eased accommodation
was provided, the number already in attendance must be decreased and
others, anxious for the training, must be turned away. It was decided
that even though the enterprise was young the need was urgent, demanding
unusual exertion. It would therefore be wise to make every effort to
purchase more commodious quarters. In June, 1906, the school moved to a
fine business building at 209-213 East 23d Street, which could offer
daily instruction to about 500 girls.

The movement owes its existence to the earnest study that a group of
women and men, interested in philanthropic, sociological, economic, and
educational work, gave to the condition of the working girl in New York
City. They were all intimately acquainted with the difficulties of the
situation. Early in the winter of 1902 this committee made a special
investigation of the workrooms of New York. They were but the more
convinced that (1) the wages of unskilled labor are declining; (2) while
there is a good opportunity for highly skilled labor, the supply is
inadequate; (3) the condition of the young, inexpert working girl must
be ameliorated by the speedy opening of a trade school for those who
have reached the age to obtain working papers; (4) if public instruction
could not immediately undertake the organization of such a school, then
private initiative must do it, even though it must depend for its
support upon voluntary contributions. The result was that an extreme
effort was put forth and the following November the first trade school
in America, for girls of fourteen years of age, was begun.

The first Board of Administrators, composed largely of members of the
original committee of investigators, was as follows:

President, Miss Virginia Potter; Vice-Presidents, Dr. Felix Adler, Mr.
John Graham Brooks, Mrs. Theodore Hellman, Mrs. Anna Garlin Spencer,
Mrs. Henry Ollesheimer; Treasurer, Mr. J. G. Phelps Stokes; Secretary,
Mr. John L. Eliot; Assistant Secretary, Miss Louise B. Lockwood;
Director, Professor Mary Schenck Woolman.

Purpose and Scope

The immediate purpose of the school was to train the youngest and
poorest wage-earners to be self-supporting as quickly as possible. It
was decided to help the industrial workers rather than the commercial
and professional, as the last two are already to some extent provided
for in education. The function of the school was, therefore, that of the
Short-Time Trade School, which would provide the gir