The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-06-11
FRIENDLY VISITING PLANS.
4 Meeting of Those Feeling Per
sonaI Interest in the Poor.

a second conference of persons inter
ested in friendly visiting. held yesterday
afternoon in the rooms of the Associated
Charities, 81 G Street, brought out an in
teTcsting interchange OF experiences
among the poor and needy The confer
encc was well attended, there being pres
ent in the small room as many people as
it could hold Among them were minis
tiers and weII-knowr society women. who
have become interested in the work Of
personally helping those who are in dis
tress. The session was interesting be
cause Of reports of work done, as given
by several Of the most energetic Friend
" Visitors, who have been given cases
and have reached some success in their
efforts
The work of the Friendly Visitors,
though quite old in some respects, as It
is being carried on in Washington is in
many ways new. Its object is to remove
causes OF distress, whether moral or
financial In becoming Friendly Visitors,
one undertakes TO DO a friends part IL re-
storing to its normal place in society 4
needy family. which has dropped out
through misfortune, defects Of charactar
OF bad training. It is the intention that
efforts should nc directed toward develop
ing the possibilities for seIf-heIp which
can be found within the family The work
is non-sectarian and those who visit go
as friends and not as representa- ives Of
! the Associated Charities.
Father Mcguire. who had been appoint
ed at the first conference as chairman Of
/ a committee to devise a plan for the or
ganization Of the work. and for the meet
/ ing Of those interested in Friendly Visit
ing, reported that it was deemed advis-
I h. =f-rrr
should be held TO enable those who should
be in attendance to understand the true
nature a1d motive Of friendly visiting,
and what the Associated Charities expect
/ to accomplished through it
He suggested also the formation OF
! small groups Of actual workers. who
/ should be given a course of systematic
training in the work, and, finally recon-
mended permanent Committee on
/ Charles F Weller. General Secretary of
/ the Associated Charities, then spoke Of the
work OF friendly visiting. and compared
! it to the work Of nurse saying that
while q doctor has q score 8I cases q
nurse has only one ana while the ASso-
! Ci8ted Charities has thousands Of needy
I people upon its hands, the friendly visitor
/ takes care Of but one family. The doctor
diagnoses the case and the nurse follows
his instructions. just as the Associated
! Charities looks into the situation Of the
/ poor family and the Friendly Visitor has
( but to follow out the instructions given
The qualifications for a Friendly Visitor
h" said. are common sense. sympathy.
/ caruestness, and. above all. persistence
/ The best training for it. he considered
I was life and experience
! Experiences in the cases which had been
/ given TO them. some almost heart-reud-
/ ing II the pitiabIe condition of mind,
/ body. and soul they disclosed. were told
/ by Mrs W 3 Myrth. Miss Belle Edelin,.
/ Miss Esteue Foster, and Mrs. Mary c.
/ Eugg.
The next conference viii b. held At f.15
/ o'clock, June q. a the rooms Of the AS
/ ISOLATED Charities