Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1914-10-30
The Social Service League OF Mont
gomery County.

age with rapldlty that is surprising
There is nothing new or original about it
except the methods and scope. We find
Christ in His day preaching it with an in
sistence that could not well be stronger In
this day we have re-emphasized the duty
of Service it is in fact the watchword of
the time. Social Service work is the put
ting of this idea of Service into practice
by methods suitable to the needs of the
time, and is being done with zeal and en-
thusiasm which no previous generation
has manifested. The Montgomery County
Social Service League therefore owes its
origin to a movement that is at present
universal.
The immediate origin of this League was
in connection with the County Home; nine
women of different Christian Denomna-
tons were conducting Union Bible Class
at the Home, and the ministers of Rock
vile were holding services there, when
the Rev. DIR. Packard called the attention
of one of these ladies, Mrs. H. j. Finley, to
the case of an inmate of the Home which
demanded immediate consideration; Mrs.
Finley through her interest in this case
was brought to see fully the dreadful con-
dition of the County Home, as it then was,
and determined that something ought to
be done to improve this condition.
She called the attention of the Bible
Class Teachers to the necessity of improv-
Ing the conditions under which the inmates
lived. The first result of the efforts of the
good women was the sending of Miss M.
P. Spencer twice a week to teach in the
Home. These ladies also met with the
Trustees of the Home at their meetings,
calling their attention to the intolerable
conditions existing in the Home, and ask
ing that there should be provided for the
wards of this rich county the ordinary
delicacies of life. | need not dwell par
ticularly on the conditions that existed
then. Let me mention one thing some
of the inmates had tuberculosis, and were
mingling freely with the others, there wa s
no proper care of these sick people and no
provision for their needs. There were
other things more serious which no citizen
of this county, for very shame, would care
to publish AS these ladies awoke to the
gravity Of the situation, they realized it
was one which was too big for them alone,
and they set about enlisting the men and
women of the county in this cause with
the result that the Social Service League
of Montgomery County was organized
November 9th, 1908.
The first definite result of these efforts
was to completely alter the conditions of
the County Home, and it has been con-
Quoted since in way which is credit to
the county.
| The next effort was to secure Trained
Nurse, and temporary nurse was en-
ployed until Mrs. Bernadine Means was
prepared to take up the work. Mrs. Means
has been doing this work about three years,
and what it has meant to the sick, espe-
cially those afflicted with the dread disease
Of tuberculosis, no one can estimate When
you know that to less or more extent she
is helping about fifty people, without re-
gard to race or creed, in every part of the
county where she is called. you will realize
what blessing her work is to the afflicted,
and still more what a protection 1t is to the
well, by preventing the spread of disease
our lives to the skill, heroism and self-sac-
rificing labor Of this good nurse none can
say, but to those who know the importance
of preventing disease it can readily be
imagined. There are many people in this
county who would gladly give many times
over what the Social Service League has
already cost rather than be afflicted with
tuberculosis let us wake up to the fact
that we can practically eliminate the dan
ger from the spread of this and other dis
eases, at an expense so slight, that some
Of the citizens of this county could bear it
alone and hardly be the poorer. Indffer-
ence is nothing short of criminal ne9li-
| gence.
The League has brought to the attention
of the County Commissioners the fact that
they have some power and responsibility
under the Law, of providing for those af-
ilicted with tuberculosis. that they have
with regard to other diseases. such as
smallpox. etc. Suggestion with regard to
providing place on the County Home
Farm for the care of tuberculosis patients
have been made to the County Commits
sioners without definite results. for various
reasons. suppose they felt they did not
have the support OF the taxpayers in levy
ing for this purpose; also, objections were
raised by the people of Rockville and those
in the vicinity of the County Home Farm
against establishing tuberculosis Sana-
forum there. Such objection Is made be-
cause Of the fear that has been awakened
with regard TO tuberculosis. Let us not
stop with mere ignorant fear. but learn
the facts about the spreading Of tubercu-
losis, and we will see that one afflicted
person walking the streets Of Rockville is
greater menace to the health of the COM
munity. than a Sanatorium at the County
Home Farm containing every tuberculosis
person in the county.
Although the Commissioners did not feel
justified in undertaking this work. the
League persisted in its efforts to have ii
begun. and an att empt was made about
year ago to solicit subscriptions for this
purpose, but the effort was for the time
| 10 ~ #
raising a sufficient amount Of money ;
made so. partly. and because Of the fact
that our State Senator. Dr. Jones, planned
to introduce bill at Annapolis for this
purpose The League gave its Endorsement
to this plan. because il had always main
tanned that this is the county's work. As
to the bill itself the League could say moth
ing, as it was not informed with regard to
| "a, ,ontanta Ctana ha b,ll hoo haan Kaaaob