February 25th, 1914.
My dear Miss Addams: --
As Secretary of the Women's work of this Society and having as my immediate task -- with the cooperation of the Committee on Women's Work -- the development of a broader and more active scheme of industrial education for girls than has heretofore been fostered by this Society, I am eager to have constructive criticism and advice from every source, not only of the work that is being done, but of the work that is planned for the near future.
The Society is no longer a small group of people confined to several cities, but a large group distributed all over the country. That the work itself has assumed National proportions is proved by the fact that the Society within the last year and a half has written the laws for industrial education in eight states and six other states have asked for similar assistance.
Not only is the Society helping to formulate laws regarding the kind of schools the States shall have but it is also influencing the selection and training of teachers, and the kind of training that shall be given in industrial schools.
The movement for Industrial Education has assumed great proportions which will be greatly increased, we believe, through the work of the Vocational Education Commission recently appointed by President Wilson upon which Miss Agnes Nestor is to serve. [page 2]
Two of the women of this Society are interested directly in the work of this Commission, Miss Florence Marshall, Principal of the Manhattan Trade School, being a member of the Commission and Miss Laura Drake Gill, a member of the Board of Managers has been appointed a member of a committee of this Society to assist in formulating a statement of this Society's opinion on the matters to be dealt with by the Commission. I should like very much to have you meet Miss Marshall, Miss Gill and myself in the very near future to discuss these matters, in which Chicago must have a very great interest. As the work of the Commission is to be begun almost immediately I hope it will be possible for us to meet soon.
I shall deem it a great favor if you speak quite frankly on the matters I have brought up in this letter, and, in any event I hope you will meet with us to discuss with equal frankness these as well as other matters pertaining to the Society's work. If you are not to be in the East in the near future may we not arrange to meet you at your convenience?
Believe me,
Very sincerely yours,
Assistant Secretary.
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