums for boys and girls. The work of the cripple section of the Shaftesbury Society is also comprehensive. Tho names and' addresses of London's little cripples, now numbering about 7000 under 16 years of ago, aro registered, and 'visitation is carried out by a thousand voluntary helpers. About 8000 children enjoy at least a fortnight at the society's holiday homes at Bognor, Bournemouth, Addiscombe, Margate, Southend, Windsor, or are boarded elsewhere. Tho society 'is now in its seventh decade. It was founded' in 1844, under tho presidency of the seventh Earl of Shaftesbury. Miss Woods will be pleased to meet anyone interested in tihe work, and new friends may be - enrolled 1 . Sacks of children's garments, if sent to the lonic, will be taken back to London and there made up into clothing for the London slum children during the winter. Boots are in demand, and l contributions of such would be appreciated. The Rev. Mr. Haliday, wlio was a passcngor by tho lonic, and who is at present staying with the Rev. Dr. Gibb, St. yjdhn's mansci, will receive and l acknowledge contributions.