Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-02-18

.pxrsus.1< lhe people aodss 90 e.fcum'
stAlees 10 siss - "A applicant ~ ths
s.s<sr. tut refer tue Ssss 10 the socsrt }
fer = rsoors. The only tang "a IL
x,s<a e shs door . . pF,akod card OF
40 r-fsrrsnx ths sprlleAnt a. tns
sscrstzry's oltlcs Kaa ssk.nx tor re-
pos~
ssls vii shortly % ioand that the do
nat,or of TIE card wlll cad al further
kcqea 1tAncs with the cAlls-. &C.
psc-Aliy u = tramp. They gsaera.ly
SAY. .soo. I'm Onto that 6ood-Dy."
whsn . card - presented 70 the seefe-
tAry report - promptly ~ possible
should D< made. aud II suffering - 40.
pAfent q nay bs t<mp0rarlly relisvsd
preferably. II posssbls, Ia some lnstl-
tutsou or lodging nouss under the con.
troll or selected ~ the society. 6sner-
ally TIE applicant wants monsy or
transportation The former should
never be gwen ~ tue door. and the
latter very rarely.
''Public begging on the streets should
be prevented. An ordinance panisn-
inx may be passed. " not already IN
sxlstence, anu every citizen should zee
-
plants m sds vii end the whole busl-
mesa From houss-to-house begging II
little more difficult to repTess
"Ito Of great lm poftknce 10 have the
hearty Cooperation OF pubic authorl-
ties. tue police, the superintendent OF
the poor. and especially the county
agent OF the state board OF corrections
and charities. aud also 10 = certain OK
tsnt the school teachers and school
boards.
"The police arrest the beyyars. detect
the frauds, and IN their rounds come
across the cases Of worthy poor wno
deserve assistance. Ihey nave oppor-
tunltics 10 know II by accident, sick meas
or other misfortune, an honest family
has come To grief. They know the
trua.sts srsm school. They know the
young Tascals about tue town, the
dance houses and the young girls that
ara bsing lured 10 their ruin. Mo-i
efficient work has been done by them
IN buffalo. Detroit and other cities.
The supersntrndentc or the poor may
render invaluable assistance. A COM
plete list of al the families assisted
should be obtained from him, and
upon promise that any family will be
provided for in case of absolute want
he should scratch the name from the
list As public officer, 10 - his duty
20 assist only those unproyided for aud
TO protect the fund In his charge from
every unnecessary attack upon II.
oat OF the Badg~I
"if the fund were entlrely eliminated
from the budget. il would he great
gain, not Only 10 ths city but to the
poor. They would thea make money
IN summer for winter.
''To furnish employment Is the great
object OF tie society. Ii may establish
. labor bureau, which shall act - q
sort Of intelligence office, furnishing
first odd jobs and then steady e'aploy.
ment- A wood yard vail be an ef.sclens
aid. and il IL Astonishing how long fifty
cords of wood will last charity appli-
cxnts-
But the great remedial agent of thu
socsety 10 found IN the friendly visitor.
The term friendly visitor conveys
very exactly snc concisely the mean.
ing OF the oitice and the du1es OF the
person To be appointed to that import
ant position. A visiting friend Is dele
gated IN . certain way to take charge
of an unfortunate family. TIE fire
duty of the visitor 10 TO become thor
oughly acquainted with the family and
its environments. not, OF course, by {
series of impairment. vexatious Ques
tons, which may tend to excite aus
plcion and estrange. but by association
sfhllatlon and SUCH devotion az vii
inspire confidence. IL must grow witt
acquaintance. and will require un
bounded patience.
"A 100 sudden confidence ard to,
absolute change OF manner of life ma,
DE considered with suspicion, Just a
the healing of certain sores too Quickl,
Is but the forerunncr of others ans
worse TO break out elsewhere. Tn,
great ED 10 be desired ia this matte
10 to get % full understanding OF Tn,
character OF the family and the IN
fuences that surround u. Then I'll,
betterment may cOme gradually and Il
little things. And probably nrst II wi
DC we'll 10 inspire . wish for some few
better things within reach by care and G (
ira exsrtlon; aud tirst OF all sucn thing
may be mentioned cleanliness an
ldsness- A friendly visitor Of my nc
quAlntance. after much delicate hint
ng and many delicate suggestions
insliy scrubbed the floor for one poo
woman. who perhaps never lad ssen
-lesn one before, aud obtained IN,
great satisfaction of bearing her re
mark, Sue believed u DID look bette
That way A large majority # the
fery poor do not realize their need
snd deslilutson.
Care OF the chirdrea.
"fa regard to the children. no mattel
how ragged. get them into the kinder
gsrtens Il Old enough. IL not, ant
their mother goes out TO work, &c
them into day nurseries. | will no
stop TO say anything At length OF thos.
fso institutl NJ. except 20 say that n,
city OF the size OF Grand Rapids shon.e
- without them. However. Of IN,
kindergarten. must say tia, as sooE
as any child - large enough 20 % 81
the street q - large enough to be II
suen school. And when child I
scnt 10 kindergarten u ell create "a.
waut in any mothers heart to havs j
tidied up- Tho teachers viii see tbat i
= sent home with clean hsgds and fac.
and some little tnIng gwen II occssion
ally az prize that viii add 20 re com.
fort or appvsrsnce. Then the health
Of the children should ~ q matter 81
continual interest 90 toe visitor, -
pecislly II the season ~ inciement oi
epitemics are sbrOsd. IN tbs way ons
may win a entrance 20 the sfection,
OF family, snd then carefully sne
kdToitiy tesca TIE caiiafen. and
through them ;he parents. mlitnesl
and rsniispess. And here q whess
ons xE-st snG lsstiDg rscompense = "a.
cslved BY tns friendly VISITOR. for th,.
teaching cons.sts mostly IA prsctice,
snd before s~ar- 81 u ths fFisndig
VISITOR hss becoms the ensbotinent ol