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Mary Graham Bonner
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WORK OF THE
SEAMENS CHURCH
INSTITUTE
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< >T long ago the news of doctor
ing a ntan far out at sea ? by h '
(.octor mi land ? ;set us. all agasp
at the wonders about us, almost
unnatural in their infinite pos
sibilities and successes. It uU
arrested my attention so sharply
that with intense curiosity- 1 went
to the Seamen's Church insti
tute in. New York city from
where I heard this wonder
sprang.
I >imly I had heard of rids
place, this enormous building
which meant home to thousands
and thousands of seamen from a! I owr the world,
and I had heard of its tower and its great green
light which was the first light to be seen as a boat
came within view of New York. The institute
is situated on the very edge, as it were, of Manhat
tan island L'.*) South street, along the water front.
Captain Robert Huntingpmi. principal of the
Navigation, Marine Engineering and Kadio school
<of the institute, and I>r. Mansfield, superintendent,
have been the ones t" accomplish this medical serv
ice by wirele ss.
For the past year KI>KF, which js the distress
signal sent to the institute radio station, has re
sulted In treatment of the man sick at sea by a
'doctor at one of the public health stations on hind.
The Institute has put through this work in a very
(Complete way. It has finally won out in the in
sistence of the law which makes all slops carry a
first aid equipment, a first aid manual (the work
of the institute) and a medicine chest. And now,
in order to receive Ills certificate, a ship's officer
must have had a course in first aid training.
So that now a man who is sick can be treated
at sea by these officers who understand medicine
sutlieiently to be able to proficiently follow out the
directions of the doctors who send their advice
and treatment by wireless ? following the sending
of the man's symptoms to them. Ships outside the
radius can have messages relayed by the ships
within the radius.
All kinds of illnesses have been 'treated and now
the final arrangement as to the different coastal
stations is to be made so that all over the-Tvorld
there will be medical service by wireless. And all
this has been put through by the Seamen's Church
institute. The radio corporation pays all the wire
less expenses of sending messages with the excep
tion of some of the telephone toll charges and ? a1
private individual pays these.
The. accomplishment of this as a world service
has Just been completed. And the place 1 had
known of as that with the green light, which is not
only the first to be seen upon approaching land,
but the last light to be seen as men sail out to sea
again, has been responsible!
Then, too, I had heard of the time ball which
dropped down the pole on top of the tower every
day exactly as Washington sent word that it wus
noon, and of the hundreds of glasses turned to
ward this tower around noon, a simple enough
tale but one that ^hud always appealed! For all
- boats In the harbor take their time from the Sea
men's Church institute time ball.
Of these I had heard, and sometimes of serv
ices, sometimes of entertainments and ? up to the
time of the long distance medical treatment ? of the
transference of a ferry house along the water front
into a comfortable, heated, lighted relief station
for the great number of unemployed seamen this
year, This they too had put through with the co
operation of the civic and naval authorities.
It was very difficult, I found, to discover who was
the inspiration back of each enormous accomplish
ment. Archibald 1?. Mansfield, D. D., the super
? tntendent. was the one who everyone else told
nio. had put through everything. Hut Dr. Mansfield
t t *?? 1 tlin t with scorn. mid went on to explain
just who were tin* individuals responsible for the
many and devious splendid things accomplished
Inhere. In fact there was rid.- spirit everywhere.
There is absolutely no desire for self-glory in any
one I met? u rare tiling to be foin.d in a large or
ganization.
Over seventy years ago a pious gentleman from
Boston found bis boat stranded on the New Eng
land e?H>asf. He found shelter, however, in the inn
of a sma I.I coast town, it was Sunday. The pious
gentleman sent out word to the various ships which
had sought shelter in the storm that there would
be a service that Sunday morning in the parlor of
the inn, and there was such tremendous response
that soon afterward a floating church was to be
seen in New York harbor. For it showed seamen
enjoyed a service.
Next some men from Trinity parish went down
every Sunday to the- wharves and asked the men
to come to services. And the Seamen's Church
institute had grown out of these beginnings and
tlje I'rotestant Episcopal Church Missionary So
ciety for Seamen in the city and port of New York
Since UMM5 it has been known ns the Seamen's
Church institute of New York.
It was '"Reverend I>r.- Mansfield who made the
Church institute what it is ? who struggled bis way
through the almost insurmountable difficulties
which loomed and intruded and threatened. Time
and again his life has been threatened. Time and
again has he been watched' and follow ed by men
carrying firearms waiting f??r an opportunity to jret
even with him. for he lias been the bitter enemy of
these vultures who have fed for years off sailors.
Vultures who have not waited for death ? they
have- been more remunerative living? but for the
' incapability on the part of the sailors which they ,
have produced through the liquor they have sold.
1*he liC^e around the wharves of a great city is
not one well known in other parts of a city's life.
Vaguely one imagines that sailors are apt to get
drunk when they come to port. Vaguely one im
agines that a good many of them are enticed
by women and pretty generally left broke some
good time before their ship sets sail again. But
few know the combine wlii -h existed for years and
years and which it seemed would never Ik* broken.
It was a system against seamen by masters of
ships and keepers of "boarding houses." The mas
ters of the ships directed their men upon going to
shore to these various boarding houses along the
water front. There ihe men found drink and wom
en. They were thoroughly fleeced, they were thor
- oughly filled with liquor, and then they were put
out as worthless "bums" to eke out the rest of
their time ashore penniless, usually coat less, hun
. gry and lacking in any self-respect.
The money which they had been robbed of by
these ''hoarding houses" was divided between the
boarding house owners and the masters of the
ships. Here was Dr. Mansfield's greatest difficulty.
The masters of the various ships would not give
men jobs who went to tile Seamen's Church insti
tute. They would not take them back on tlfcir
ships.
But Dr. Mansfield went to various shipping com
panies which agreed to co-operate and so the ter
rible combine was at last broken up. Everything
and everyone along the water front fought a hard
and angry battle against Dr. Mansfield. Barber
shops, boot-blacking establishments, lunch rooms,
all were ready to work in with the] "boarding
houses" and the masters of the ships. There was
where the money was. Why bother about a man's
. body when there was money to think about?
Fearlessly, courageously Dr. Mansfield worked
against the cruel and soulless greed of the water
i ii i ? ? i.
ZtAFTT JVK 6iiXlXKa&r
front. Is it any wonder that thousands and thou
sands of seamen the world over look upon the
Seamen's^ Church institute sis their home?
There is everything at the Institute? 'barbed
shops, tailor shops, lunch rooms, outfits for sale
? everything that there might he along the water
front's exterior with none of its demon-like in
terior.
Here is a place like an enormous hotel with
comforts such as even hotels cannot afford, and '
yet at prices such as are charged hy lodging
houses, so that there is not the feeling of charity.
There arc great reading rooms, lounging rooms,
there is nothing stitT here, there are entertain- ?
m??nts, dances, movies, magazines, hooks, smokes,
" there is companionship, there are beds with cool, j
fresh linen, shower baths, places where a man ,
may wash and dry his clothes. Over eight- |
hundred men sleep there every night, though sev
eral hundred have to be nightly turned away until
the new building next door Is erected.
There Is a chaplain always on duty, talking to
the men, helping them, bringing families and men .
together again? through the institute's wonderful
"missing men department." This chaplain has also ;
studied law sufficiently so that he may help .
the men in various legal difficulties that arise ? |
and he Is a chaplain with a very keen sense of
huirior. It keeps everyone "smoothed out." "And '
he gives everything- he owns away," the house
mother told me. I
Mrs. '.Janet Koper, the house mother, is a quiet
person whose skill and enormous success at her
work is realized as one goes about with her. She
is very far from being aggressively executive. She
doesn't talk about "systems" or "theories" or
?"executive ability." She; talks about the men.
She showed me about. There is not a wash
bowl in the building that is not a memorial. Every
room has a memorial plate upon its door. A
favorite form of memorial has been to donate a
room. And in the new building which is to be
started in the spring already many of the rooms
have been donated. .Sometimes I came pcross a
Chinese mime ? a Chinaman who wanted to show
his aflili/ition with, and his affection for, the
building with the green light which had meant
home for him Iri a foreign city.
Hut typical of a seaman, according to Mrs.
Roper, and typical of what a seaman should be
is illustrated in the memorial plate on a room
donated in memory of the captain of the Titanic.
"In memory of Captain Edward .T. Smith,
R. N. R., who lost his life while in command of
S. S. Titanic, April In, 1012. He sailed the sea
for forty years, faithful in duty, friendly in spirit, j
firm in command, fearless in disaster; he saved
the women and children and went down with
his ship."
The link which thousands feel with the insti
tute is its greatest stronghold against the sordid
ness of the water front. Men arriving in Brooklyn
telephone to see if there is room for them. Men
from all over the world come here and go forth
to tell of the green light in the tower which stands/
in the building where there is everything to help
them. There is the bank, the post office, the place
where their baggage can be safe.
In a park nearby there are open air moving
picture shows in the summer and various enter
tainments.
The Seamen's Church institute is glider the
Protestant Episcopal church. Its chaplains are
Episcopalian, though its employees are of all
faiths. It serves alK-the chaplain who visits the
men in the hospitals brings rabbis to the Jews,
priests to the Roman Catholics, and ministers In
whatever faiths these men have been brought up>
THE SUBSTITUTE
By AGNES BROGAN jij
;sssss$ss$5$?ss?$sss?$$ss$$$sw$s?o
(?.' 1923. Western Newspaper Union.)
The neatly-tailored
kindly humorous eyes entered the Pull
man briskly and settled herself 1
chair, watching with Interest the varl
rlous passengers dispose theinseWes.
b'he had been sent now after an a.
most Impossible interview.
Miss Martha Dun was know
round up notables and wring from
them their secret thoughts, where o ?
er reporters failed In approach.
So, now, the "lovely !ady" ente' j
took a chair directly opposite. The
face was truly lovely, from thoughtfu
blue eyes to tender curving lips.
The porter paid her the homage
a personage, and she cast a iltt e a
smile in the direction of Martha Dun
before she turned to the
It was at a country station that the
?Van little girl"-agaln Marthns nnm
ing? came hesitant up the car steps.
The porter led her to a . seat
that of the lovely lady and across
from Martha Dun? in search
St The story promised to be enacted be
fore her eyes, for the girl, swaying sud
denly turned a frightened glance on
her neighbor. "I am 111." she said.
Tremblingly weak, the girl toppled,
,1 crumpling bundle of navy-blue on the
car lloor.
The lovely lady, raising the brown
head, murmured words of encourage
ment. "You will be all right, my dear,
in a few moments." .1
"I will he unable to continue tiyj ^
journey," the wan little girl said rue- j
full v. And it would mean so much to j
Cranny nnd m<*. You see, I was to
King tonight at a small town en erta m- ;
nuMit. They were to pay me, sh<Tad.i
ed Impressively? twenty dollars. Now,
1 shall have to get oil* at the next stop (
and go back home. !
"You love to sing?" the lo\'ely, lady ^
asked. 1
-All my life, I have longed to be
a singer. jiy- name is Alice Sanders,
tile girl offered. "Granny has sacr -
tired a great deal to give me the small
benefit of local teaching.
The girl's eyes twinkled. 44I?riend8
would tell you that I have a | remark- i
able voice? the rest of the world has ,
not awakened to that fact. You are
kind to listen. CJood-by."
From her purse she drew a note- j
book and pencil. "Write for me," she
requested, "a line of introduction. Just ,
gay, "A friend, substituting for Miss
Sanders." I
The line was written before Alice ;
In her astonishment was fully aware. !
"Stop at Way cross," she directed
breathlessly ; "they will have some one
to meet you there."
"May 1." Inquired Martha Dun ot
the lovely lady, "take this seat for a
moment? I would like to talk with
von" Hut the lady, turning from a
farewell wave, to Alice, smiled pla
catlngly. "Please, i|o," %he said.
A Solitary old man was waiting at
Wavcross station. His .disappointment
In not finding Alice Sanders was evi
dent. Alice's friend approached him
with her explanation and he offered,
not .very graciously, to take her 0N^
to the hall, to "see the committee..
"They are waiting there," he said.
Martha Dun, coming out of Way
cross station, followed resolutely on
up the hill. The hill was tilled that
evening and- disappointment in their
favorite's absence was apparent on all
sides. Opposite the numbers on the
program that Alice was to have sung,
was written simply? "Substituting
for Miss Sanders."
The lovely lady looked down on her
unsmiling audience and sang the songs
that Alice had chosen. The house was
very still ? then they applauded. The
singer's face Hushed happily.
Martha Dun sat on the l'ront seat.
When the applause had died away the
lovely lady took a place at her side.
"Miss Dun," she said, 44I ask that
you will not mar my happy hour by
publicity. Let me tell you. That girl
who entered the train today might
have been 'myself years ago ? with my
difficulties and yearning ambition.
| When I stood on that crude stage to
! night, I was carried back to my first
J public singing in our town hall, the
very country town from which Alice
came today. And in all my professional
triumphs I have never since known the
i thrill of that first appearance ? the
friendly faces everywhere. You will
not use this little story?"
A man with hair graying at the tem
ples came hurrying tovard the two.
Before the noted singer of two con
tinents he paused. "D >ra !" he ex
claimed. "Tom !" cried the lovely lady.
"I came here," he went on, "filled
with hope because a little patient of j
mine told of q generous sweet lady
who volunteered to take her place at
this entertainment. Her description ? i
the news of your return to this coun
try ? and I do find you, after all.
Dora !"
Martha Dun slipped away. At the
door she stopped to replace the re
porter's tablet in <her bag. Then a
voice called to her ? the lovely lady's
face was radiant.
"The doctor and I will drive you to
the station, Miss Dun," she said. "And
later, would it compensate if I were
to give you the story of an old love
affair renewed? Theodora Gail's one
love story. The world will be inter
ested ? don't you think ? in the fact
that she returns from her European
tour to marry a country doctor? For
neither success nor riches," added the
lovely lady, "bring happiness. Just
two things count for much in thij
world ? kindly deeds hndr love."
T Daddy's
?dEvei\ii\?
Fairy Tale
^y/AARY GRAHAM BOOMED
m COnHOMT V WTUM UlMAUg u...^ ? _
?? HOMING PIGEONS
"Tills is to be an interesting rare,"
said one Homing Pigeon to another
"I'm going to tfo the best I can for my
owner."
"So am I," said the second Horning
Pigeon. "Well, I hope we will all do
well. For it is fine, I think, to have
the Homing Pigeons all famous for
their powers of racing, and of deliver
ing messages and of being brave and
of being clever and always knowing
where their homes are."
"That's the Idea." said the first Hom
ing Pigeon. "I think it is splendid
tnat we are so far-sighted. We can see
such great distances.
"We can see further than people ran
see, and so we are of great assistance
to them."
"What does assistance mean?" asked
the second Homing Pigeon.
"It would have meant the same if I
had said that we were a great help to
people, or that we were very useful
to them, or that we aided them well,"
said the first Homing Pigoon.
"I see," said the second Homing
Pigeon.
"Of course you do," chuckled tin*
first Homing Pigeon.
"We can see all the old familiar
places." said the first Homing Pigeon,
r?*y t^L i
"We Are Faithful Creatures."
"and it is partly because of that yiat
-we do not lose our way, but then, too,
we just somehow know where we are
.going, and where our home is.
"This is my first race. I'm not quite
a year old. I was only hatched last
January."
"It's my second race," said the- sec
ond Homing Pigeon. "How well I re
member when I first began t6 fly
n round my home. Then I took trips
with the family and then at last I was
rfrrmved to go off for a little flying trip
by myself.
"Everyone knew it wouldn't be for a
long flying trip! Of course I was
nervous and yet I was proud. It mude
me feel really grown-up and as though
I could look after myself.
"It made me so very proud even with
all my nervousness, that I think the
pride was stronger than the nervous
ness."
"We will be going into these races
for quite a number of years to come, I
believe," said the first Homing Pigeon.
"Soon you'll be at your best," he
added, "for homing pigeons are splen
did in races when they're a little over
two years old. It's a splendid age in
Homing Pigeon circles."
"Yes," said the second Homing Pig
eon, "but Mrs. Horace Homing Pigeon
was the winner last year. She said she
had been resting."
"We like to fly during the daytime.
There are many creatures who like to
fly at night I'm thankful to say that
my riiaster wouldn't let me go In the
great long race that Is held.
"He says these shorter races are nice
but that the long, long o?:ie is cruel be
cause we would only be worh out after
ward. This kind of a race makes us
pleasantly tired like any good sport
will.
"And If the owners are kind like
mine, I believe there are only a few
who would let their pigeons go in the
great long race.
"They have made sure that the
weather is nice, too, so that no harm
will come to us."
"Ah," said the first Homing Pigeon,
"we are faithful creatures and our
families have done a great deal of
work.
"All we ask is that we are treated
Well, and that we may not be dis
turbed at night when we want to sleep
? and when we need the sleep ? and,
most important of all, that we are not
separated from our beloved mates. For
the Homing Pigeons are very devoted."
But there was no more' talking after
this for the race was about to com
mence and there was great excitement.
Modus Operandi.
Lloyd ? I'm afraid there's a cut in
wages coming.
Boyd ? What makes you think so?
Lloyd? The company is going to
start a house organ.
Daddy's Protector.
A bright little girl, aged four, and
her brother, aged six, were spending
the night with their aunt. When bed
time came, the aunt asked them how
they said their prayers. The little
girl answered, "Sometimes I say them
to muddle's knee and sometimes to the
side of the bed."
"And how about you, little boy?"]
asked the aunt.
"Oh, I don't need to pray; I sleep
with daddy."