THE HOME HELPS SOCIETY.
f To TRH EDITOR OF Till "SPICOTATOft..9 SIR,–'.-At a time of such unprecedented destruction, we venture to urge the increasing importance of preserving every possible infant life to the State. A humble but important factor in this work is the "home help," who goes daily to working-class Louses where the mother is laid up for the time, to care for the home and children till she is well again. Hitherto the casual neighbour has been the only resource, and though she is often kind and capable, at the best she can only give what time she can spare from her own home, while every nurse and midwife in London can tell appalling stories of half-drunk and wholly incapable women who bad to be left in charge of a helpless mother and small children because no one else was available.
It is to secure kindly, competent "helps" for such cases that a Society is being formed. The Central Committee on Women's Employment have for months been training such women, giving their services free in poor homes where there was illness. Now that relief funds are no longer available, a provident system is being started, by whioh the families will pay in small weekly contributions from a penny upwards towards the "home help" in their time of need. Even so, the greater number of them will not be able to afford a living wage for the "home help," and funds are badly needed to supplement the contributions of these poorer families. Incidentally the Society will be providing an occupation for the middle-aged widow who is anxious to keep her home, and whose only skill is in domestic work—a class that is, alas! likely to be an increasingly difficult problem in the future. She will also do much by her example to raise the standard of comfort, cleanliness, and economy in the homes she works in, since she will be carefully trained in cookery, infant care, and all housewifery. She is not a nurse, and may not under. take such work, but by caring for the well-being of the mother and the home she is securing the best possible ohance for her speedy recovery.
The Society is to be connected with the Association of Infant Welfare and Maternity Centres, with an office at 4 Tavistock Square, W.C. Lady Crewe has consented to be Hon. Treasurer, and the Queen has sent a donation with a message of goodwill. I shall be very glad to give any further information, and will most gratefully acknowledge any contributions.—I am, Sir, etc., W. H. MOBERLY, Hon. Secretary.
4 Tavistock Square, W.C.
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