The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-04-26
CONSERVATION DINNER;
TIMELY SUGGESTIONS
Work Accomplished BY the Men
and Religion Movement.
From Tuesdays Daily.

From Tuesdays Daily.
The conservation dinner given a.
the Methodist Episcopal church las
night from six until eight-thirty, was
the last of series of gatherings
of the men of the Federated churches
in Mankato for this spring, and was
carried out as scheduled in most
satisfactory manner. Rev. O. J
Arthur of the Swedish Lutheran
church invoked a prayer before the
supper. The supper, preceding the
talks, was considered excellent as
served by the ladies'. The decora
tons had also been hooked after and
the various tables were decorated
with red roses. George M. Palmer
presided, and in few Introductory
the various committees of the fed
Grafton and hoped that this work
would be continued throughout the
summer
"Mankato's Poor" Discussed.
Rev. r. w. Hobbs, Of the First
Baptist church spoke first, his topic
being, "Mankato's Poor" This was
ably handled and revealed some rath
er startling facts; about Mankato and
the condition OF the poor in this
city. This was the report of a sub
committee of the Social Service com
mittee. The question he sought to
answer was, us there poverty in
Mankato, and how much?" After
making a thorough investigation, tax
ing reports of the county commits
sioners and the churches, he found
some startling facts and conditions
In 1911, there were eighty-three
names of Mankato people, which ap
peared on the list as being helped
by the county, and there were {
number of instances where whole
families were being supported by the
support, many were being aided by
the churches. One family had thus
been helped for twenty years, while
there was a duplication of the ia
nous Dukes family, where the coun
ty continued to help for three gen
erations, These are some of the
conditions, existing in this city and
county.
There were two agencies for help
he said. The first was by the board
of county commissioners and the
second, d through the churches. PEG
pie receive help through the society
organizations, through the Relief
corps, which is society of women
with the express purpose of extend
ing relief. to the poverty stricken
and the needy, through the chill
dren's aid societies, organized by the
women, and through the individuals
Rev. Hobbs stated that charity work
was by no >means delegated to paid
workers.
Two Causes of Poverty.
The two causes of MankatO pow
erty were briefly expressed as: Ac
cidents, continued sickness, incompe
tence of the 4 housewife in securing
food, cooking it, and ignorance oil
her responsible This does moi
mean that the masculine member OF
the family is faultless. Failure in
domestic life, was a prime factor
in causing poverty. He said that
i'm the city of Mapkato there existed
some conditions >that would put
some of the slums of Chicago to the
background, for he had seen both
and knew whereof he spoke. Another
cause for poverty, was the lack oil
winter work. He suggested that the
Commercial club take, up the mat
ter and try to secure factories foi
the city so that those who are EN-
ployed in the stone quarries and 9th
err summer jobs, would not be with
out work during the winter.
Another factor for the making OF
poverty was drunkenness, a subject
that need hardly be discussed as il
is so familiar. He said thatF many
of the needy received duplication
help, or received help from one
source, and then asked help from
another, claiming that they had re
ceived no help from the first He
advocated sort of clearing board
to see that no family practiced
this duplication, as there were Others
that needed help too. j.
The Housing Problem.
The housing problem, although MOI
serious one, showed that MankatC
had some miserable shacks. There
are in this city, he said, real plague
spots, where one family spreads the
disease to another. The domestic
problems were matters which could
be overcome with the proper system
He said that the schools were do
ing a good thing in teaching domes
tic science, but that something
should be done for the wives of The
present time He advocated the prac
tice of sending trained nurses in the
community.
President G.. II. Cooper of the nor
NAL school, made report on Mis-
sions," which was brief and infor
NAL He advocated, first, an every
member canvass" and second, in
spirational addresses at brief inter
walls. The result of these practice:
already started, showed an increase
in the contributions for missionar!
work during the past year. 1t de