Page:The Feminist Movement - Snowden - 1912.djvu/139

 serve as Guardians of the Poor. It is recognised that a workhouse is simply a large household, with all the ordinary, average household's needs. Every workhouse contains young children and old people, all of whom require the tender care of efficient, sensible women. Every workhouse has sick people in it, and often imbeciles. These, when women and girls, should be in the care of women. The maternity wards are essentially the charge of the women Guardians. But the story here is the same as before and need not be repeated. A woman who has effected more for the improvement of Poor Law administration than any one man is Miss Twining. Mr and Mrs Sydney Webb would have done more if public opinion and Parliament would have supported them with sufficient enthusiasm, but their proposals for the abolition of the workhouse as at present constituted and the introduction of a new scheme for dealing with the poor were apparently too drastic, and the old order continues. But Miss Twining effected a number of reforms of great worth. It is recorded of her that she was the admiration of the matron of the workhouse controlled by her Board of Guardians, for she left nothing untended, and 'ferreted everything out.' She secured the appointment of visiting committees of ladies. She was instrumental in the formation of the