Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-17
SURVEY
WILL FOLLOW
DIAGNOSIS
Russell Sage Workers Here De-
scribe Preliminary Study of
Conditions Found.

Shelby NJ. Harrison, director in the
department of surveys and exhibits Of
the Russell Sage Foundation. in an
interview with The Georgian Monday
outlined the work ne and his two as
sociates are doing in Atlanta by invi-
tation of a Chamber of Commerce
committee.
We are making a preliminarydi-
agnosis and pathfnder's survey" he
said, land in our report to the COM
mittee we will make certain specific
recommendations which probably will
lead to a social survey We are not
making the social survey now"
Mr.. Harrison and his two associ-
| ates, Franz Schneider, Jr.. and Zenas
L: Potter are doctors Of the body pol
lite. They emphasize the fact they
are not fault-finders. They 90 to
city study sociological conditions
from an entirely disinterested and
unbiased angle and make a report. If
/ the report makes the city or members
OF the clty's sociological organizat lions
see themselves as others see them.
, then they have accomplished their
| purpose. II is up to the city. then. to
improve conditions and make the place
| little better to live in.
"All Cities Have Problems"
The last 25 years have brought
many changes in social and personal
relationships" Mr.. Harrison said, out
lining the basic principles behind the
sage foundation. "As cities grow,
and factories come in, conditions
change. The factories bring immi-
l nd Eo
lions. The entrance of women into
industry and new methods of pro-
duction all change conditions. l am
just citing these as examples. Every
advance and progress brings on
changed conditions.
Every change means a new prob
lem. These problems are sociology
cal. 1t is our business to diagnose
these problems and make specific
recommendations In Atlanta we
shall make detailed recommended
lions which may involve a social sur
Vey. The survey will point out the
exact problems the city has to solve.
ana ofTer further suggestions and
such help as may be desirable or de-
! sired. Then the credit for solving
them will go to your local civic or
CARNATIONS, for it is they who must
lead in the actual work"
For a week, now, Messrs. Harri-
son, Schneider and Potter have stud
led housing and living conditions in
Atlanta; recreation, problems of ed
ucation and Of poverty, and the san
ltary and penal systems. Mr. Harri-
son Will go to New York to-morroU
Messrs. Schneider and Potter viii
continue the investigations through
the week. They viii leave the CITY
with their data, and after a few weeks
submit their findings, together with
recommendations.
Will Suggest Improvement.
Cr course, l can't reveal the ma
ture Of this report in advance " Mr.
harrison said. But / will saw this
much. We will be specific in recon-
mending things to be taken in the
| survey. On a few subjects we will he
able to outline suggestions for imme-
date improvement"
The spirit in which the Sage in
vestigators enter upon their work was
described by Mr.. Harrison as follows.
our attitude is thoroughly sympa-
thetic with local agencies. We are
not coming in Atlanta as iconocIas Sis
trying to break down what YOU are
doing. As DISTINGUISHED parties. we
naturally are capable Of making de-
tached observations. Then the social
survey, as it always does, will bring
together the Observation-Disclosures for
solving such problems as you NAV
have. The social survey applies sci
entific methods to the solution of
modern community problems.
Such diagnoses as We are making
and such social surveys as will prob
ably follow in Atlanta are designed
to stimulate a healthy public opinion.
The object is TO solve the city's social
problems rather than to palliate
them"
During the last year the Sage Foun-
dalton has received requests for dag
noses and surveys from 100 cities.
most of them in the East and Middle
West. Atlanta is the first Southern
city to call for the preliminary path
finders survey.
I'VE felt the survey was a very
progressive move on the part of your
Chamber Of Commerce." Mr.. Harri-
son said. Your Chamber of Com
merce members are up on their toes.
doing everything possible to make the
city even more desirable to live in and
better commercial cen er. There
are not a lot. of chambers of COM
merce in the country, you know, that
have seen it is q good thing to I'm
prove the place they live in, although
this is the fundamental thing in max
ing the city good commercial cen
ter"
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