Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-12
WORK OF CHARITIES
Joint Report Summarizing
Results Accomplished.
HOUSING CONDITIONS
THE RECORD OF TWENTY MONTHS
OUTLINED.
Large Number of Men and Women
Aid Boards Without Compensa-
tion-The Savings Fund.


The Joint report of the Associated Chari-
ties and the Citizens Relief Association,
summarizing the results accomplished in the
mast twenty months, furnishes interesting
data concerning the work among the needy
OF the national capital. The report mas
been prepared by Mr. Charles F. Weller,
general secretary, and Prof. Bernard 7. Jan
ney chairman of the board of managers of
the Associated Charities. 1t is shown that
during the past fall and winter the total
number of subscribers and the collections
of the society have been doubled, while
within the past twenty months the NUMBER
of friendly visitors, savings collectors and
other unpaid workers engaged in the move
ment has been increased three-fold. Social
settlement work has been inaugurated with
in the year, three new social centers have
been established, and four of the six division
offices have been greatly improved Three
new committees have been organized III m
portant lines of service as follows: Friendly
visiting, Improvement of housing conditions,
and summer outings.
The report also mentions the use OF the
Associated Charities as source of 1nforma-
ton concerning applicants for help, 1t nav
ing been employed extensively by churcnes
and other organizations and business hfns
for this purpose. The results given in the
report are, in part, follows:
Record of Twenty Months.
THE community's increasing confidence
and interest has made it possible for the
Associated Charities, during the past TWEEN
ty months, to accomplish larger service
than in previous seasons, in meeting the
pressing necessities of the needy, in pro-
jectirg new preventive measures, and IN
giving more adequate compensation to the
trained agents who devote their entire lives
to the work. IL short, the Associated
Charities of Washington is gradually at
tanning its ambition to be thoroughly
worthy of this nations capital. The
strengthening of financial and personal re-
sources during the past twenty months has
been accompanied by decided increase In
the work which the association has been
called upon to do Opportunities for help
ing unfortunate families have been reported
more numerously by persons and organiza-
tions interested in the work, and the serv-
ice of the association has come within the
knowledge of the needy who have been en-
abled to apply for assistance.
Zone of the most gratifying features of
the growth during the past twenty months
is the fact that large number of men and
women have been enlisted in some form of
personal service to the needy. A conference
class for the enlistment and training of
these unpaid workers has been conducted
and the results are notable. Resourceful
leaders among the cOlored people nave also
been interested in friendly visiting, and it
is felt that this new organization will be of
great value and usefulness in the future.
The Savings Collected.
These unpaid workers have also rem
dered great service in looking after the
savings collections. Several men and wo-
men, largely members of young peoples
societies in the churches, have been enlisted
to spend an hour or more each week in
visiting a list of comparatively poor PEG
pie or canvassing a selected alley or ne
elected neiShborhood to collect regular
weekly savings of small amounts. These
amounts are deposited with the Associated
Charities, and certificates of deposit are
issued to the parties interested By this
system new ideas of thrift and provident
planning have been awakened among the
poor, while they have been helped mate
| rally by the plan.
The division conferences have been a
! source of considerable strength in the re-
| cent work of the association, and are a
great assistance to the work of friendly
| visiting. An influential committee on the
| Improvement of housing conditions has been
| esta blished. representing the growing de-
/ sire of the Associated Charities and of the
| entire community to remove some of the
| causes of distress by raising the standards
| of home life in comparatively neglected
| neighborhoods. Personal tours of inspec-
| ton have been made by members of this
! committee among insanitary dwellings
| known to the society's agents, and the COM
| mittee has been Instrumental in effecting
| needed improvements.
Fresh-Air Excursions.
1.-The new committee on summer outings,
| which developed during the early summer
| to provide fresh-air excursions for children
and mothers of the city, met with success
| in it's efforts and the response was gener-
! Gus. A social center committee lately or
|
! nished the office in that section, and is con-
| Quoting a series of helpful social meetings,
| in which wholesome entertainment is en-
| joyed. A second social center committee
| has been organized among the acolored peo-
| pie in the southwest part of the city, with
| similar purposes.
! Among other committees whose work Is
mentioned with commendation in the re-
! port are the following: Committee on provi-
dent plans, executive committee, finance
committee, committee on division organiza-
| ton and auditing committee. The finance
| committee is especially praised for it's eff
forts which have resulted in doubling tbs
! number of subscribers and the amount OF
/ collections.
The social settlement work is reviewed ir
the report. Two houses devoted to that
purpose have been established-the
"Neighborhood House" in Southwest Wash.
| ington, and the Noel House. on list street
| in the northwest. Clubs and classes are
being conducted at these settlements ana
many young people are receiving the ben.
efits of the work. In regard to the duty
| of the Associated Charities toward south
| ern cities in charity work, the report con
| tains the following:
Hope for Future Usefulness.
1T is hoped that the Associated Charities
of the national capital, it grows strong
er within itself and more nearly adequate
to it's own problems, may be able occa
sonally to stimulate and counsel citizens
who are seeking to develop modern phi
lanthrophy in other cities by various means
In addition to the fact that organization
of this character in the national capita
should develop a national reputation ant
usefulness it is felt that Washington ha
special duties and opportunities in regard +
southern cities, where the charity prob
lens are especially similar to those O
| this city, and where modern charity or
ganization societies are less developed thai
in other portions of the country"
The statistics of the twenty months
service from November 1, 1900, to July ]
1902. show that the total number of fam
lilies treated in the six divisions was 1888
and the number of individuals included II
| the families was 1851. There were SS
white families, and 1852 colored. Mum
Der of dispensary applicants investigate
was 1881. The total number of familie