Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-04-11
EXCELLENT ANNUAL REPORT.
FIRST YEAR OF THE OPERATIONS
OF THE HUMANE SOCIETY
AS A STATE INSTITUTION.
Summary of the Work Accomplished
by This Branch of the Organiza-
tion-The Number of Cases Inves-
tigated by the Society and its
Agent Was Seven Hundred and
Eighty-three.

through very prosperous year and
has reason to look with pride upon the
work accomplished in the various de-
partments. The Society has just issued
its annual report, which is as follows:
office of the West Virginia Humane
Society, Wheeling, April 1st, 1900.
with this, the March report, closes
the first year of the operations Of this
Society as State institution.
"The work accomplished by the local
organization during the time has been
reported monthly 60 the SOciety's State
officials somewhat in detail, sufficient,
it is believed, to fully inform them of
the character OF the work done here,
and of what it embraces. The result
of much of these efforts will only be
disclosed by the future; lasting and
widespread benefits, we think, cannot
fail to follow upon this work What
is apparent, however, it is believed, will
JUSTIFY the conclusion that our State
legislature acted wisely in enacting a
law making a State organization of
what had been a local society only,
and making an appropriation to carry
on the work as such, and, judging
from what has been accomplished, any
doubts that may heretofore have been
entertained as to the policy of the
State lending assistance to this work
should be removed in view of what
has been done in this the first district
of the subdivision of the State-even
now but partially organized.
"A slight examination Of the work
done will disclose, even to the indiffer-
ent and thoughtless, much suffering al
leYiated, and many of the young placed
in positions that can but lead TO their
moral elevation; thus far tending to
the depletion Of the ranks of the law
breakers, and OF those on the road to
destruction. 1t will also show that
limited in extent as to territory en-
braced so far, enough can be Shown to
convince all. that were these opera
tons confined to this one district,
through the alienation of physical
distress among the aged and helpless,
the removal of those of tender years
from temptations and allurements, by
which they have been surrounded and
influenced probably all their lives;
from paths leading to disgrace and
ruin, and from abodeS that present for
the future only life of shame; to say
amelioration of the condition OF ami
mails, the State would be amply repaid
for the comparatively small eXpendi
ture, and the Society, the dispenser of
this benevolence and guardian of the
fund, be given credit for the careful
disbursement of it, and the great work
accomplished through it's instrumental
ity.
by some onlookers it will probably
be charged that in relieving the dis
tress OF people of middle age, who
originally are, or ought to be, able to
help themselves, but who, through I'M
toward circumstances, misfortune or
accident, have become temporarily I'M
able to do so, this society in giving
such helping hand, has touched upon
the field of operations, or preserves,
Of some other benevolent or charita-
BILE association. To a certain extent
this may be true, but in determining
this, it should not be overlooked that
in many cases, relief TO be valuable
must be speedy and when confronted
with this condition Or necessity, the
drawing Of the line to ascertain in
whose province this aid is to be fur
nlshed, or by whom proffered, is neither
the part of wisdom or true charity.
This charge, therefore, will neither
disturb our equanimity or influence
our actions.
The society having but one paid
official, the agent, labors under the
disadvantage of having no officer to
superintend and direct the operations
OF the agent, and the conduct of the
Work generally. Properly organized,
the agent should work under the
supervision and control of the secre-
ta:y, and should at all times be sub
Ject to the secretary's orders. This
would require too much OF the time
and too close attention to ask of any
one at all fitted for the position of
secretary without compensation. The
duties of the last mentioned official
according to the bylaws of the local
organization, provides for just such
supervision, involving much of his
time; he, therefore, is daily evading
these provisions. The present acting
secretary has refused the position Of
secretary because of the amount o.
work attached to the Office to fully
comply with the requirements of the
by-laws. There appears to be no rem
edy for this, as the amount of dues
received from the membership Will not
nearly meet the incidental expenses.
which are largely met by contributions
from friends. The appropriation BIZ
the State may not be drawn on for
the purpose, hence it follows that Inc
organization is not equipped with the
necessary officials, or these Officials
are not clothed with the power to en-
able them to perform their duties
properly, in order to secure the best
results, even in this limited field of
operations. The officers of the State
society cannot, owing to the restric-
tons placed upon them, by reason Of
the conditions as to the use of The
fund appropriated and in their hands.
exercise any supervision of the district
officers. 1t follows that the agent is
LETT to manage the work pretty much
in his own way; to be active and dill
gent in looking after the interests OF
the society, if so disposed. or the re-
verse of this if so minded, subject only
to the secretary of the board of direc-
tors, which when exercised leads 10
long and laborious sessions of the
board, worrying with details that
ought to be settled by the proper ex-
ecutive officer, lettering, no doubt,
many members of the board from at
tending the meetings on this account.
and to the sighting of other busine
probably Of equal or more importance.
II nevertheless is plain that this is
q defective feature OF the organization.