New-York tribune., 1896-06-01
THE CHARITIES CONFERENCE.
TOPICS TO BE DISCUSSED AT GRAND RAP.
IDS THIS WEEK.
THE pHILANTHRoPic WORK AND PuPosD OF
THE ASSOCIATED BoARDs-poPuLAR
To DE OVERCOME

THE ASSOCIATED BoARDs-poPuLAR
PREJuDIcEs TO BE OVERCOME
Twenty-Five years ago the members of the boards
n, Charities OF Illinois. Wisconsin and Alchsan
met at Chicago, to confer on matters concerning
their official duties. out OF this meeting grew '"o
vears later. the National Conference o, Charities
"a Cor,ec.ians which VIII assemble In Grand Rap
"a, %, ia ,yenty-third annual meeting. More than
, thousand different institutions OF charitable ana
correctional nature Will be represented tnere aha
their represen, ,atves. though for the most par' ul'
known TO fame will yet be experts ana spec'aIs"
In their own lines. Among them, however VIA "
some whose reputation Is as wide as the interest
taken in these subjects the world over OF these are
Bishop Gillespie who Will preside at the opening eA'
.-c,sea. President Angel. Of Ann ArboT; W. r.
rs,c,vorth OF Buffalo, Philip c. Garnett. o. Phla'
as,nn,a. Professor Francis Peabody, OF Cambridge
D.a, Hodges OF Boston. and PROFESSOR "iAnsa
Tavlor OF Chicago. The president o, the c'h'ei."''
this year Is A. O. Wright. OF the Wisconsin ga"
Board of Charities. who has been n ne'hO-r o' ~"
National body from the teClnnng
A glance over the reports OF the last dozen yees
vclumes which for their capital importance Ss
N ha found In every great library Of Europe SEQ"
that the tendency Is continually TO limit the mum
her Of topics discussed AMI deepen the worA IN ~
subjects presented. Formerly almost every io'm
work and theory Of work was discussed Inc 'of'
for this year large anu inclusive s'o'ee.
"Tuvonre Refo-n,atorIes" Charity ORGANIZATIONS
.The Insane Poor" THE Feeble Minded. Ch'''
saving" Social Settlements, State, County ana
vuu.c,naI Charities" and Soldiers and SAILORS
Homes" Two or three years ago the ne'nod was
adopted and will be followed here of oreaShs ny Wv
assembly into sections, each vi It's spec's' s'0'"
which after more or less free treatment io' s
eral days Will be more formally discussed IN pu"
uc evening meeting As general thing. the papers
xEa1f n1l
and ,hs discussions animated. varied and wonde
n,,Iv 20 the point Every il present as earns'
conscious that his next neighbor Is an expert ana
cap,ble OF saying ,me thing OF value IN MS speca
field
These meetings therefore are eminently practical
Mere theor.zers do not attend. or II 'hey a'ehs
they cease to be mere theorizers. Like Mr. speens
pupils they are expected. soon as they have saN
their lesson 10 go do it," and they there pre-
clsely that they may learn 10 do 1t the better bl
these conferences stand :oc far more than tae osn
tit OF those who attend. From the frs the parpC,e
telgence in the subjects with which the conteresss
is concerned No reformer can SO muSn ,ss Is'.st 81
long ago The best prison officials have accom-
pllshed less than they attempted owing 10 90 sne
dic.a laws" Dr. Byers. .or years chaplain o. ,se h
penitenuary at Columbus: and secretary o. ,r. rEs
oner the officials and the discipline all move o~su
the reform Of crime. while society stanas IA IA G s"'
Iespie taught that prison reform must begin d"
with leEis,s tors. but with voters 49,. .,,~
Moro than most people are aware. these corr -,
ences have prepared the public mind 10 receive ~
ideas. 1t ia barely eight years since Fek Aa,e. .
philosophical paper on manual training as ~.
ven,ve Of crime stirred the Buffalo Conieren tn, re
a wholly new IDEA. and prepared the way ios ,,sS "a
rema rkable development OF manual training sa; W.
has since taken place That same year SEN ~" ~
report on municipal charities brought 10 igh. 49,. 49,.
portant facts until then unknown, respec,ins "a, @
transfer OF children from aimshouses 10 sest.
institutions under the Chdrens law. ana az TS srs
tered check rapidly growing abuse, snc lIs
are no public abuses where there tuiI iu1s ~
knowledge" said Bishop Gillespie on ne pls'Hi"s ~ ~
o. the San Francisco Conference In isN ~ ~
making knowledge common property that ''s WV
IS aoins almost It's best work. psod.
Island said once that "the hghes; service o. ", va
Stat. Boards bring 10 legislators ana s,, uvn
OF trustees the knowledge which they nau ne, "a,
leisure opportunity for getting. Ins y So. 80
ticuarly OF this conference. IN which tae 80 80
Boards have preporderating Influence; pnt ~, ~
more than bring knowledge TO officials II !, ps 49,
ful 10 diffuse such Information through the ps, .v
munity. Yet. better than this. Is tne sei, ,s
rendered by Inspiring officials WITH hisneT s.,,s S.
The Intelligent among the wardens o. pI', ss
and heads OF reformatory institutions attena az
conferences in large numbers and with 'oiS'@
able regularity. ,,. .,s
In these conferences the scientific specialist ~ ~.
the humanta rlan come together unGer CRU a.
stances OF mutual service. The former colects ~. m
formation, the latter dsseminates H. both IN
learning here that each has need OF the other, 49,
are learning that there is no true-hun,ani'! va w.
~ no, scientific and no true science that iss;,r is
humane Dr. Wines said that these con-, con-,
ences were the consummate flower OF Chrls'nne ~
civilization. the poetry may be forgiven nj" ~
he sake OF the truth.