Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-05
CHARITY BY SYSTEM
Aims of the New York School of
Phi|anthrophy.
HOW HELPERS ARE TRAINED
Technical Education Regarded as
Necessary in Their Work.
TENDENCY TO SPECIALIZATION
Institution Founded Nine Years Ago
Looked on Now as Permanent
Success-Sage Foundation.
BY WILLIAM f. CURTIS.

Special Correspondence of The Star and the Chicago
Record Herald
NEW YORK, June Q 1907
The School of Philanthropy in the United
Charities building, corner Of 4th avenue and
I'D street, New York, which 1 told you
about when 1t was first established, two or
three years ago, has become a permanent
success. 1t now has an endowment from
Mr.. John s. Kennedy which gives it per-
manent income of $4,000 year and is
affiliated with Columbia University under
the department of political science. The
students are admitted to any courses at
Columbia, Barnard and Teachers College
without tuition fees, and the students In
those institutions given similar prlvi-
leges in the School Of Philanthropy. Pres
ident Nicholas Murray Butler of Columbia
University is ex-officio a member of the
governing committee; also the presidents of
the United Charities. the New York Asso-
citation for the Improvement Of the Cond1-
ton of the Poor, the United Hebrew Chart
ties and the Particular Council of the So
ciety of Saint Vincent de Paul.
In this way all of the great sectarian and
non-sectaran societies. Catholic. Protestant
and Jewish, have been brought into touch
with the School of Philanthropy and it has
also made close connections with the train
ing schools for nurses. the hospitals, both
private and public, and all of the state,
municipal. sectarian and other charitable
Institutions. so that the students can have
access to them for practical training in
the practice of that broad charity which is
free from any limitations of creed or ma
tionality." I have quoted this sentence from
letter from Mr.. John S. Kennedy, who
endowed the school,
Aim of the School Attained.
In making Ibis endowment Mr.. Kennedy
explained that his expectations concerning
the usefulness of the school have been
fully realized, and with their realization on
the side of more efficient work, has come a
demand. not only from the city Of New
York but throughout the country at large,
for trained charity helpers. There is the
same need for knowledge and experience in
relieving the complex disabilities of poverty
that there is in relieving mere ailments of
the body, and the same process OF evolution
that brought into our hospital service the
trained physician and the trained nurse, in
creasfngly calls for the trained charity
worker"
That sentence explains the purpose of the
school. There are this year about fifty STU
dents, representing seven different states.
They are chiefly college graduates. repre-
senting about twenty different institutions,
who expect to make philanthropy and So
cial reform the profession of their lives
and come here for years practical train
ing and instruction before undertaking ac-
tive work. A few of the students are rich
or well-to-do with call for philanthropic
endeavor and settlement work as volunteers
and desire to prepare themselves Tor the
greatest degree of efficiency.
Technical education is now regarded as
necessary in all lines of. work. The spirit
may be willing, but the flesh is weak. and
officials who have charge of charitable and
reformatory institutions and those WHO ap-
propriate and bestow money for the support
of such institutions have learned that ex-
perienced men are better than amateurs.
1t has also been demonstrated that paid
men are more efficient than volunteers and
of late years the tendency has been to in
trust all charitable work to professionals
The churches OF New York are getting paid
teachers in their Sunday schools and paid
workers in the missions, and the results are
much more satisfactory than can be ex-
pected from volunteers, because paid work.
ers can be relied upon and feel greater
sense of responsibility because they devote
their entire time, talents and attention to
their duties and prepare themselves with
greater care and study.
salaried Philanthropic Workers.
1t Is estimated that in and Immediately
around New York city there are already
not less than a thousand salaried positions
in philanthropic, social and religious agen-
cies for which technical preparation is de-
sirable. The compensation is about the
same as that of school teachers-from $50
to $500 month. The rate of compensation
is constantly increasing the value of the
service is appreciated. Besides the LOCO
paid workers there is probably equal
number of persons who are giving volunteer
service for which most of them will con-
slider it worth while to prepare themselves
by serious study. These are connected with
religious and private philanthropic enter
prSes and are serving on committees of
charitable institutions and doing settlement
work.
Few people comprehend the magnitude Of
philanthropic work in a great city like
New York. The directory of charitable So
cieties fills a volume of 800 pages and con-
tains the names of LAOS non-religious or
ganzations, as follows:
SociotiaS for provonfion ,rork