Susan+Denkmann

Original Author: Takea Burrage, ENG206 SP10 Revision Author:
 * Susanne Denkmann **

Susanne Denkmann was born in 1872. She attended The National Kindergarten College in Chicago and later went to New York. Where she learned of “settlements”.

Ms Denkmann established a settlement house. This home provided many services for the poor. This establishment was called The New West End Settlement. The building was built at 7th Avenue and 5th Street in Rock Island, currently known as the Elite Temple 1265, an Elks group, and Esquire Lodge 1648.

The establishment took a year to build, completed in July 1909.

Many of Ms Denkmann’s friends were known to volunteer, she also had six paid workers that helped initiate services. The settlement was managed by the Barker Family who resided in an apartment within the building.

The Settlement taught basic domestic responsibilities that included cooking and sewing, as well as cultural activities such as basketball. Boys were encouraged to take the cooking classes. Some were said to be better than the girls. A reading room was set up for the men in a nearby home. Another home was used as a day nursery. Religious studies and gardening were also taught. The large playground known now as Denkmann park was available for everyone.

John Hauberg, one of the volunteers, later became Susanne’s husband; he started a fife and drum corps for boys.

In association with the Visiting nurse Association The settlement offered an infant welfare station in 1914. After two years 65 babies came regularly for an examination free milk, and a weighing.

In 1923 now Mrs. Hauberg, felt conditions had improved favorably, with that she decided to close the doors of the West End Settlement. Closing the doors stopped the $9,000 annual support she provided. The settlement building was donated to the downtown YWCA, they planned to use it in conjunction with their Third Avenue dormitory. It was later sold in 1931 to the Belgian American Brotherhood (BAB), who remained in residence throughout the early 1980s.

Community and Economic Development. [|http://www.rigov.org] Copyright 2003, Rock Island.
 * Works Cited **

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