NATIONAL FEDERATION OF SETTLEMENTS
August 1, 1927.
My dear Miss Addams:
Thank you very much for your kind invitation. I should very much like to accept, some time later in the month or very early September.
I enclose a letter from Miss Coolidge, typed from notes which she gave me on the results of her visit with Dame Henrietta. I am very glad indeed that Miss Coolidge was able to see Mrs. Barnett and thus help clear up some of the haziness which has surrounded the operation of the Fellowship.
Miss Coolidge is laying a good deal of stress on one point which demands consideration -- it is that the English are anxious that the first holder should be someone, whether man or woman, with a rather vivid personality, very American, and capable of lecturing on aspects of our life and institutions. Apparently, they are now willing to accept a woman as holder.
Miss Coolidge has the feeling that it might be a good stroke to have some [well-known] American settlement worker, such as Graham Taylor or Mrs. Simkhovitch act as the first incumbent. I do not know quite what to think of this suggestion. It puts the emphasis on establishing good international feeling, rather than on the education of young men and women for future work.
Miss Coolidge also raises another very interesting question in connection with the Fellowship. She is anxious that Miss Dewar should be groomed for international work. [page 2] Miss Coolidge has offered to pay Miss Dewar's expenses to live in France for a period and acquire a conversational knowledge of the language. Miss Dewar has already spent most of a year in India. I understand that the English group would like to have her serve as Secretary of the British Federation of Settlements, which would have to be a part time position. Ultimately, Miss Dewar might very well become the acting Secretary of the International Federation. It would, of course, help vastly if she could spend some time in America and become acquainted with the people here as preparation. Miss Coolidge feels that her position with the French and other continentals would be helped by such an experience. She feels that it would be good policy for America to waive its claim to the Fellowship for this year and suggest that Miss Dewar be appointed by the English group to the position. On the other hand, Dame Henrietta, for some reason, seems not too favorably inclined toward Miss Dewar, though Captain Ellis and the rest of the British group all regard her most highly.
There is another matter on which I should very much like to consult with you. The Welfare Council of New York has asked me to direct a study of the New York Settlements, which is to be carried on under authority of a Joint Committee, appointed by the Research Department of the Council and United Neighborhood Houses. I have consented to do so, because, it seems desirable that such studies should be directed by someone within the particular field, rather than by an outsider. There are obviously quite a number of delicate questions of policy which are bound to arise in the course of such a study and which are likely to have more than a local effect. I expect to see a number of the heads of the East Side Houses this week and I hope to have a rather definite idea of what they desire the study to accomplish. When we have this aspect of the matter clearly in mind, I should value your suggestions as to the best way of realizing what ought to be done.
I am returning with this letter, some of the documents dealing with the Barnett Fellowship, which you were good enough to let me take.
I see no reason why appointment to the Barnett Fellowship should not be made whenever it seems desirable to do so. We can secure a vote of the Executive Committee by mail. [illegible] ↑You↓ will, I think, want to write to Miss Coolidge, who can be reached at Cotuit, Mass.
The applications so far, in addition to Mr. Byron's are Mr. Simms' of the Good Will Neighborhood House, East Boston and Mr. P. D. Graham's of Hiram House.
Faithfully yours,
Albert Kennedy
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