Evening star., 1901-10-28
LIFE IN NEGLECTED ALLEYS
ILLUSTRATED LECTURE ON CONDI-
TIONs OF THE POOR.
Remedial Work of Associated Chari-
ties Discussed by Secretary We'll
Ier--AppcaI to Benevolent.

ALLEYS, distressed families or washington
and the remedial work of the Associated
Charities were discussed and portrayed
with original stereopticon views last night
at the First Congregational Church. Mr.
Charles Frederick Weber. general secre-
tary of the Associated Charities, was the
lecturer. He has been living in recent
months in one after another of Washing
toms poorest neighborhoods The nine other
agents of the Associated Charities have
also assisted in his inquiries so that Mr..
Weller has secured several hundred pic
lures of alley houses dilapidated shanties,
distressed people, poor streets and insani-
tary conditions of whose existence even
the average citizen has never known. For
comparison with Washington scenes the
speaker used lantern views collected in
New York, Chicago and other cities, where
he has been studying social service and the
conditions of the poor for six or seven
years.
An audience which completely filed the
main floor and galleries of one of the most
capacious churches in town greeted the
lecturer last night. They laughed heartily
at occasional humorous stories and many
shed tears at pathetic scenes of neglected
child life and friendless people in need.
Applause greeted the picture of Jane Ad-
dams, who has made her home for the last
eleven years in the neediest neighborhood
of Chicago and has built up Hull House.,
the leading social settlement" of America,
where 5000 people every week come to
profit from the classes, clubs, lectures and
social meetings which characterize this
neighborhood center of civilizing influences.
Prof. Graham Taylor was also shown, with
his entire family, whom he took to live in
another OF Chicago's poorest industrial
communities. There he cultivated friend
ly, personal relations with the most friend
less people and brought them new opportu-
mites for culture and for wholesome social
life.
Mr.. Weller said that the spirit typified
by Miss Jane Adams and Prof Taylor, the
spirit of personal service, was what most
needs development and emphasis In Wash
ington. He explained the work of friend
ly visitors" who are volunteers enlisted
sonal service, each to one distressed fam
lily.
An Unpaid Volunteer.
THE friendly visitor" he said, "Is an
unpaid volunteer, an average wholesome
man or woman who agrees to be
tactful. patient friend to just one or two
needy families. He agrees to visit the fam
lily about once in ten days, to stand by
them long enough to become thoroughly
acquainted with their situation and thus
able intelligently to improve it. He es-
tablishes friendly influence over the fam
lily and uses it to keep the children in
school; to encourage cleanliness, pictures
and wholesome pleasures in the home; to
give encouragement in times of despair
and counsel when the family are bewilder-
ed by their hard circumstances. He helps
to find employment for the workers of the
family, aids the mother to keep her grow
ing boys from evil ways and builds up all
members of a friendess family by letting
them know, through practical friendlness,
that somebody cares about their well
fare"
Play grounds and small parks were shown
in pictures drawn from other cities and the
speaker said these should not be confined,
as they now are in Washington, to the
Weather, northwest portions of the city.
Mr.. Weller advocated day nurseries for the
care, during working hours, of infants
whose mothers are compelled to go out all
day in service or other toll. The picture
of one baby was shown who had been left
all day to the guardianship of two boys,
six and eight years old. The babe. at five
months of age, weighed about five pounds.
1t was so neglected that the bed ticking,
in which it was wrapped, stuck to its
flesh and the skin came off in large pieces
from it's face and hips. The child had
been rescued by one of the visiting nurses
Visiting Nurse Society,"" and stationed in
the six division offices of the Associated
Charities.
Minus Red Tape.
There is no red tape" said the speaker,
'in the work of the Associated Charities
Citizens are invited to report all applicants
for charity and all cases Of need to the
central office, S11 street northwest. Pri-
vate mailing cards for reporting and re-
ferring applicants are provided free In
stead of giving thoughtless aims to appli-
cantS whose home conditions are not
known, citizens should report to the Asso-
ciated Charities the names and addresses
of those who need assistance. A trained
agent Will promptly visit the address given,
will grant emergency relief at once (from
the Citizens Relief Association), if actual
distress exists, and will then make thor
ough, sympathetic study of the family's
needs and possible resources, endeavor,ng
to plan such work for them as will perma-
nently cure their distress and help them to
help themselves. A full report of these in
quiries will be made to the person by whom
the applicant was reported, and that per-
son will be given the first chance to under
take or to determine the charitable treat
ment which his applicant shall receive In
SO far as this citizen cannot provide the re-
lief, employment, corrective influences or
friendly upbu1iding which is needed in the
case, the Associated Charities will strive to
secure these from other sources
The "Rubber Boots' Man.
Pictures of the rubber boots man" were
shown. and the speaker explained that the
Associated Charities serves as "a clearing
house of charities" bringing about CO.
operation among all churches, phaanthropic
organizations and charitable individuals
The system of small stamp savings was
also pictured, and it was stated that agents
of the Associated Charities collect savings
every summer, in sums of five, ten and
twenty-five cents weekly, from poor fami-
lies who have needed help in the previous
winter, and are thus enabled to provide in
advance for their next winters necessi-
ties. Altogether seventy Stereopticon views
were shown, mainly different from those
exhibited by Mr.. Weller at his first lecture
two weeks ago in the Universalist Church
The audience paid rapt attention, MANY
standing throughout the entire service.
Last Special ExcurSfOn fO Ru6o1n Win