Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-30
SEPARATION OF. WORK
NEEDED IN DISPENSING CHAR
ITY IN THE CITIES.
Interesting Paper by Charles E. Wei
Ter Read at Detroit Last
Evening.

Mr. Charles F. Weller. general secretary
of the Associated Charities in this city.
submitted a paper on Relief work ana
Preventive Philanthropies as Related to
Charity Organiza tons at last nights
meeting of the twenty-ninth national con-
ference of charities and correction, In ses-
sion at Detroit Mich. MIR. Weller Is chair
man of the committee on needy families In
their homes and the paper was in the ma
rure of a report he using stereopticon views
to bring out the essential features. He con-
sidered charitable work from the stand
point of making 1t profession, and COM
pared 1t with the science of medicine.
In the beginning of his discussion Mr.
Weller quoted: LAS the doctor is not drug
store. so the charity organization Is not
relief agency" He said 1t was difhcult TO
maintain that diCtum at national CONFER
ences. He declared that many small towns
had found it impossible to MAINTAIN sepa-
rate societies for relief and charity organi-
cation. and that IN the larger cities the
leaders are beginning to ask whether the
relation of relief work to other charitable
activities is not mainly a question OF ex-
pediency.
Separation of Work.
The main arguments for separating relief
administration from other charity functions
he classified under two heads: First, the
elimination of relief work promotes the
clear emphasis of other charitable functions
in the minds of the general public Second
the charity agent is enabled to perfect his
skill by narrowing his range: he may do ms
work better by having fewer duties to per
form" He urged however, that Charity
specialist should have an Intelligent con'rol
of material aims. but he did not bel1eve ne
should rush carelessly into the adm1nistra-
ton of relief
In explaining how charity may become
science Mr.. Weller said:
What is mainly needed now for the ad-
yaucement of charity is the study OF the
poor We need to classify our cases rather
than our remedies. Concerning the various
classes of needy families, we need to col
lect systematic and disseminate the re-
suits of the experiences of workers In all
portions of the country. Too much empha-
sis cannot possibly be placed on case work,
upon the thorough. constructive investiga-
ton of cases. the discovery of successful
means of curing specific cases and the WIN
ming of communities mainly by treat
ing adequately the individuals and families
whom It's members refer to societies.
) Charity work may be expected to be-
come scientific by the development of pro-
fessional skill. professional schools and au-
thoritative standards Of entrance and ex-
cellence in the profession
Preventive Philanthropy.
The speaker declared that preventive phi
lanthropy needs to be emphasized, pre-
veEtive medicine has been. and that
charity organization society should con-
scfousy promote general wholesomeness of
social life, as the medical profession defines
and develops conditions conducive to public
health. In this connection. he said. there
Is a strong and increasing interest among
charity workers at present, in play
grounds. small parks, public baths. in the
prevention of consumption and the I'M
provement of housing conditions. and he
suggested that the workers In the various
charitable societies of city might reap
benefit by meeting together for conferences
to discuss social program for their city
and to plan for the promotion OF preventive
philanthropies. To master cases, the
speaker said, IL Is necessary for the work
ers TO study neighbOrhoods and community
life. Mr. Weller observed that charity IS
becoming more democratic. and said:
Disease is democratic. Medical science
is democratic also. being wholly intent
upon the cure of sickness, whether a poor
rich man be affected Charity, too. is
quite as eager to treat each patient sin
cerely according to his fundamental needs.
AS for charity. however, 1t is difficult to
entirely avoid some sense of patronage in
work which consists specifically in Civ
ing something to the destitute. Charity has
come down to the present generation with
out very radical changes in some of the
forms and practices by which it was char
acterized in the days of kingly rule and
ariStocracy- We all feel at times a hot i'm
patience with the word, and all agree that
one of tasks is to re-define charity
In the public mind. More and more strong
ly as We serve among the poor passion
for fellowship possesses US. We blush
more painfully than our applicants do
whenever the common practices of phiIan-
thropy compel to humi!iate them in I'M
democratic fashion. AS we learn to appre-
ciate the conditions. internal and objective
which determine peoples lives. we can no
longer assume an attitude of superiority
Philanthropic assistance is needed Our
calling is to give it. We therefore, seek
the most democratic means of contact with
our needier brethren"
Social Settlements.
At this point the speaker spoke of TIE
social settlements as a means of bring
hg about the desired end and said that
movement was becoming a great aid in the
Charitable work In closing MIR Weller
said:
he spirit which should be our inspira
tion Is manifest in the Carpenter of Cali
lee. VINO understood the people whom He
sought 10 help. who met with them ON com
mon ground of cordial fellowship. who took
upon himself the ordinary burdens of the
common life. refusing no essential task
however humble who thus developed a re-
Hglon OF social service and led mankind to
speak OF Him. in reverence as the Great
Physician. S''