The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-10-17
ANNUAL MEETING.
The Work Of the
Associated Charities
Reviewed.
READ FROM OTHERCITIES
Nearly All Societies Com
plain of the Goodness
Of the Public.
LETTERS READ FROM OTHERCITIES

Henry L, Parker, president of the
Associated Charities was in the chair
at the annual meeting, which was held
in Memorial hall yesterday evening
with about so persons in attendance.
Halleck w. Bartlett, treasurer, read
his annual report, from which it ap-
peared that the society has been in re-
ceipt of the following moneys for the
past year: From membership, $415;
from subscriptions $172156; from ST.
Marks Church, $40; proceeds of base
ball game, $4S6.2S; special subscriptions,
$44S.5S The expenditures have been as
follows: Salaries, $186O.54; rent, $780,
office expenses, $6549; telephone, $3.50;
gas, $1.54; coal, $25525; groceries,
$374S5; wood, IS; special relief, $44S,58;
printing, $4,000; card index, 1888; hall
for annual meeting, IS; solicitor, $24.55;
secretary incidentally, $1,000; treas
urer incidentally, S26.65.
AT the close Of last year there were
due for rent $145; for salaries, $1OS.17
making total Of S253.17. This year
there was due, Oct. l, for rent, $95; for
salaries, $45.67; back bills, S76.53; gro
cries, $191.10; printing, $685. tele-
phone, $3.50; expressage, $50. The
balance on hand at time of annual
meeting amounted to S48791.
The first address of the evening was
made by the president, who sketchcd
the history and aims of the orGaniza-
ton, and then produced a series of stat
istics from a number of cities OF the
commonwealth, to whose associated
charities he had written for data con :
corning the public attitude. Those cit
les were all of about the same size of
Worcester, and included Fall River,
New Haven, Providence, Cambridge,
Lynn, New Bedford, Hartford, Somcr-
vile, Springfield and Newton. OF them
all, the associated charities of New Ha-
ven was the only one that was satis-
fed with existing conditions, and this
associated charities is, by reason Of its
conditions, scarcely within the limits Of
the case. 'All the Others" said Mr..
Parker, reply in a minor key. Why is
1t that the public gives no more cordial
help to these societies? Why does it
disown it's own child?
There are to my mind two reasons
for this. In the first place, the ass D.
ciated charities is not self advertising.
1t does not court publicity. BY its very
nature 1t cannot. Did it publish ITS acts,
1t would Illustrate it's ends: but If one
tenth of the cases investigated and re-
neVed py the society were reported
enough help would be Forthcoming. A.
other reason, and this is a featura shat
has brought criticism upon the assc-
Grated charities, is the fact that the ,,r-
ganlzatlon is not a relief-g giving society.
Ihls, OF course, is not absolutely cor
rect, for when family is found in need
OF food or fuel relief is given until per-
manent help can be secured. Most of
those employed in administration of
CHARITY agree in this, that relief work
should be kept distinct from inyestiaa-
tlon' Our own society has haG 10
cholce, there being no other charmed
through which relief could be admins
tered
MISS Miriam F. Witherspoon. general
secretary of the Associated charities
then read her annual report.
During the last year" said Miss
Witherspoon, 1--WE have dealt with SIS
families, making a total of 1884 fami-
lies since the beginning of the work
or the 55S families, 1874, consisting of
DOB persons, were new to US. These fig
ures show some decrease from the mum
pers given last year, a fact which we
are very glad to report for we realize
that y indicates the better business
conditions for which we have been hon
ing. In one department especially do
we feel how insufficient statistics are.
and that is in attempting to formulate
causes of distress. We try to make orr
investigations as thorough and com
plete as possible, yet we consider 1t ne
ceSSary TO use the expression apparent
causes of Distress When we feel sure
that we have reached the real cause. the
foundation difficulty, we know that we
laVA taken q 1Opo sto,,
instead of mere alienation of the dis
tress. AS usual we find that TIE com
olned causes sickness, accident and re-
cent death, give us the largest number
OF cases, "A, closely followed bv intem-
perance in 43 cases.
mo new agencies have been brought
into the field this year. We have been
trying to organize more completely the
FORCES already in existence. The good
work done in previous years by the
mothers sewing class, under the faith
ful direction of Mrs. c. C. Houghton.
Mrs. F. w Blacker, Mrs E. w. Allen
and Miss Nellie Moore, was continued
with twenty-eight women in attendance
the classes being held every Saturday
afternoon from Oct. Is to MAY |. The
work was along the same line as before.
the repairing and making over of half
worn garments. A double purpose is
accomplished in this way, in that the
clothing Is made much more service
able and the women are taught to do
such work for themselves.
with continued business prosperity
our Home Savings Society has also
grown, so that we have had to increase
the number Of collectors from two to
six, and to have in addition treasur-
er for the society. We hope within a
very short time to organize four more
districts
The employment society has con-
tinued to give us five dollars worth Of
work each week from November
through March. which we have given
out to be done in return for emergency
relief. For this work, and the oppor-
tunity which it affords us Of giving
what we believe to be the right kind Of
aid, we feel very grateful to the society
again we come to you with the same