College Settlements Association facts for kids
Quick facts for kids 
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| Formation | February, 1890 |
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| Founder |
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| Type | Nonprofit |
| Purpose | Support and control of college settlements for women |
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Region served
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East Coast U.S. |
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The College Settlements Association (CSA) was an American group started in February 1890. It was part of the settlement movement. This movement aimed to help people living in poor city neighborhoods. The CSA specifically supported and managed "settlement houses" for women.
These houses were created and run by women who had gone to college. Most of the people living in these houses were also college women. The CSA wanted to bring college women together. It aimed to give them a shared goal and inspire them to help others. The idea was that young students could use their energy to do important practical work.
Contents
History of the College Settlements Association
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In 1887, some Smith College graduates met and talked about new ways to help people. They were inspired by places like Toynbee Hall in England, which was a settlement house. They felt that similar work was needed in the United States. These friends promised to work together to make this happen.
In 1888, they sent out a call for support from Boston. By the spring of 1890, the CSA was officially formed. It had groups, called chapters, at colleges like Wellesley College, Smith College, Vassar College, and Bryn Mawr College. There were also members who didn't go to college.
Founders and Early Leaders
The CSA was mainly started by three women from Smith College: Vida Dutton Scudder, Jean Gurney Fine Spahr, and Helen Rand Thayer. Other important founders included Helena Dudley, Katharine Coman, and Katharine Lee Bates. Vida Dutton Scudder also helped start Denison House in Boston. She was its main leader from 1893 to 1913.
First Settlement Houses
The very first settlement house of the CSA was the Rivington Street Settlement. It opened in New York City in October 1889. This was around the same time as Hull House opened in Chicago. Jean Fine and Dr. Jane Elizabeth Robbins were some of its early leaders.
The College Settlement of Philadelphia joined the CSA in April 1892. Later that year, in December 1892, Denison House opened in Boston. In 1896, Denison House expanded to include more space.
The work at these three settlement houses was different. It depended on what the local neighborhood needed. They focused on social help, education, and community improvements. Even though there were chances to open more houses, the CSA decided to focus on making these three houses stronger. They wanted to make sure they had enough money and good workers first. In 1910, a fourth settlement house was added in Baltimore.
What the CSA Did
The College Settlements Association had three main ways of helping:
- Giving money to settlement houses.
- Offering special study programs called fellowships.
- Educating more people about their work.
Funding Settlement Houses
The CSA regularly gave money to the College Settlement of New York (Rivington Street Settlement), the College Settlement of Philadelphia, Denison House in Boston, and the Locust Point Settlement in Baltimore. This money helped these houses run their programs and support their residents.
Fellowships and Education
The CSA believed that offering fellowships would greatly help their movement. Fellowships were like scholarships for women who wanted to study social problems. These women would live in the settlement houses while they studied.
In 1892, the CSA offered two fellowships of US$300. They continued to offer scholarships and fellowships after that. Later, they offered training fellowships with US$400. These required students to live in a settlement house, attend a local school for social work, and do practical work. These fellowships helped many women study important social and economic issues.
Over time, more and more college women joined the CSA's efforts. It became a major way for college women in the U.S. to work together on a practical project. By 1911, the CSA had chapters in 14 colleges and 31 high schools. They even hired a special secretary to help start new chapters and support existing ones.
How the CSA Was Run
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The CSA created its rules and structure in February 1890. It officially became an organization on January 5, 1894. It was managed by an "electoral board" with a president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer. You didn't have to be a college woman to join. Anyone could become a member by paying an annual fee of US$5.
In May 1917, a special meeting was held to reorganize the CSA. They wanted the association to have a wider reach. They planned to hire paid staff, including an Executive Secretary to run a main office and an Assistant Secretary to work with college chapters.
The CSA got its money from annual membership fees and donations. The women living in the settlement houses also paid a small weekly fee, usually between US$4.50 and US$6.50. Each settlement house also received money from the CSA's main fund and from local donations. The CSA tried to keep its own costs very low. No officers were paid, and most expenses were for printing and postage.
The CSA also published reports each year, including lists of supporters. They also published reports written by their Fellows. From 1915 to 1917, they published the College Settlements Association Quarterly. This magazine was later renamed the Intercollegiate Community Service Quarterly.
Notable people
- Emily Greene Balch, who helped start Denison House (Boston)
- Katharine Lee Bates, another co-founder of Denison House
- Lilian Brandt, a CSA Fellow
- Katharine Coman, a co-founder and leader of the electoral board
- Helena Dudley, a co-founder and the first "head worker" at the Philadelphia settlement house
- Clara French, a co-founder
- Frances Kellor, a CSA Fellow
- Vida Dutton Scudder, a main co-founder
- Jean Gurney Fine Spahr, a co-founder
- Helen Rand Thayer, a co-founder
- Adaline Emerson Thompson, a president of the CSA
See also
