Philadelphia is called the City of Homes with good reason. Come into her ample confines from any point you please and you see row upon row of little two-story, stone-stepped houses of red brick, perhaps with a grass-plot front or rear, shade trees in a singular variety, and a certain distinctive contentment and prosperity in the very air above the myriad simmering chimneys. For all her malodorous misgovernment of time past, whose survivals are being eradicated step by step, with a long stride fo

“But, if you let one touch of terror dim your sight, and flinch before the most terrible upheaval of rampant force, or threat; if, for popular favor, or seat at board, or success on platform, you hesitate to speak what you know to be true, then shall your cowardice and your ambition be indeed answerable for consequences which you little dream of.” Many a Browning Society has little to do with Browning, and many a reading circle takes Shakespeare’s name in vain: but in the case of the Octavia Hil

Any enterprise of social amelioration has its doubting Thomases and its Job’s comforters to contend with at the beginning, and the Octavia Hill Association has not been exempt from the need of explaining why it should exist, and why good citizens should uphold its ministration. There are terrible homes for the underworld of Vienna called “Massenhotels.” It is a common experience to find twenty or thirty people of both sexes living in one room, each occupant paying ten cents a week for a quarter

To read of the work of the “friendly rent-collector” in cold print is one thing; to feel the pulse of it by personal contact is another matter. Dr. E. R. L. Gould, in a report that he made to the Commissioner of Labor in 1895 on “The Housing of the Working People,” described at length Miss Hill’s system of rent-collecting, which made the process so much more than a soulless, impersonal proceeding. He said, “There are abundant testimonies to the efficiency of rent-collecting as practised by Miss

Now we come to the question—does it pay? Obviously there are two sides to the answer, one the material, the other the spiritual. Let us consider, in the first place, the actual cash return. We have already cited the satisfactory financial results in the case of a few typical properties. It is a postulate that those who are looking for the largest possible dividend on an investment without regard to any other consideration will scarcely be satisfied with the 4 per cent. which the Association is p

The name of the Association shall be “ The Octavia Hill Association .”...

The objects of this Association are as stated in its certificate of incorporation, as follows: “Holding, selling and leasing real estate.” The aim is to improve the living conditions in the poorer residence districts of the City of Philadelphia. To accomplish this purpose the Association buys dwellings and other real estate and improves them so as to make them habitable and healthful. It endeavors thereby to improve the moral and physical condition of the tenants. It offers its services as agent

Section 1. The principal office of the Company shall be in the City of Philadelphia. Section 2. All meetings of stockholders of the Company and the meeting of Directors shall be held at the office of the Company, or other convenient place in the City of Philadelphia....

Section 1. The annual meeting of the stockholders shall be held at such hour and place as the Directors may appoint, on the fourth Monday of January in each year. At the annual meeting the Directors shall present a report of their proceedings and of their financial transactions, and it shall be in order for any stockholder to present for consideration any subject relating to the welfare of the Association. Notice of all annual meetings to be mailed to the last recorded address of each stockholde

Section 1. The business of the corporation shall be managed by a Board of twenty Directors who shall be elected by the stockholders at each annual meeting, and shall hold office for one year or until their successors shall be chosen. Section 2. In case of the death, resignation, disqualification or removal of any of the Directors, the Board of Directors may fill the vacancy by the election of a member for the unexpired term. The Directors shall elect the Officers of the Company, viz.: President,

Section 1. The President shall perform the usual duties of the President, shall attend and preside at all meetings of Stockholders and of the Board of Directors, shall convene the Board of Directors whenever in his judgment a session is required, or whenever requested to do so, as provided in Article 4. In the absence of the President the Board of Directors shall appoint a President pro tem. Section 2. The Secretary shall act under the direction and superintendence of the President, attend all m

Section 1. Certificates of stock shall be issued under the seal of the Company, and be signed by the President and Treasurer of the Company and attested by the Secretary. Section 2. No transfer of stock shall be allowed except by transfer on the books of the Company, in person, by the person to whom issued or by his or her duly authorized attorney. The Secretary shall cancel the original certificate before signing a new one in lieu thereof. Section 3. No certificate of stock shall be transferabl

The transfer books of the Company shall be closed for five days next preceding the annual election and the days appointed for the payment of dividends....

These By-Laws may be altered or amended at any meeting of the stockholders duly convened, or at any annual meeting, provided notice that an amendment will be offered shall have been given in the notice for the meeting. No change shall be made in these By-Laws except by vote of two-thirds of the stock represented at such meeting....

1 . Includes houses owned by Philadelphia Model Homes Co....

2 . Under Alteration in 1916....

3 . Property under alterations during 1916—figure given for 1915. 4 . Property sold in 1916—figure given for 1915....

5 . Includes value and collections of the Philadelphia Model Homes Co....

Reports of the Philadelphia Housing Association may be had from the Secretary, John Ihlder, at 130 South Fifteenth Street. A list of Low-Cost Housing Developments in the United States, carefully annotated by Mr. Nolen, is given in the pamphlet entitled “A Good Home for Every Wage Earner,” by John Nolen, Sc.D., City Planner; published by the American Civic Association, Union Trust Building, Washington, D. C....