The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-05-11
METHODS OF CHARITY ORGANIZATION IN
CITIES.

The charity organization methods have
grown out of the conditions of complex
city life. 1t is division of labor applied
to be%nevolence. 1t is business expert
ence employed in the service of gener-
osity. In a general way every man who
gives money knows that it would do the
most good if he understood the case.
Ignorant giving is as likely to do harm
as good. There is need of investigation,
especially in large communities where
all live an anonymous existence. But
business people have not the time to in
vestigate each case. If they have time
they are not skillful, and are apt to be
cheated. The society provides investi-
gators and places the results of their re-
search at the disposal of those who wish
to do good. 1t is found that beggars
sometimes make a very fair living by
going from house to house with an artis-
tic story OF melodramatic interest and
collecting as much as a labOring man
could earn by honest industry. In such
circumstances q gift is a premium on
knavery. The society offers protection
against fraud. Churches are often de-
frauded by ingenious tramps who rep
resent themselves as they find the creed
of the person addressed. One beggar
will collect funds from several churches
the same winter. But the records of the
society If consulted, will show the paths
of these impostors and fOrewarn the al
moners of charity. Thus the charitable
impulse is guarded against nourishlng
fraud and against the bitter reaction
which comes to duped benevolence.
But the critical and preventive work
of the society is not it's highest feature
of blessing. The most worthy poor are
modest and retiring. They suffer in
silence. and will permit their children
to hunger and grow feeble before they
they will become objects of public char
ity. Such persons are discovered and
silently cared for by the agents of the
organized charities. They are not com
PEELED to go from door to door, exposing
their misery and humiliation, at last,
perhaps, to be treated as dishonest.
Swiftly help comes to them, chiefly in
the form of opportunity to earn, if they
are strong enough.
Charity is an impulse which springs
up at many points in a blindly ins tinct-
i've way. 1t needs direction from ex-
perienced minds. The circles of en-
thusiastic youth may be directed to the
best place for the exercise of their ex-
panding goodness. The best methods
are those adapted to the circumstances
of the particular locality. Perhaps
there is no city in this country where
the plans of charity are SO comprehen-
sive, so thoroughly wrought out, so
finely adjusted to the facts as in Indian
apolis. This is due partly to the fact
that the organized methods came to this
city before the old dole charity had in
trenched itself too deeply in popular
ideas and habits. 1t ought also to be
said that this is largely due { o two
persons whose names are held
in special honor in the National
Conference of Charities and Correc-
tions-Revs. McCulloch and Reed. Mr..
McCulloch has established a reputation
among special students over the world,
and indianapolis has reaped the fruit of
his studies in a practical way. The reg
lister of the Office contains a history
which will be the basis of future plans
of prophylactic charity. Beneficence
must build its theory on a large induc-
ton of facts. The organized charities,
unlike the ancient impulsive charity,
gathers these facts and arranges them
by a scientific system of classification.
The societies all over the Union arrange
the records on one plan. so that conclu-
ATOMS reached may take in the registered