The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1895-05-29
CHARITY ORGANIZATION.
Il VERY BUsY DAY IN An DEPART
MRNTS OF THE CONFERENCE.

and Miss Observation-Disclosures Oi
| Much Interest Mt the Morning and After
noon sessIons-The Care of Imbeciles-Is
Emergency Relief by Work Wise2
The evening meeting of the Charity
Organization section Of the conference,
last evening, was opened by an ad-
| dress by the chairmain of the section,
Jeffrey r. Brackett, Phi. D., of Balti-
more, on THE Tendency of the Charity
Organization Movement" Mr.. Brac-
kett deemed mere congratulation over
the good accomplished by the move
ment to be much less fitting the occa-
sion--such a large gathering Of work
ers from an over the land-than can
did search Of It's tendencies, lnl order to
see what lessons could be learned for
its future guidance. 1t is still young,
still in its formative period. The re-
ports which we receive from the great
London Charity Organization society,
of its work and the work of over sixty
British societies show that, as rule,
those societies are dealing largely in di-
rect gifts of material relief, and that
cooperation and personal service by
friendly visitors are still not highly de-
veloped. Conditions in England are
better than they were, but the lesson is
taught that societies often take a name
which denotes high principles, but cas-
lily fall away from these.
The object of the Charity organdza
ton movement the world over is to raise
the condition of the poor. to diminish
poverty and pauperism by cooperation
of benevolent forces and diffusion of
knowledge touching charity and benev-
olence.
In America the societies for orgahldz-
ing charity number about ninety. A
majority of these, a majority small in
numbers but strong in influence, pro-
claim and maintain the principle of not
giving material relief directly, but of
securing it when it is needed. Most of
them aim to help needy persons to Sc
cure regular work and In this and other
ways to be independent of assistance.
Most of them report that cooperation
is growing and those In communities
where public outdoor relief Is given are,
as a rule, on friendly terms with the
officials. There is, however, little CO.
operation compared to what should be,
in many places, especially with church.
es. small bodies of workers, and benev-
olent individuals. Volunteer work in
the service of friendly visitors" is in
ereasing but several societies in large
cities have done little by it, A great
deal has been done In the way OF edu-
cation of public opHrton to wiser meth
DDS Of benevolent work.
Mr.. Bracket urged as, in his opinion,
the lessons taught by experience, that
societies should stand firm on the rock
of not dealing directly in material re-
lief, should strive to fight against too
much tendency TO centralization' or Of
fcialism, and to build up real live CO.
operation in the local divisions, the dis
tricts, and should do more to propagate
sound principles in the administration
of charity, to educate public opinion to
ideas OF true benevolence Neglect of
the element of personality in both paid
officials and volunteer managers has
wrecked some societies. The wise di-
rection of benevolent work Is not some
thing that anybody can do. The high
ar are the methods a society follows,
the harder Is It's way. The cause of |
charity is suffering much from ignor- |
ance and indifference In high places, |
and a charity organization society |
should not hesitate, if necessary, to OPP
pose methods which lead, in the end, di- |
l,,, nINJ ha t,N,,
If poverty and pauperism. Personal
service and the education of public |
opinion are not easy ways to travel but |
hey lead quickest to the end. We |
must have-not less cooperation, but |
more of 1t, of a broader mature, not so /
much on paper as with persons, work
ng for positive results; not less giving
# money, but more giving of time and
nergy and intelligence; not so much
Lpa'thy to harm, but the Willingness to
light against harm; In short, mot the
of the word charity, but
he effort to bring dt back to it's God
,lven meaning. Following these guides
We may safely press on, believing that
We are on the sure way
Miss Birtwell of Boston then read the
aper or MISS FRANCIS "A. DIllItn OIL bOS- |
on, who was obliged to be absent.
he subject was, 1.-THE Continued Care
f Families" 1t was in part as follows:
When we see adverse conditions grow
lg daily among the poor we must pull
he weeds and sew the seeds of self re-
ance. It has been said that it is i'm
ossible to visit destitute family with
ut effecting some Improvement, and If
o. constant visiting must effect per-
lament improvement. Friendliness is
elpful, for friendship is powerful. Tact
necessary in visiting families that
re destitute. Cooperation with relief
1cieties gives excellent results. Hold
lst to the good which has come to us
nd our poor friends. The destitute are a
ot so poor and helpless and degraded ,
so numerous as they have been.
In the west are encouraging signs. :
he poor are not so poor as before; !
lie destitute are not so destitute. A
reat deal is learned by personal con- :
-ct with the poor. Thus the work
oes on in the effort to save the pres
it generations and the generations to
,me. S
Philip w. Ayres of Cincinnati then T
ad very interesting paper on the f
Ibject, Us Emergency Relief by Work n
rise?" IT was in part as follows: