The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-04-23

care the problem of the individua
needy family. relief being given with.
out accurate knowledge of condition,
IN the family and without maxine
; Tue reheIf part sof planTfor impr Owe
ing these conditions.
''1b) A failure to develop a close IN.
operation with the other Charitable
agencies of Bridgeport by which they
might help the department to carry
out its plans for the family.
Nc) "A failure to relate the work OF
the aimshouse and Out Door Relfei
crease the number of children an6
able bodied in the institution.
1o) An ignorance of what is being
oone elsewhere in charitable and so.
clal work, and a consequent failure
to bring up to modern standards the
work done by the City of Bridgeport.
lows:
L More careful work should be
done for dependent families. A thor.
ough and careful Investigation of the
families need and resources should
be made; an accurate up-to-date rec.
ora Kept; the cooperation of private
agencies secured when personal su.
pervision of the family is needed: q
regular re-visiting of families made
especially when the cause of thei,
being dependent is a temporary one
more effort made to secure employ.
ment and medical care; men prosecut-
ed Tor non-support and desertion.
y The department should serve
as center for the cooperation OF
private charitable societies. especially
by conducting confidential exchange
Of information on individual cases.
% 1t is assumed that a new system
of bookkeeping will be recommended
by the Committee of Audit.
"a Every effort Sho1,1d Ho +v,,o5.
secure new almshouse.
. The almshouse and the depart
ment of out door relief should be
under the same supervision
a Some plan should be made to
reduce the number of able bodied in
Tor vagrancy or preferably by proyid-
ing work test at the almshouse.
ID. No children should be allowed
to stay more than month at the
almshouse. If relief cannot be given
In the home, Or relatives found to
care Tor children. the department
should pay their board in a private
family in the country near Bridge
port under adequate supervision.
3 In order to carry out these
palms there should be a superinten.
dent who has had training in social
work, and is familiar with the stand
ards which have been adopted by the
d.
Simple experience is not sufficient, as
shown by the fact that the present
superintendent has not brought the
work up to a reasonably high stand
ard. This superintendent should SUI
pervise the almsohuse as we'll as the
Out door relief department and the
emergency hospital. the present SUI,
perintendent of the almshouse being
retained in immediate charge of that
institution
eff the present Board of Charities
will secure a man of ability as su-
perintendent, and will assist him in
developing an efficient depar tment,
they will have done a service of pro-
found value to the city. It is great
opportunity.
accompanying this report are
schedules showing the facts on which
this report was based. for further
study by the Board We stand ready
to answer questions that may arise
in regard to them Or to any details
given in the report
1--WE render herewith bill for ex-
penses incurred in making this in
vestigation.''
Respectfully submitted,
"MARGARET F. BYINGTON,
re- -