The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-12-19
WANTS WOMEN FOR CHARITY
 INVESTIGATORS
Supt. Johnson Outlines His Views on Changes in
 Handling Poor Funds Thinks Clerkship Should Give Way to. Demand For
 Stenographer


 & sConsenting to discuss in detail and without reserve, for the benefit of the Farmer readers, the recent recommen- dations as briefly submitted to the Board of Charities in his last report t, Supt. Fred Johnson today disclosed radical changes which are contemplat- ed to free the bureau from the chaotic and Seventeenth Century Standard" he characterized it. have been hamper ed by in the past.
 sSynopsized, these changes, yet to be definitely decided upon. by the Board, include, CD, the absolute. lifting of the department from the refdotest sway of politics; %, the practical abolition of the. present office of Clerk Of -Chari- ties, merely. retaining the title .nomfn- ally to conform with charter require ments; (3), the introduction of~ women ferablye civil service appointees, into the service, and (4), the general sys- tema tizing of the present work through a. carefully compiled and accurately revised system of cards.
 Prefacing his interview with the re mark, No charity department or. re- ducted without adequate records, :" Sspt. Johnson said in substance:
 The principle requisites in such work are definite knowledge of the ante cedents of the individual case, as well as close personal touch with, the person who is to be aided This pre- dicates two essential things. The first is a series of records which will show at a glance what has been done and just what the history of each case has been. By. the aid of this dupli- siderable time and expense saved.
 The second factor in successful charity work is to have the investi- sgators who are able through sympa- thetic and personal touch with their charges to reach and aid a class of fself-respecting and sensftively d1spos- ed unfortunateS who under the pres ent staff and equipment cannot be adequately assisted. .
 We have one inspector-Mr. Morris sey-and he is overburdened even now mot the time necessary to follow up the cases his preliminary investiga- ed in addition to take up the thread at the point where he leaves off, to follow it directly into the homes and to get definite information from the as might not be confided to a man.
 The use of women in charity work needed. Our department Of Public Charity is far behind the times: in comparison to cities of. equal size in this respect Some cities employ as many as eight women to perform the volume of detail now thrown upon this department. 1t is IaboF of "a Especial
 haracter and requires not alone a fundamental and theoretical know1- edge but practical training, as well. To obtain the best results and event uaI economies, such. a woman could fitting. is not onl temp enta1 but vocational. should my { suggestions board should strongly deprecate the appointments of anyone through friendship or. influence. and as far IS any charity workers are employed heartily advocate civiI-sertfce= ap-
 Of more than prime irnpdrtahce is the matter of records and for that purpose a stenographer is required, not alone to prevent the continual re- investigation of old cases which de- lay the department in the disposition of cases today, but to, carry on the in- ereasing volume of correspondence with other cities throughout the country which is necessary. There is ' constant interchange of letters with the bureaus of other cities as far west a San Francisco, and I may state with candor that Bridgeport is about the only city of it's size that I find unemployed with sufficient Steno- graphic and typewriter facilities. It may be questioned by the average cit izen why outside correspondence is necessary and will cite an instance. It was but recently that a family in this city was abandoned by the hus- 5and It later learned that he vas in San Francisco and in an effort 70 affect a reconciliation, through ex- change of courtesy one of the Golden Bate investigators actually visited the nan there and reported uponsthe con- 1itions. This is but one of the many sases upon record. e<
 For this reason I have asked for a .tenographer even though the clerk hip may have to be sacrificed to ob- -ain the extra staff- believe that one of my assistants could be delegated to undertake the present duties perform ed by the clerk, and although there nay be certain legal foTmaHties and he present City Charter these may se easily overcome if the Board sees
 it to carry out the present program
 [ believe that a department of this -rind. aiding as 1t does the poor in heir homes must be absolutely dt- Vorced from the restricting influences if politics In advocating the appoane- nent of women, T am tactuated by the experience of the most progressive ana efficiently conducted departmentsF or other cities While. it is not of such ,stenographer be filled by a. woman, that of investigator should De given to somebody that is <" fully acqua1n1ea 70 the work to be undertaken, under stands thoroughly the solution of the problems that will confront them, and let, such a person peIIree 10 treat eacn Asked directly if from prior remarks t was not to be logically inferred that Pharmacist Thomas Cox was eonten- plated to take the place of Clerk Den his. O'Neill Supt.- Johnson refused to either affirm or t-deny his name had been mentioned in such. connectlon, lQdfDS now W1tlA- e iAO StOoA0 have to refuse to commit himself as such action or announcement would 5emain entirely within the Jurisdiction # the Board.
 could continue indefinitely to give the public strong arguments Tn fayor lf the changes I believe are necessary to raise this department above the Seventeenth century standards which rave been in vogue in the past but ~ealize that space is at a premium. I wish in conclusion to state however, that I have none in view as candi- dates for the positions which may be created by the board, only advocating that those trained in the work. fires speetive of politics or friendships be employed.
 Stamford, Dec 19-T'wo freight trains we're in a rear-end collision while be-