Delaware gazette and state journal., 1896-04-16
CONFERENCE OF CHARITIES
An Interesting Convention Be-
gun Last Thursday.
THE TRAMP EVIL DISCUSSED
Relation of Organized Charity
to the Community.
Addresses by DIR. j. X. Brackett and Miss
Mary Il. Richmond = Organized Charity
Urged = Some Valuable suggestions Ite-
specting an Important Work.

The fourth annual conference of
charities and institutions opened in
the New Century Club parlors Thursday
evening. Tho attendance was large
and great deal of interest was mani
tested.
Judge j. Frank Ball presided, and
after prayer by the Rev. Merritt HUI
burd, S. L. D., made few remarks
bearing on the tramp question and
making suggestions concerning the
relief of the evil. He deplored the Jail
system in vogue here and contended for
a farm for inebriates and a work. huuse
for convicts. Indiscriminate aims
giving he considered an evil and favored
organized distribution of charity. Tho
judges address was filled with sound
logic, and coming from such excellent
authority was all the more appreciated
by those Interested
Jeffrey r. Brackett, Ph. D., of Balti-
more, made an interesting address of
the 'sRelation of Organized Charity to
the Community and the Importance of
Thorough and Friendly Cooperation.
The subject was treated at length,
every phase being taken up and well
handled. There are two classes of
people to be dealt with by charity
workers, he said, one class whose mis-
fortunes throw them upon the support
of others and those who are always
dependent. There arc two ways OF dis
pensing charity, official and unofficial.
In the first case the work is done by
city and county officials and in the
second case by volunteers. Churches
and clergymen are frequently too credu-
lous and give indiscriminately. This
was condemned, as was also the system
of supplying the wants of beggars
This, / o contended, leads to idleness
Those who give too much and those
who do not give at all are dangerous to
the community. The speaker adyo-
Gated organized charity, and held that
it is the only proper way in which TO
make the work effective. He deplored
police charity and characterized it as
spasmodic.
Miss Mary E. Richmond, general
secretary of the Baltimore Charity Or
ganization Society, spoke on Personal
Service in Charity Work. +" She said
1t is not possible to pay people to do
your charity work. Man is bundle
of mental. physical and moral wants,
and he must be treated as a unit.
Charity work is so difficult that it
cannot be divided up in job lots, and,
therefore, we must all do our share.
In earning money we acquire great
many kinds of moral qualities and dis
cipline. Money is neither moral nor
an immoral thing, but it becomes an
evil in some cases. The isssps-sser cited
as an illustration the case of man
accumulating fortune by hard work
and leaving it to son to be squan-
dered. As far as charity work is
concerned, she saiu, we are still un-
civilized. We help man to-day and
| forget him tomorrow. Organized
charity regards family as unit, as
well as a man. and organized charity
is also forced to regard the community
as unit When the report comes that
family is without coal or food there
is some reason why such is the case,
and the reason must be investigated
before remedy is applied. This is
| the province of organized charity.
This is where personal service comes
in. She also spoke of the friendly
visitors, and gave history Of them
and their work. Each friendly visitor
volunteers TO look after one family aud
through them the work is systematic
and successful. She told of how detri-
mental to the work is case where a
| friendly visitor has family in charge
and some sentimental woman steps in
and scatters charity right and loft and
upsets all the plans. The first lesson g
friendly visitor must learn Is to co
operate with her colleagues and gel
advice and assistance from them. She
told of how she had ministered to q
destitute colored family and materially
al,
urged upon her hearers. the necessity
for doing their work right. Because
charity has been dispensed in wrong
way for so long it is hard to get into
the right way You cannot save soult
unless you treat persons in an all-rounc
way. She sincerely hoped that thii
would be done in Wilmington.
There was some informal discussion,
during which DIR. Brackett, speaking
of the tramp question, advised tina
tramps who come to Wilmington shouc
be advised to work on Delaware farms.
The conference was resumed OF
Friday morning. at 10. 10 o'clock, wher
there was fair attendance. judge
j. Frank Ball presided.
Mrs. Frances S. Garrett made an ad
mirable address on the best method o
industrial training for girls.
III. Il. Haines, superintendent of thu
Ferris Industrial School, made an ad
dress on industrial training. He spoke
of the difficulty experienced in training
boys
The Rev. j. A. de Ruyter of st
Joseph's Home for Coored Boys, wa
most interesting talker. He spoke
of the care of children and told of hil
methods.
Miss Emily P. Bissel read an in
teresting paper on Provident Schemes
for Prevention of Paupersm. A
communication was also read from
Police Commissioner Lawson comment
ing on the work done by the Trustees
of the Poor.
The conference closed Friday after
noon, tho last session being particular.
interesting
After prayer by Bishop Coleman
Mrs. A. d. Warner read an interesting
paper on "A Summary Of Reports o
Charities and Institutions of Della
ware, " in the course of which she CAV
the following information:
"The Friends Benevolent Societ.
issued 979 sewing orders, made !, 5S
garments, which represented l75 fami
, lies. The expenses were 81, 021.7i. Tn
Provident Society supported the Lend
a-Iiand kindergarten and issued az
sewing orders TO 97 women. The ex
peuses were 1853. 81. The Associate,
Charities during the year registere
759. This represented l,32S individuals
t Through tho fuel fund 2S4 persons wer
, giad to puEchase coal ON the weekly in
sialment basis. Tho sick diet file
}Sl orders. The Women's Employmon
Bureau furnished 2i2 half days wor
-, ,,,,n,u,, U,La NYn,i, Il.