Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-04-14
CHARITIES IN OTHER
CITIES.
Philadelphia Mode Of Conduct
ing Them.

4 H0lIhoOkRAAS
ing Them.
Tho object of the society in Philadel-
mia is the promotion OF whatever tenes
~ the nermanent improvement OF the
moor rather than the granting OF tem-
porary relief. 1t endeavors:
10 reduce vagrancy and paupei-
lam and ascertain their true causes.
Q To prevent indiscriminate ana uu'
plicste giving. ;.r ,rom i'm.
8. To secure the community from in'
To see that all deserving cases oil
destitution are properly relieved; ~,
5. To make employment the DAMS VI
relief. -, .,.no,d
habit OF the poor.
Z. To prevent children from growing
By a system OF registration to prevent
impOsture.
By bringing about cooperation among
all charitable agencies.
BY securing thorough lnVesugatioh
and the most suitable action IN all cases.
BY obtaining from existing charities
the precise help needed; or :. -,
By giving relief when immediate alu
i. needed, and when all other sources
fail. 80, .,ou
substitute friendliness for aims, and IN
spire to thrift, sel;-respect, and better
modes OF life. -.
By careful study of the causes o.!
pauperism, and OF the best methods oil
dealing with restitution and degrada
ton.
The society has a central office and,
also, in each ward branch office where
at certain hours OF the day may be found
a superintendent whose duty it is to
investigate and register all cases reported
to him. In volumn prepared Tor such
registration are recorded "the full name
of the applicant and OF each member OF
the family, their respective ages and sex,
their former employers and references,
their state of health, their residence,
former and present, and time In each;
the size OF their house, its rent, the
amount OF rent unpaid, the estimated
income OF the family, its sources, the
help received from what societies,
churcnes, individuals, etc and together
with these such other useful items or
remarks as are possible"
provided with this record the super
intendent, or some fit person in his
place, visits the applicant in his house,
calls on his neighbors and upon his
EMPLOYERS or references and endesvors
10 gain additional information and to
verify the record already made, or dis
cover its ialsehood il it be untrue
1t is evident that with written testl-
mony OF this character professional or
fraudulent beggars will soon be exposed
In the case OF applicants really needing
relief an important end is gained, for by
this method are discovered the causes oil
distress, what can be done to remove
them, and how the individual or family
may be made sei-supporting. Through
the agency OF this society nearly seven
hundred families, who previously had
been more or less dependent upon
charity, have been rendered self'sup-
porting. Indeed, the aim is to bestow
aims only when absolutely necessary,
as otherwise selfrespect may be des-
troyed, and the needy encouraged to
become paupers. Every effort Is made
TO obtain work for those out ot employ
ment. Where 1t is necessary to grant
money TO meet the emergency 1t is
frequently loaned on condition that
some friend OF the applicant stands Sc.
curity for the amount. The sum Is then
to be returned in enforced weekly pay
ments. This system has proved very
successful with the better class OF APP
plicants, who from sickness or other
causes fall into arrears, but with little
self-denial can repay a loan in small
sums weekly deducted from their earn
ings.
Efforts are being made by the differ
ent ward associations in connection with
the committee for suppressing mendl-
cancy to open labOrtest establishments
Tor ood.sawing, with provision for
meals and lodgings. In one ward last
winter the streets were kept clean by
the lahor-test method, and the results
were satisfactory both in attording tenn
porary work to the needy and driving
away the viciously idle. In the city OF
Providence "iriendly Inn" and wood
yard were opened in connection. During
a period OF twentv.three months the cx-
penses exceeded the receipts by So, 500:
| but as the outdoor city relief Tor the
twenty.three months the woodward
labor test was in operation was SSO,OG2
less than during the twenty three
months preceding its opening, the city
really made gain OF S23, 1866. And this
system had created no paupers.
In the second year OF the existence OF
the Philadelphia organization the city
government discontinued the appro-
priations made for the outdoor relief OF
the poor, varying fIom $4,000 TO So
600 a year, on the ground that the poor
throughout the city were provided for
by the new society.
There are this year 163 ladies engaged
in the work OF visitation among the
poor. As they are expressly enioined
not to bestow aims, their work may be
best expressed in tie words The per.
manent uplifting OF the poor" Each OF
these visitors has under her care about
ten families, whom she visits more or
less regularly to encourage them n
habits OF independence aud To teach
them TO make the best OF the resources
at their command. There is much To- be
! done for the children, especially in
placing them at school, which generally
necessitates the procuring OF suitable
clothing for them 10 wear. Very FIRE.
quently, too, temporary employment
must be procured for poor women. All
this means time and labor, but it IS the
most important OF all charitable work.
The general secretary OF the Philadel.
phia Society, Mr.. Charles d. Kellogg,
will furnish information concerning lis
practical WORKING to all persons inter
ested. His address is 1902 Chestnut
street. Philadelphia.