The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-01-11

/ The fifth annual meeting OF the di-
/ rcctors of the board Of associated char
| tiles was held last night in the AL
| bright library building. officers were
! elected, committees appointed and re-
! ports made which will give to the pa
I irons Of the board a comprehensive
! idea of the work of the citys far-reach-
! ing and non-sectarion charity body.
The annual session followed the reg
| ular monthly meeting, which had ad-
! journed sine die. T. ]. Kelly was elect
! ed temporary chairman and d. ]. Phil
| lips temporary secretary.
! Rev. Rogers Israel made the follow
/ ing report of the board of directors:
For the fifth year We present our pa
irons, the generous and benevolent peo-
! pie of Scranton, with a report of the
manner in which we have performed the
! tlust COnfided to cur charge. 1t is well
! to always keep before us the objects for
! which we labor and the good we desire
! to attain To this end we again note
| with care the purposes of this organl-
| ZatiCn They are TO reduce vagran ~
| and pauperism and ascertain their true
| causes; to prevent mdiscriminate and du-
| plicate giving; to protect the community
! against imposition; to see that deserv-
! ing cases of destitutiOn are properly re-
! ieved TO make employment the basis
| of relief; to elevate the home life, health
! and habits of the poor and to prevent
children growing up paupers"
! To this end the Associated Charities CO.
| operates with the poor board, church and
| parish societies and indidivuals, and all
| other associations founded for the RELIEF
| of the needy. II erdeaVors to investigate
| thoroughly and wisely and to refer to
these various oI ganizatiC such cases as
/ IglNg Nn1I l-N tI,,fVa fuf1
and complete register is kept of all APP
plications and inves legations so that any
| individual case may be examined in full
| at any time. The extent of this work
may be seen when it is found that in the
| past five years 9,Sli applca tions have
| been received and 1902 Investigations
| made. The great difference between the
| number OF Investigations and the num-
! Der Of applications Is occasioned by the
fact that many applicants are well known
| and are referred at once to proper organ
| izations or having come for advice only
are kindly counseled and dismissed.
DIVERSIFIED WORK.
The work of the organization is not con-
| fined to simply cases of physical need,
! but very many applications are received
| requiring peculiar wisdom and knowl-
! edge of practice in every day life for
! their solutions. Parents with incorrigible
| children, husbands and wives at variance
| men and women seeking employment,
| mothers and fathers seeking help tor
| wayward daughters, calls from asso-
Citations and individuals in other cities
| to assist them in finding erring girls.
| Add to this the constant watchfulness
! required to prevent imposture by wander
| ing beggars and fakirs--from children
| trained and kept for the purposes of sup
port by professionals and last but not
| least the constant care and anxiety
| caused by the needs of the sick Door
which can be only partially relieved be-
| cause there is no district nurse to call
upon, and you have a work taxing to her
ut1cst capacity and powers of endurance
| the wise and indomitable agent who is
employed by this board.
! Beginning with the hope that the Asso-
ciated Charities would be simply prac-
| tical investigator and bureau of infor-
| nation on all cases of poverty and need
| harmonizing, unifying and most MATERIAL
ly assisting all efforts for the ameliora-
tion of the condition of the poor it has
! been forced by the necessities of the case
! TO assume the roll of adviser, rescuer OF
the fallen. instructor, employment
| agency district nurse and bestower Of
charity in cases Of emergency and immc-
diate need.
In the five years of its existence the
and is continually improving its methods
| of work
Beginning with but little co-operati11
from many Of those societies and ir1i-
Viduals interested in helping the poor. IL
has gained not only recognition but the
heartiest cooperation of nearly every IN
| dividual and society in the CITY. Desir>
ing to direct rome hut to be of assistance
to all we have the satisfaction of know
ing that our efforts are now appreciated
| more than ever before by the generous
and wise hearted people of our city.
VAGRANTS AND PAUPERS.
Comparing the past year with the first
years of the existence of the Associate /
| Charities we can better judge how near
We have come TO the attainment of the
objects we have sought. Vagrancy and
pauperism has been largely reduced in
our city. A number of professional beg
gars have left the city taking their fam
lilies with them. Child begging as a call
ing has been broken up and few children
are now met begging, great contrast to
former years. The associations refer
ence card has largely decreased tramp
and other house to house begging and ev-
cry citizen has the comfort of referring
doubtful cases to the society's agent or
ON inquiry at the office finding the stand
ing of the applicant.
lndiscriminate and duplicate giving has
almost ceased because of the ease with
which anyone may hnd the correct con-
dltion and circumstances of any appli-
cant for aid. Ty prompt and kindly in
vestigatiOn followed, where need is
found, by reference to the proper indi-
Vidual or society; or where urgency de-
mands by immediate relief from the
agent we believe that all deserving cases
Of destitution are now properly relieved
The virtual opening of an employment
office by the agent through which a
large number of deserving men and wo-
men obtain work is carrying out as far
as 1t seems possible at present the very
desirable object of making employment
the basis of assistance. We would most
respectfully urge upon all individuals
and societies the necessity of securing
for those applying for aid some work by
which at least partial return may b6
made by them for what they receive.
} The constant visits of the agent and OF
the many kind hearted men and womer
giving their time TO assist the needy mas
a refining and cleVating effect upon those
who have sunk into degradation and Nth
through hopelessLess or sin, but there i.
} great room in our city for systematic
/ house TO house visiting in certain quarters
by wise and sympathetic people who un
! oerstand how 10 give advice and com
fort without incurring dislike or raising
opposition.
In an those points the five years worl
! of the association displays most marked
advance and an approach TO what Is de
sired which we think is truly remarIabl,
even in associated charity organizations
RESCUE WORK.
And if We take into consideration what
might be called the coordinate worl