The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-10-07
ROAHOKE'S CHARITY WORK.
What it is Desired to Accomplish
the Coming Winter.


OF oolng this years charity work should
De discussed. Roanoke has done good
work In the past and too good in some
respects for its own good. The charity
mas been too indiscriminate. Individual
societies, notably the Union Benevolent,
mas Disseminated and has done it's work
wisely and economically.
100 much praise cannot be given TO
mrs. Ehrman, the president Of this organ
lzatlon, who gave her time and Thought
during the past year without stint to
thaC cause, and whose efforts to do the
work Imposed upon her were untiriup.
The dispensation of charity in Roanoke
IS no slnecure. 1t is not pleasant to hear
the complaints of those who sometimes
furnish the means of charity and of those
VINO are beneiicaries, but Mrs. Ehrman
olu this work, caring for hundreds of
cases, and withouta cents worth of COM
pensation, and, SO far as we have heard
with very little public commendation'
winch she so richly deserves. Now. that
work must he undertaken again. There
VIII he more need this winter than last.
People who never asked charity before
are asking 1T now. There is very little
more work to be done. People have strup.
gled on, making ends meet until now. and
they are mt The end Of their means. AL
ready, before the trying seascn has come.
people are asking for help. This will in
crease.
IL is also fact that unworthy people
gather either in the city or in the suburbs
and from these points make daily begging
expeditions to the homes of the peoplc.
Even now, housekeepers and merchants
testify that people are coming to them
daily for help.
OF course, this work must be kept up:
put something must be done Q) 10
weed out the unworthy, i2) to
stop indiscrininate giving, (3) to
preserve the self-respect of the people.
and az to provide some way t.. give
people work anu offer provisions ut such
price as to make it possible for the
needy to live at minimum cost and ut
the same time help in their own support.
AS TO the first. 1t has been suggested that
CounciN prohibit begging on the street.
Ihls, 1T is understood, is done in Balti-
more. This should be considered. This
will stop the influx OF the unwo1thv
There are charitable organizations in the
Lutheran, Methodist, baptist, Episcopal
and Presbyterian Churches Besides these
the Union Benevolent Society, Kings
Daughters, and possibly some other or
ganlzations do NIL INSTRUMENTATION
work. There is no concert among them
so that each society may know what the
others are doing and who are heinz
helped. The result last winter was that
the same family was being helped at the
same time by three or four societies
This should not be-
The need of some concert in the work
is apparent. Such description of appli-
cants should be taken as will enable encb
orga nizaton to identify the applicant,
and this avoid imposition and waste of
mate rial
The self respect of people should be
preserved. They shonld he he lped to help
themselves rather than to be cared for
entirely: Charity without any reference
TO this is hurtful and wasreful. The
Self Help Society Of the First Presbyte-
rian Church made this the feature of
their work and with excellent success.
The working of the principle can be made
much more extensive.
Some way must he provided to put peo-
pie in the way of helping themselves. II
has been suggested that the city provide
II place near thu courthouse where the
men can break stone and be paid at the
rate of fifty cents per day This is small
living for family; but if now the prin-
clple OF self help, rs already tried, is put
into operation and orders are issued to
merchants for food at n reduced price,
NV hiIf CCHbS w III US SuluCtenC. For In
stance, arrangements were made mt the
Presbyterian Church Self-Help Society
by which any child under Is years of age
could secure a loaf of bread, a quart of
IN Tx and half Il pound of fresh meat for
five cents. The total cost Of this frDm
the dealers was II l-2 cents, of which
the child paid 5 cents and the society paid
= l-2 cents. Let man take his fifty cents
and purchase necessities at the same D, o.
portion and he can keep his family. Some
organization SHOULD te effected by which
woven who can wash and sew may be
brought to the attention of those who
may wish such work done Many n
mother would thus be able to provide for
her own family.
1t is suggested that the Council act on
this matter and that the president of the
Union Benevolent Society, with the heads
of other benevolent organizations, meet
together and formulate some plans for
systematic and discriminating work
this winter. The work must be done and
somebody must do it. The city as such
is bound to do something
DO you like good singing. Go and hear
the "Revew Four" with James b.
Mackie's musical comedy, "Little Jack
Horner," Friday night at the Academy
of Music