The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1903-02-20

had been founded in 1869. This was fol-
lowed in December, 1877, by the Buffalo
society, and in May, 1873. by ours. Bos-
ton followed in 1879. New York in 1882,
and there are probably now over $50
in the United States. 1t Is perhaps too
much to claim that this new movement
embodies a new principle, for the prin-
ciples Of cooperation, of organization,
of wedding out the unworthy, certainly
existed in the very earliest days Of the
Christian church.
But just as old wine must occasionally
be rebottled, so old principles must oc-
casionalIy be cast into new forms in or
der to maintain their vitality; and thus
it is that in our day sound methods of
poor relief have become embodied in
charity organization societies. The
great feature of these societies is that
they represent the cooperation OF diff
ferent agencies The society itself may
or may not give relief. It's character
istic is, however, that through organiza-
ton and cooperation it aims to make
it easier for the individual charities to
live up to what they commonly recog-
nize as rational principles and thus
raise the level of charitable work
throughout the community. In point
of fact, however, our society, like many
others, has gone far beyond its original
purpose and far beyond anything that
is strictly implied In its name. 1t is a
kind of barometer of the general econ
omic life of the country, rejecting in
its work the apogee and perigee of
IN oi1I ~ Sto tiOf1 TT q
even sociological laboratory, distilling
in its careful statistics invaluable ma
terial for the student.
The need nf the society grew out of
the economic condition Of the country
in 1877 and 1878, when the long period of
stagnation following the commercial
crisis Of 1873 had produced an unman-
ageable crop of tramps. The difficulty
of finding work was so great that on
May 2S, 1878, a meeting of some 400 I'M
employed was held on the steps Of the
Old State House on the green, in order
to petition the common council to sup
ply them with work. Among the speak
ers was Alexander Troup, then, as now,
the editor of the New Haven Union.
The committee appointed at this meet
ing waited upon the mayor May 20, and
received the expression of his sincere
sympathy. But this did not solve the
problem. Political aid is not always the
best in such emergencies and it seemed
wise to the public spirited men of that
time to try voluntary activity. Fortu-
nately there happened to be three So
cieties in New Haven which spontane-
ously and Independently, as far as we
can judge. conceived the idea of doing
something to meet the situation: the
Aid society, the City Missionary society
and the United Workers.
The New Haven Aid society had been
founded in 1854. under the title Work
and Aid society" and its object as
stated in the constitution was lin gen.
eral to promote the moral. social and
physical welfare of the destitute, wheth-
er at home, in the poor house or in
prison, especially to relieve extreme
poverty, to prevent street begging, to
expose imposture. to provide employ
ment for and otherwise to look after
Migrants. discharged and convicted
criminals, and degraded children, Coop
Grating in this work with the civil au-
! tilOEttieS, DGttVOtEnb dSSOGkdllbIl5 anu
church organizations. In the first
twenty-one years of its existence it dis
bursed s46,S00, or an average of $3.50
year. From its formation down to 1902
inclusive 1t has spent $57.S34. It still
maintains it's organization under the
presidency of George r. Burton, al
though the demands upon it are less
than they formerly were
The officers of the Aid society reeog-
nized the Importance of the new move
ment, and instead of reviving some of
deemed it best to cooperate with others
in forming new society. William l..
Kingsley had been the efficient presi-
dent of the Aid society since 1875, and
Professor Francis Wayland had long
been it's vice president. The demands
upon the public made by tramps and
| Migrants had been growing acute since
the commercial crisis Of 1878. The Aid
society accordingly passed vote Feb
ruary II. 1873, appropriatlng $100 to set
tramps to work, and appointing as a
| committee to carry the resolution into
effect Professor Francis Wayland, Rev.
w. D. Mossman and Richard E. Rice.
! This was in reality the beginning OF the
movement to establish what soon was
known as the Board of Associated Char
! tiles, and the close relations between
| the old and the new society are seen in
resolution adopted at the annual meet
| ing Of December 2, 1878, when it was
voted: THAT the managers make re-
port each Monday morning of the names
of all persons that have received aid
| during the week previous, with the
amounts given each one, to the office of
| the Board of Associated Charities: also
that all unworthy applicants and i'm
! posters be reported to the same place, "
The month of February seems, under
| the circumstances, a suitable month in
which to hold the anniversary Of the
| association, although it's formal organ
| ization was not effected until the end
of May. But the vote of the Aid So
ciety did not create the Organized
Charities. There was another element
which combined with it and which had
a religious origin. The City Missionary
association had been reorganiZed in the
autumn of 1877, with the Rev. w. d.
Mossman in charge. Although there
were large number Of charitable So
cieties in New Haven doing efficient
work, such as the New Haven Aid So
ciety, the United Workers, etc, he
found that the persons visited by him
In the interest Of religion were often in
want, and that he could not refuse to
~s., Il: