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Kindling Wood

.FOR SALE..

During the past winter relief bureaus have given to applicants, instead of free fuel, etc., tickets enabling them to earn money enough at the

Charity Organization Society's

Wood Ward

to buy their own supplies. The wood yard is in consequence over-
stocked with both LOG and KINDLING WOOD in all sizes and grades.
The prices are those of the regular market, and the wood is all hand cut.

THE PATRONAGE OF THE PUBLIC IS RESPECTFULLY SOLICITED.
REGULAR CUSTOMERS ARE REMINDED THAT THEY CAN BE OF GREAT ASSIST.
ANCE BY LAYING IN THEIR SUPPLY OF WOOD NOW.

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OLD CLOTHES, NEW UNDERWEAR,

AND RAGS TO BE WASHED AND DYED FOR
RUGS AND CARPETS

are desired by

The Workrooms

for Unskilled Women

of the

CHARITY ORGANIZATION

SOCIETY.

516 West 28th Street.

Old garments and rags are used to supply work for those who would otherwise need relief, and the work is made a means of training for self-support.

The Charity Organization Society will send for packages. Address, 105 East 221 Street.

Telephone, 380 18th Street.

CHARITIES

The Official Organ of the Charity Organization Society of the City of New York.

VOL. V.

CONTENTS.

Principles of Co-operation..

MARY L. BIRTWELL.

A Radical Proposition....

JULY 14, 1900.

I

4

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A clergyman once said that the story of the Good Samaritan illustrated the ancient method of charity; the modern method would have been to clear the road to Jericho of thieves. It is, indeed, no less a task than this that we have set for ourselves,-" working toward our own extinction," but not in our day will the need cease for the work of the Good Samaritan.

It is of the utmost importance, however, that every worker should understand, at the outset, the relation of curative to preventive measures, the relation of relief to the work of charity organization as a whole, and to the whole field of charitable endeavor. Relief work is of great importance, but in the words of Prof. Warner, we must not

No. 7.

become "so busy with immediate needs as to have no time to prevent their recurrence."

It is to reduce the danger of this to a minimum that many of our charity organization societies adhere so strongly to the policy of holding no funds for relief. It is merely a matter of emphasis, and we must be sure to put the emphasis in the right place.

But not only should the professional charity worker understand wise principles of relief; all givers and workers in a community,-individuals, churches, relief societies, public officials, should hold sound principles in common and act in accordance with common convictions. Otherwise we shall work at cross-purposes, and defeat the very ends at which all are aiming.

Now it is the need, or the supposed need, of relief, that generally brings a family to our attention in the first instance; and it is the planning of relief and friendly assistance for individual families that opens the way to practical co-operation, bringing us into contact with fellowworkers, promoting mutual understanding, offering an opportunity to illustrate the utility of our methods, and to explain our broader aims.

Let us consider some of the prin

ciples by which all should be governed. If careful and thorough initial inquiries have first been made, and every effort to avoid the necessity of relief,-by wiser use of existing resources, or by the development of new resources within the family, have proved unavailing, what principles should govern the administration of relief?

First. Relief should be part of a plan for permanent improvement.

If it does not look beyond the relief of present distress, it is not worthy the name of charity; it is merely almsgiving. Our plan must be elastic; we must be quick to see the need of readjustment to new developments. of concerted action. There is always room for a difference of opinion as to the most important principle involved in any serious situation. The successful worker must have the imagination to see and understand points of view with which he does not wholly sympathize. He must have the courage of his convictions when important principles are involved, but he must himself be open to conviction as well. He must have patience and tact and good judgment. He must have the insight into human nature that will enable him to draw from each coworker the best service of which he is capable, as well as to understand. the poor themselves, whose co-operation is the most essential of all. Especially must the head of the family be included in our scheme of co-operation. We have learned by sad experience that plans that leave

It must be a plan

him out merely perpetuate the miserable conditions from which we would save a family.

Second. Relief should be adapted to the highest need of the recipient.

The form of aid given should be determined by its influence upon the habits and character of the recipient. The reason we do not aid a lazy man is not primarily because he doesn't deserve it, but because such aid would probably only make him lazier. We should treat people according to their needs rather than their deserts. Our decision should be based not on "worthiness" or "unworthiness," but on the course of action best calculated to lead to improvement.

If we would do creative, constructive work, we must not be bound by preconceived ideas and meaningless rules and traditions, but consider every problem with a mind unprejudiced by precedent, asking what course of action is best, and then bringing all our courage and energy and enthusiasm to bear to make that course possible.

Third. Relief should come from one source, if possible, or through one channel.

Natural resources, relatives, friends, neighbors, employers, should be drawn upon to the utmost. We can do little more valuable work in the community than enforce upon relatives their natural obligations. There can be little doubt that if all charitable agencies acted in harmony in this direction, refusing all aid whenever relatives legally responsible are able to support, an appreci

able decrease in pauperism would soon result. There would be less neglect of old age, and the effect upon the growing generation would have great educational value.

The cheerfulness with which employers look upon themselves as a legitimate source of relief shows an appreciation of faithful service and a growing spirit of sympathy in the business world not without signifi

cance.

The church may be regarded, perhaps, as another "natural" source of relief, but such relief has peculiar dangers. "The chief function of the church," Dr. Pullman says, "is not charity, but the awakening and strengthening of a spiritual life." The giving of relief should not be allowed to crowd out this higher function by putting intercourse between pastor, or other church representative, and parishioner on a relief basis.

Opinions may differ as to whether private aid from a stranger is preferable to that from a relief society; but all would agree that relief should be given as privately as possible, and in such a way as to lessen the temptation to rely upon it for the ordinary contingencies of life.

It may be that public outdoor relief will be abolished everywhere at some distant day, as has already happened in some of our large cities; but since for many years to come public relieving officers will have large sums of money at their disposal, the lax administration of which will create more poverty than it will relieve, and more than most

philanthropic agencies can remove, co-operation with such officers is of vital importance.

The ideal plan would seem to be that the state should care for the permanently incompetent and the incorrigible, who should be under entire control, and that private charity should care for the remainder in their own homes. In order to bring about this classification, private charitable agencies must demonstrate their ability to care wisely for the latter.

Fourth. Relief should be adequate. . The most strenuous effort on the part of every member of the family should be expected however. Especially should aid to widows with children be adequate. We can not expect satisfactory physical or moral results when frail women attempt to be both bread-winners and homemakers. It may be that the method, common in England, of relieving a mother of the entire care of some of the children when the number is too large, is best; though it seems to me the commonly accepted principle that poverty alone, except in extreme cases, does not justify the separation of mother and children, is the only one consistent with our constant effort to strengthen and preserve the ties of blood. The recent work of the New York Charity Organization Society shows what can be done to preserve family life when energy and determination are brought to bear on the problem. It is always to be remembered that every question of relief is a social as well as individual problem. The effect of

Kindling Wood

..FOR SALE..

During the past winter relief bureaus have given to applicants, instead of free fuel, etc., tickets enabling them to earn money enough at the

Charity Organization Society's

Wood Ward

to buy their own supplies. The wood yard is in consequence over-
stocked with both LOG and KINDLING WOOD in all sizes and grades.
The prices are those of the regular market, and the wood is all hand cut.

THE PATRONAGE OF THE PUBLIC IS RESPECTFULLY SOLICITED.
REGULAR CUSTOMERS ARE REMINDED THAT THEY CAN BE OF GREAT ASSIST-
ANCE BY LAYING IN THEIR SUPPLY OF WOOD NOW.

[blocks in formation]

OLD CLOTHES, NEW UNDERWEAR,

AND RAGS TO BE WASHED AND DYED FOR
RUGS AND CARPETS

are desired by

The Workrooms

for Unskilled Women

of the

CHARITY ORGANIZATION

SOCIETY.

516 West 28th Street.

Old garments and rags are used to supply work for those who would otherwise need relief, and the work is made a means of training for self-support.

The Charity Organization Society will send for packages. Address, 105 East 224 Street. Telephone, 380 18th Street.

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