Page:Tributes to Helen Bell, Woman's Progress, April 1895.djvu/7

200 houses of the neighborhood. Then there were city walks to places of historic interest: to the Elm Treaty Ground, to Carpenters' Hall, Franklin's grave, the Ross Flag House, to the old Christ Church, to picture galleries, to the University Tea, and the inspection of the museums.

This versatile woman had an unusual talent for imparting knowledge, as is shown by the remarkable progress of her class in German language and literature. During several years for their sake she declined all invitations for that evening of the week when the class met at the Guild.

A permanent home now became the need of the Guild, and with the financial aid of a few members of the New Century Club a property was purchased in the centre of the city. In 1893, "The New Century Trust" was incorporated, legally empowered to receive and hold property and to use it in the interest of self-supporting girls and women, as designated by the charter. A Board of nine Trustees was appointed, of which Helen Bell was elected Secretary. The duties of this office, as those connected with the Executive Board of the Guild, she faithfully performed.

She was also treasurer of the Building Fund, for among her multifarious accomplishments was a knowledge of financial affairs. The two houses purchased are now the home of the Guild, but the Secretary hoped to see built hall and library, gymnasium and rest rooms, adapted to the ever-growing Guild. For this she labored—for this she endeavored to gain friends who would come with loving hearts and financial aid. She has been taken from works to reward, but among the many who have been blessed with her friendship surely the work for which she hoped shall find favor and she shall be substantially remembered in their sympathy with the Guild and her labors, of which this sketch presents only a faint outline.

The following tribute is recorded on the minutes of the Executive Board of the Guild of Working Women:

"In the last (March, 1895) issue of our Guild paper are tributes to the memory of Helen Bell, as member of Guild, as teacher of the German class and as one of the Executive Board. It it [sic] fitting that we who have been associated with her for so many years in the latter capacity, at this our first meeting when we must say she is no longer one of us, should look back at our relations with her during that time; although the retrospect must overwhelm us with a keener sense of our loss, although it be as when members of a family look blankly into each other's faces saying: 'What shall we do without her?' In looking over our published records, the journal and our annual reports, her name does not appear very often, but our minutes will show how constant has been her attendance and how faithful her work. Yet only in our hearts and in our memories can be the knowledge of the strength she has been to us, of the joyous earnestness with which she has performed her different duties on the Board, and of the modest way in which when we were perplexed she would suggest just the right thing