The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1907-05-24
The Social Worker.
by EDWARD wILLIsTON TRENTz.

|
the point of view not merely OF in
come and means of livelihood, but
OF usefulness and service to their fell
| lows.
This fine spirit is now turning
many young women into the field OF
social work, a field which is never
| full. and which, IL is now perceived.
requires a better equipment than the
kind heart and willingness to work
that were once considered all-suffi-
Client.
The opportunities OF the Social
worker" are numerous and diverse.
! There are positions, subordinate and
| clerical, or superior and executive, In
| the public charitable institutions of
city and State; secretaryships OF chill
dren's aid societies. the management
OF departments in social settlements
and institutional churches, district
nursing, and, indeed, almost as many
other avenues OF service as modern
philanthropy has mapped out In the
| heart OF man.
Until lately the girl who wished to
take up such work was Obliged to be-
gin without training or experience.
She simply began where she could
find an opening, and learned as rapid
ly as she could. 1t was seen, how
ever, that this method gave one work
er but little opportunity to benefit by
the experience Of those who had gone
before her. and so was wasteful.
To meet this objection a number of
schools for social workers have been
self thoroughly for this work; and
there are also summer schools at
some OF the universities where a be-
ginning may be made. The foremost
OF these special schools are that
which Columbia University maintains
in New York City, that which Chicago
University has established In the
Western metropolis, and that which
Simmons College and Harvard Uni
versity support conjointly in Boston.
The course is virtually the same in
all.
Admission Is open to candidates
who satisfy the directors, by their
proficiency In college courses which
prepare for the work. by their expert
ence in some form of social work. or
by other indication of fitness, that
they are likely to profit by the oppor-
tunities offered. The fee varies as
does the tuition fee in other depart
ments Of university work, but 500
may be set down as a fair estimate.
The course usually covers one year.
Since the purpose of it is the study
OF charity, correction, neighbOrhood
work and kindred forms Of social SER
vice, both under public and under
private management, the charitable
and correctional institutions Of the
city, the hospitals. public Libraries
and police stations and courts are
used as primary sources Of informa-
tion, although there is also instruc-
tiOn through textbooks and lectures.
Visits are made to local institutions,
and throughout the year each stu
dent, in addition TO her general work,
makes a personal study OF some par
ticular field, in order to train her
powers of observation and deduction.
So short an article as this has not
space even to name the great diver
sity OF subjects considered: but mere
ly. by way of illustration, one may
mention the social aspects Of democ-
racy, knowledge of standards of liv-
ing, the family and ties OF kinship,
individual treatment of individuals,
sanitary measures and housing iegis-
lation, recreation, hygiene of occupa-
ton. labor organizations, social work
OF the church, country outings, trav-
elers' aid. boarding houses, drunken
ness. cooking, the use of public Ii
braries.
The graduate OF one OF these
schools finds her work but a contin-
uation and extension of some one of
her studies. So rapidly has come
the recognition of the value OF clas-
sified knowledge and experience in
this great field OF effort that the
schools for social service now act
somewhat as clearing houses for va
cant positions and applicants who
wish to fill them.
The demand for trained and COM
ptteul WOIheES III the various DuDuV
and private charities is constant, and
is increasing rather than decreasing.
Payment, of course, depends both
upon the nature of the work and the
| character of the position. In the
lower places. where the duties are
largely clerical, the wages compare
favorably with those paid TO type
writer's and stenographers. In posi-
tions where more initiative and ex-
ecutive ability are demanded the sal
aries are about the same as those paid
to public school teachers in the gram
mar grades of the large cities. Heads
OF institutions may receive anywhere
from $4,000 to $4,000 a year.
Perhaps the most attractive thing
about social work ia the certainty
that no well-trained and competent
young woman will remain long out OF
n position. and the feeling that the
work by which one earns ones daily