The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-12-02
ORGANIZED CHARITIES.
Professor H. B. Gardner's Lecture
at Olney Street Church.

Professor Henry Brayton Gardner OF
Brown University, secretary OF the 80
ciety of Organized Charities in Provi-
dence, gave AN interesting talk in the
Olney Street Congregational Church last
evening, outlining generally the object
OF the society, and emphasizing the de-
STABILITY Of cooperation among all the
charitable bodies and individuals in the
city. Unfortunately there was not nearly
as large an attendance as was antici-
psted.
In beginning, Mr.. Gardner stated that
experience has shown that II requires a
great deal OF work TO get other people
to appreciate what you have in your own
mind.
In every city the size OF Providence
there are hundreds, perhaps Thousands. OF
people who every year fail 10 support
themselves. They do not go to friends for
help, but TO churches and charitable So
cieties. The cause for their destitution
may be sickness, business depression,
natural thriftlessness, vicious habits, or
II Is found easier TO ask for aid than
by industry TO aid themelves, and Others
make a trade of asking aims.
People who ask aid through the
churches, or Of strangers, have lost their
self respect, habits of industry and
thrift, or are in danger OF losing these
elements of character The first asking
is hard to do; the second is easy the third
infinitely so, and practice grows into
bit.
There is no difficulty in Providence in
relieving cases uf real need, but IL we
stop there we stop before having gotten
to the end OF our charitable work. What
the person wants Is some one TO find out
what the cause is and who Will spend
time 10 remove the cause and never leave
them until they are put on their feet
The REQUISITES for successfully solving
this problem are present in charitable
work at the present time.
There must he full knowledge of the
person you are trying TO help. We want
10 know his previous history; we want
TO know IL any one else Is helping him. III
a family Is receiving other help ana SO is
deceiving us. this fact is working more
strongly 10 break down their character
than anything we can do TO build it up.
The only way possible to know these
things is TO have central place where az
such information can be collected. In
order TO do that we ask everyone en-
gagged in charits bic work TO hand in
names and facts. to be absolutely conf
dental, concerning every family they are
assisting.
There are other ways OF cooperation.
Take ii in the Second Ward, where there
are several mediums for charitable work
Would II not be helpful IL they could
come together every two weeks for con-
sultation and advice? The society's dis
trict conferences furnish such an opportu-
nifty. A system of friendly visitation is
also desirable.
The real end of charitable work is char
acter building, and the real difficulty in
getting enough people interested.
There are one or two prevailing mis-
conceptions TO be guarded against.
The list of families we are trying to
collect is in no way a black list. We are
not working at cross purposes with any
church, society or individual.
1t was announced that at o'clock next
Thursday afternoon there will be a dis
trict conference for Ward 2 in Room O.,
No. 20 Market Square.