The Portland daily press., 1888-04-13
ASSOCIATED CHARITIES
Annual Meeting of the Society Held
Yesterday.
Remarks by Prominent Gentlemen
On Its Work.

The meeting of the Associated Charities
was held yesterday afternoon at o'clock in
the Council Chamber, City Building. Chair
man Vim. M. Marks called the meeting to
order and at his request Rev. G. III. Daniels
offered prayer. Mr.. Marks made short adj
dress, speaking of the nature OF the work OF
the association, and said that the lnvestiga-
tions of the association had resulted in the
exposure of few unworthy cases. Mr..
Marks called upon the secretary, Mrs. Lilly,
who read the report of the past year and
made valuable suggestions for the future.
Mrs. Lilly said that 100 cases had been in
vestigated the past year, nearly every case
representing family. The help, she said.
that was most gratefully received was the
help that enabled the poor to help themselves
Mrs. Lilly recommended that the visitors list
be increased and said that laundry, giving
employment and furnishing training school
and in the same building place where chill
dren could be left while their mothers were
at work, and also place for the instruction
of young girls, was much needed. She rec
ommendsd that particular attenti on be paid
to the condition of the dwelling houses Of
the poor. Mrs. Lilly omitted to read the list
of contributions which have been published
in the monthly reports
AT the close of her remarks Mr.. Marks
laundry as recommended by Mrs. Lilly.
A committee of three, Rev. Mr.. Blanchard
Mr.. Gerrish and Mrs. Milliken was, upon
motion, appointed to nominate officers for
the ensuing year.
While the committee were out Rev. A.
w. Little made a short speech in regard to
the cooperation of the different charities.
He said we can not all agree what to do for
mans soul, but we all agree upon what is
necessary for his bodily necessities. We
have many organizations, he said, and it has
been the experience of the past in many
cases that more than one organization has
helped the same individual with no knowl-
edge that he was being helped by others.
The speaker gave several instances OF this
from his own experience.
At the close of Mr.. Little's remarks the
committee reported these names for officers
for the coming year and they were elected:
President-Wm. NJ. Marks.
Vice President-W. r. Phelan.
Secretary-Mrs. M. J. Lilly.
and the same board Of directors as last year.
Rev. Mr.. Bayley was then called upon by
the chair for few words. Mr.. Bayiey spoke
in very high terms Of the work that had been
done by the women of the associations. The
speaker said that it seemed to him that the
work Of this association was not as well un-
derst0Od by the public as that Of other or
ganizations. Mr.. Bayley in speaking Of the
good work of the association said that there
were especial perils attendant upon the the
development of fraud and unnecessary
pauperism alongside Of it. He
said that the text: BLESSED is he that con-
sidereth the poor" gives the true. idea. Not
the right way and is the especial work Of this
organization. This society furnishes the
remedy for many Of the existing evils.
Mr.. Marks followed Mr.. Bayley and called
upon Rev. Mr.. Norcross of Bridgeport,
Conn.,, who gave an account OF an 0rganiza-
tion in his city which was organized on SO
called business principles, but the ladies
were left out. The society was short lived.
About year after the ladies organized
similar association ON the idea OF giving aid
for service rendered which, with the help Of
the men is very successful, having laundry,
nursery, q reading room for girls, and
other means.
Mr. Blanchard, being called upon, said
that he would have 1t printed In large type,
ISOLATED Charities was ITO encourage the
discouraged" They are the ones that ap-
peal to us. Mr.. Blanchard gave certain
cases that he knew about where encourage
than money, making the recipients self re-
liant and self supporting. These cases, he
said, illustrate the special mission of this
association. Mr.. Blanchard seconded Mr..
Bayley's recommendation Of q general con-
ference of the different charities In the near
future for mutual instruction and aid.
Mr.. Charles s. Fobes, being called upon by
the chairman, said that he believed that the
work of the Associated Charities was being
better understoodland there.was a.disposition
on the work Of the visitors of this associa-
tion. Mr.. Fobes thought that a place
where women could leave their young chil-
prem while at work would fill useful need.
Mr.. Fobes said heldid not believe in solicit
ing contributions for charitable fund TO
Mrs. Lilly, at the close Of Mr. Fobes's re-
marks, said that In Buffalo the nursery was
the most helpful Of any of the Institutions Of
the Associated Charities.
Mr.. Daniels said that his connection with
the Associated Charities began in Cincinna-
ii eight or nine years ago. The object Of the
society In Cincinnati was merely investiga-
tion. At the time of the flood in that city
the Associated Charities disbursed the $780,
900 contributed by the Merchants Exchange
for the destitute.
Mr.. Gerrish spoke of the first days of the
association. The especial point then empha-
sized was to help the poor and needy help
themselves.
Mr.. Burgess, secretary of the Board of
Health, in response the chairman's call, said
that the destruction of the poor was their
poverty; being unable to buy coal, for in
stance, at favorable time, they paid S13,
S14 or $15 ton by the basketful. Mr.. Bur-
CESS said that there were cases of great hard
ship when 3ne house Of poor family was quar-
antined on account of an infectious disease,
which could be done away with BY an appro-
priation by the City Council of 5000 for q
hospital, where the sick could be carried and
cared for. He said that there had been
dozen deaths in the city the past winter
which might have been prevented In this
way.
After vote of thanks to the speakers the
meeting adjourned.
The ladies, of whom there were large
number present, seemed to content them
selves with having done the most of the work
the past year and letting the gentlemen do
the talking.