The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-12-10
The Associated Charities.

The great need OF systematic way
OF helping the poor Of our town was
felt, and two years ago, "The Associ-
ated Charities" was organized. AT
first, with much enthusiasm and gusto
with the Mayor of the city as its chief
officer, and many prominent men as
vice residents, &c., who attended q
few meetings (and whose presence GER
tainly was felt, whenever they honored
the occasion1 bus soon they passed into
mere figure heads, leaving the burdens
of the work to fall On a faithful few
ward committees, and our most faithful
secretary and treasurer.
II the people of Sumter only could
realize the vast amount of good that
has been done through the channels OF
The Associated Charities, - those
who, are eharitably inclined, would
rush to pay into the treasury, as do the
tax payers-when the limit Of the time
draws near!
This way of giving under the i'm
pulse of a good movement, and looking
most imposed upon, when the collector
comes round for your own voluntary
Offering and sometimes refusing to
pay, altogether, can not keep up q
well organized society. How gladly
any member of the committees would
exchange places with the incredulous,
concerning the proper distribution of
their money; for they would then
realize the untold amount of good that
was being done. We fear the mistake
has been, that it has been done in
such a quiet way, that the good peo-
pie, who have kept up this society,
have not known all the good their
money was doing. Perhaps monthly
reports should have been published /;
and yet, is that the way we are taught
to do good, publish it from the house
tops? And was that calculated to
make the poor recipients feel very
comfortable? To hold up their poverty
to the gaze Of the world?
More than one family that has been
helped to bridge over times Of great
exigency, in cases of sickness or ac-
cident, are now on their feet again,
and self-supporting. Almost IN every
instance, that has been the tendency
to help people to help themselves.
The consequence is, there are fewer On
the pension roll, than when it was
started two years ago. But these must
be helped, and Sumter is benevolent
city, when the hearts of its people are
touched. Look with what ready
response, the call was met, for a
Thanksgiving dinner for the Factory
people the other day! and it will be
the same when the call is made for
their Xmas cheer. That is just as it
should be, but what they need more,
is stated monthly allowance, with
which to help them provide the bare
necessities of life; food, medicine and
wood. Oh! how grateful they were
for the wood last winter.
It is positive pleasure-more,
privilege to be allowed to work on a
committee for dispensing help to
them, to get their heartfelt thanks,
and often from the aged "God bless
you,' and yet some of the chairmen of
the ward committees complain, that
they can get no help in the canvass Of
their wards. Now that Mrs. Crane
has been removed from her field of
labor. may others catch the inspiration
of her noble life and ten-fold yield
of fruit, come from the seed she en-
deavored to SOW! Sometimes all peo-
pie need, is gentle reminder Of their
duty, and now, when the winter is
upon us, and these poor people, who
have learned to look to US for aid, are
coming, they have reason to
hope they Will get it, and there is
nothing to give, because the treasury
is empty-we cannot resist their pite-
Gus appeals, and feel we must have
money to carry on this good work.
''The Associated Charities" has done
a good work and when house-to
house canvass is made, the good peo-
pie of Sumter must come to its rescue !!
May God open their hearts, and
their purses! One of a Committee.