The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-10-17

appeal for more personal service Iot
visitors who can follow up the work oL
the office with the friendship ana III
terest which shall make the work OIL
permanent value. We feel KeeIiy
that often the best results are lost py
our inability to give all the PERSONA
service necessary.
But besides this request, when we
make annually for workers in our own
society we desire this year to make
an appeal for aid outside the Organize
ton Of the Associated Charities we
want to present to you two specidl
needs of the city. We need more ade-
quate, temporary care for infants,
The second need to which l WISH
to call your attention is OF a conNaies-
cents home, for people who are SIM,
ply worn out and in need or rest anu
proper food and also for those VINO are
discharged from our hospitals 10 MAKE
room for more serious cases before they
are able to go to work. The hospitals
have been very kind in taking ana IN
keeping such cases whenever 1t could
be done without crowding out those
who needed their treatment more. But
we feel that we should have nome
for such cases, and should not callupoh
the hospitals to do work that does not
belong to them.
During the summer, at the request
of the tenement house committee OF
the New York Charity Organization So
ciety, we made a short study of very
interesting problem. This committee
proposes to hold an exhibition in New
York Of all the phases of the tenement
house question as 1T appears in the ar
ferent cities of the United States In
order to make this report as full as pos
sibe. the Associated Charities ana
charity organization societies We're
asked to send information in regard
to the homes of the Workingmen IN
their cities We made a careful investl-
cation of ten streets where tenements
could be obtained for rent varying from
IS to $14 a month. We found seven
hundred and forty houses containing
sixteen hundred, sixty seven families,
averaging a little over two families to
a house. Two hundred and fifty-th
of the seven hundred forty houses
contained only one family, 1t Is GER
tainly a reason for congratulation that
we have as yet so little crowding Of
families into the small, dark tenements
of our large cities. 1t is of the ut
most Importance that every individual
who is interested in the welfare of the
city, use his influence that this over
crowding, so disastrous to health and
morals, may never begin.
IF the present conditions in business
continue so that the Office is relieved
of the burden of daily and immediate
distress, we hope to carry out more
fully the general work which will be
of permanent value to the city. First,
of course, we wish to push to a more
complete and satisfactory condition the
work which we already have in hand.
We hope to make our Investigations
so thorough that we shall know the &C
tual causes back of the distress, and
shall be able as far as possible to re-
move the causes instead of being able
merely to decide whether the case
should be classified as worthy or I'M
worthy.
1.-THE better organization and enlarge
ment Of the visiting force also demands
attention, that we may follow our in
vestigations with more thorough re-
generating work in the homes.
THE extension of the home savings
system, that it may cover all the poor
sections of the city, as has already
been suggested, must be carried out
1.-THE spirit of cooperation between
the various charity organizations and
institutions of the city, is all that could
be desired; and this is also true of a
large number of our churches. That
we may add to this kindly feeling a
larger degree of understanding of our
own work and of participation in it,
we are now organizing and hope to
have soon in working order a member
ship committee who shall be our repre-
sensitive in the various churches.
THE formation of a committee for
children who shall assist US especially
in the Christmas work, and later we
hope in the investigation of the prob
lens of neglected childhood is now I'M
der consideration.
Finally, we hope to form a class for
the study of the great, general ques-
tons of philanthropy and Of the condi-
ton of the poor in our cities; such
questions as those of the proper hous-
ing, of food, Of recreation of the best
and wisest helpfulness. The thought
of the possible results of such work is
inspiring, but as we hope for perma-
nent results so we must be patient If
we find that their growth is slow.
In conclusion I wish to express the
gratitude Of the Associated Charities
to the various organizations, institu-
tons and individuals who have CO.
operated with US in our work. or have
assisted us with their money, their
I time, their advice and their personal
service"
Mrs. S. B. Dewey Horace Hobbs. F.
e, Hopkins, Mrs. James Green. e. /.
Comins, Mrs. w. w. Rice and NJ. B.
Lamb, the committee on nominations.
brought in the following report, which
was unanimously adopted: For secre-
taFy, q. H. Haynes; treasurer. Hallecx
Bartlett; assistant treasurer. H. L.
bancroft; directors for the term of
tnree wears, Il. /. Comins, E. L. Davis.
Ffancls A. Gaskill George H. Haynes,
u. 9. Leonard, P. w. Moen. Stephen
Salisbury Miss L M Crompton, Mrs,
A. S. Davenport, Mrs. A. b. f. FEnney
directors for the term of two years, to
I'LL the vacancies caused by the resig-
nation of w. 3. Fay and the death az
A. A. Mclaughlin, c. c. Washburn, q,
c. Sanford -
The chair appointed the following
nominating committee H. H. Merriam
James Early Mrs Fl. A. Marsh. Mrs
Halleck Bartlett
The president being appointed nv tba
directors, no election of this officer toolx
place last night.
After the election of officers, the
meeting was thrown open for discuss
sion. Rev Eliot White was the fret
to speak, and after he had asked ono
or two questions relative to practicaI
cooperation with the Associated
Charities, the president asked for ey-
perience from other cities, and Rev
Henry b. Washburn said: "The stalls.
tics read by the president show that
the problem of the Associated Charities
IS the same all over the country. The
great trouble is that people do not know
what the Associated Charities is do
ing The appeal is to the social i'm
agination of people; they want To do
good without coming in contact viii,
evil. The only way to advance SO
work is by talking to others and e
teresting. them We must MT nar-
sonal character into the work.
Edward L. Davis asked If anyone had
ever known a person to give serio1,s
thought and personal experiences n ne
work of the Associated Charities who
came TO the conclusion that it did not
oIIer the best way. The president r.