Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-07-13
CHARITIES AND CORRECTIONS.
An Interesting Session. Monday. With Its Ad
dresses. Papers and Discussions.

Toronto Ont, July 12.-There were
no section meeting of the conference
Charities and Correction, this morning,
but the general session began at 0
o'clock. Many interesting papers were
read and warmly discussed. Among
them were the following: Reports
from States" by Chairman w. II. Hart
of Minneapolis: The Relation of the
Public to the insane" by DR.. Daniel
Clark of Toronto; "After-care of Re-
covered and Convalescent Insane
Patients" by DR.. Richard Dewey of
Wanwatosa, Wis: The Education of
the Epileptic. With Especial Reference
to the Value of Industrial Forms by
DR.. VIM. p. Sprattling of Sonyea, New
York
At the afternoon session, these papers
were read: Municipal and State Free
Employment Officers, by Chas. f.
Bartram Of Columbus. Ohio; Every
day Problems in the Administration of
Charlie Caused by the Drink of Evil.
and Practical Methods of Dealing
Herewith" by Henry N. Raymond of
Cleveland. Ohio Among those taking
part in the discussion was George S.
Wilson of Washington, d. C.
Ought We Not to Have a More
Uniform and Thorough System of
Keeping the Statistics of the Schools
in Our Country?" by E. Carl Bank,
Waterman, Cal. rs Department
Record Advisable in Our SCHOOL," by
J. w. Brown, of Red Wing, MINI. THE
Duty of the State in the Care of the
Insane; Is 1t Based on Sentiment or
the Scientific Solution of a Problem?"
by DR.. P. NJ. Wise of New York.
Prof. Francis G. Peabody of Harvard
University. spoke on the subject of
developing the Social Up-Draft." He
said in part:
"In Mr.. Charles Booths epoch making
book about London, there are two re-
markable chapters by Mr.. Llowellyn
Smith. on the influx of population to the
city. There is, says this very competent
inquirer a sort of iu-draft which draws
the country-dweller to the town. In ad-
dition to the in-draft to the city there Is,
Mr.. Smith proceeds to show down.
draft within the city. City life, that is to
say. is deterorating in it's industrial eff
feet London life first invites, and then
degrades.
While the proportion of country born
for the whole metropolis is IS per cent.
the centers of the greatest poverty. like
Bethnal Green and Whitechapel contain
Hess than 20 per cent, while the West
end, the center of luxury. contains not
less than 50 per cent. of migrants from
the country.
"All this makes very striking picture
of the great modern movement to the cit
les. but the figure may be given a much
wider application. For is not the whole
story of moral ameliora ton and degen-
Grafton something like the kindling OF the
fire upon your hearth. The problem OF
the fire lies in the development of the up
draft. Choke the up-current and the in
draft fills your room with smoke. Let a
contrary wind blow in on the half-kin-
died flame and the downdratt puts it
out. Sometimes it is the excess of ashes
and clnkers deposited below which hin
very excess of fuel that kills the fire
Sometimes there is too much advice and
too dilgent poking of the flame.
THE only worthy problem of charity
calls for two distinct things: First, the
removal of the non-contributory material
and. secondly, the adjustment of things
So as to give d chance for the up-draft.
On the one hand there are people who
want to rise and who are prevented by
their evil conditions, and then there are
the group of people who have not the
least idea of working if they can help it,
The first step in scientific relief is to dis
eliminate between these types. Treat
] til, m alike. and you wrong the worthy il
| order to favor the shameless. The treat
ment of the won't worlers' must be made
subordinate and contfibutory to the en-
| enlargement of the worthy. The centra
problem of social service is not. as is
| often supposed. the rescue and protection
| OF the most degraded; it is the encourage
| mcnt and development of those who have
in them the desire for self-help."