Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-07
WORK OF THE CHARITIES
Monthly Meeting of District Association
Held Yesterday Afternoon.
General Secretary Wilson Presents
Report for Month of February
The Matters Discussed.

of manager of the Associated Charities
was held yesterday afternoon at the CEN
tIal Office, 81 G street northwest. There
were present Prof. b. T. Janney. chairman:
Mrs. J. w. Babson. Col. Archibald Hop
kins. DR.. A. A. Hoehling DR.. Geo NJ.
kober Dr. NJ. G. Motter. Col. J. B. T. Tup
per. DIR. Chas. p. Neil, Miss Lucy Solger,
DR.. NJ. d. Peck and Mr.. Thos. w. Smith.
After the reading of the minutes of the
last meeting and the transaction of routine
business the general secretary presented
his report of the work for the month of
February. which report follows:
THE total number of separate applica-
lions for assistance made to the society
during the month of February ,492,
512 of these coming from white persons and
$50 from coiored. The number of applica-
tons for the month was BOB more than in
the month of January.
THE work of the organization has been
carried on this winter in a quieter manner
than in any winter for many years past,
and the result has been that we have not
had many applications from persons
able to get along without relief. AS a
matter of fact the needs of the poor have
been Just as great this winter as in most
ordinary winters. but the community has
not been excited by sensational statements
THE total number of separate families
represented in the applications made dur
ing the month is SS1-2I6 being white fam
lilies and GIL colored: 21J are recorded as
new cases. the others having previously
been known to the society. total number
of 41G investigate were made by the
agents during the month"; exclusive of in
VestgatiOns of applicants for free treat
ment at the dispensaries. Three investiga-
tons were made at the request of societies
in other cities. Fourteen persons reported
for inSeSti gation We're found to have given
false addresses.
Relief was procured during the month for
Cos families. as follows: From churches, for
40 families: from relief societies, OF her than
pl,.~. e.,
uals, directly. % families; from the Golden
Book fund. II families, and from the Citi-
zens' Relief Association. for 59S families In
addition to the above, clothing donated by
private persons was given to 43 families
and shoes to u persons.
"Fifty-two persons applied for work only
ard employment was found for twenty-fOur
persons permanent employment was found
for six and temporary employment for
eighteen persons. In addition TO the above
sewing provided for from fifteen to
twenty women through the Cooperative
Sewing Society.
temporary employment for women the need
of a work-test for men is more than ever
emphasized Frequently able-bodied men APP
ply for relief and say they are perfectly
willing to work, but we are not often able
TO offer them employment, and We have
means of testing them TO whether
not they are really anxious to work.
Fourteen persons were placed in institu-
tons during the month-cight for tempo
rary treatment and six for permanent care.
Transportation was procured for one per
son to friends outside the city: JOG letters
were received by the agents during the
month making requests for Investigations
and other Inquiries concerning poor fam-
lies and 40 written reports inquiries,
etc. were sent out by the agents.
There still remains to the credit Of the
poor people on deposit something over $500
and from now this amount will in
crease because the Withdrawals unless in
cases of sickness. accident, etc, have al
most ceased, while deposits are beginning
to come in again.
We are glad to report that the work of
District nursing has been started in WASH
ington. Through the kindness of a benevo-
lent lady a trained nurse has been employed
to work as district nurse in of the san
itary districts of South Washington. The
nurse went to work on March l and has
arranged for the keartiest co-Opera ton with
our agent in that section. There can be
no question to the need for such nurses
and 1t is 10 be hoped that others may soon
be provided for the other sections of the
city
The question as to how to provide some
work-test for abe-bodied men, who APP
ply for relief for their families, was re-
ferred to the committee on provident plans,
with a request that they consider the mat
ter and If possible report some practicable
scheme which would enable the society to
offer some employment to every able-bOdied
man applying for relief.
DIR. Motter, chairman of committee on
division organization, reported that the
work was progressing satisfactorily in the
various divisions of the city. He reported
further that series of conferences on
charity work had been arranged by the
committee in charge of the third division
These conferences to be held once a
week during Lent and 1t is expected most
of the churches and private charitable or
ganiZa tons in the division will be repre-
scented at the meetings.
Or. Motter also reported that friend of
the society had kindly offered to procure
for the society a number of books on phil
anthropic subjects to be kept in the So
ciety's Office for the use Of the members
and friends Of the organization and others
interested in charitable work About fifty
new volumes of standard works on Dues
ions relating to charitable work have al
ready been received and others have been
ordered. 1t Is hoped that this library will
be a valuable aid in the educational work
of the organization
1t was stated that through the kindness
Of benevolent lady district nurse had
been employed to give her services to the
poor in one of the sanitary districts of
South Washington, and a request was
her headquarters at the branch office of
The Associated Charities In that section AS
II Is the purpose of the society to encour-
age such efforts and it is deemed important
that all those working on behalf of the
poor should cooperate. the request was
granted by unanimous vote.