Briar Brae Families' Christmas Party

 

Name
New York Association for Improving the Condition of the Poor (Issuing body)
Community Service Society of New York (Issuing body,Former owner)
Title
Briar Brae Families' Christmas Party
Abstract
#1796 Unknown Photographer The AICP "Year Book 1915" (72nd Annual Report, 1914-1915), in a section entitled "Alcohol and Drugs," pp. 32-34, states at p. 33 that Briar Brae Lodge (408 West 20 Street) was opened "a little less than a year ago," and goes on to say at p. 34, "We have linked up the Brair Brae Lodge with the work that is being done at the city's Farm for Inebriates in Orange County. It i s to Briar Brae that the men come when they are discharged from the farm, knowing that they will find there men who will stand by them while they seek to get back to former or new positions. . . We should like to make this part of our work bigger. Doctors who should know have told us that it is big in possibilities, that without it much of the work being done in the alcoholic and drug treatment wards will be for naught . . ." It would seem from the above that what was anticipated was a half-way house for alcoholics and drug addicts discharged from institutions. The AICP annual reports for the next two years, however, only refer to Briar Brae in connection with alcoholics, no mention is made of drug addicts. This is true, too, in an article about Briar Brae by Freeman Tilden in Bagdad on the Subway, No. 2, November 1917, pp. 2-4. Briar Brae disappears from the annual reports thereafter, except for a budget item of $1,751.39 in the 75th Annual Report (1917-18) at p. 45, no explanation is given as to why it was discontinued. In 1916 the AICP Women's Work Rooms had space in 408 West 20 Street, but moved to 409 East 50 Street early in 1917 (see #1846). 408 is one of a row of 7 houses (still standing 1970) on the South side of 20th street between 9th and 10th avenues. These charming houses have the additional advantage of looking out on the serene elegance of the grounds of the General Theological Seminary in the heart of Old Chelsea.
Collection Name
Community Service Society records
Shelf Location
Box no. 297, Folder no. 23, Photograph no. 1796
Subjects
Women; Rehabilitation centers; Parties; Men; Children; Families; Christmas; New York (N.Y.)
Format
photographs
Genre
Portraits
Date
circa 1915
Note
Photographer unknown.
Library Location
Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Columbia University
Persistent URL
https://dx.doi.org/10.7916/s5ge-hv48