Evening journal., 1914-12-10
EXTENSIVE STUDY
OF Welfare WORK
Miss Jeanette Eckman, OF
General Service Board, TO
Visit Eight States
WILL DEVOTE THREE
MONTHS TO INQUIRY

Miss Jeanette Eckman, the capable
secretary for the organization commit
tee of the General Service Board OF
Delaware. has started on a field survey
and viii visit eight or more States and
study the systematic welfare work. 1t
is planned through this survey to de-
terminc the successful lines as well as
weaknesses TO be avoided in eonsoh-
dnted welfare work and to digest and
eomple this information for our home
use
Last spring a public meeting Of more
than one hundred citizens of Whining
ton and the State took the first step
towards establishing a General Service
board for Delaware. The proposed work
Of this board covers the broad field OF
civic and social problems as particu-
larlv pertaining to Wilmington and the
state of Delaware. II was proposed TO
establish a body that could undertake;
First. The thorough and impartial
study Of any problem particularly az to
It's applicability to our own community
Second The education and dissent
nation Of information on each question
among the citizenship effected.
Third The legal, legislative and gen
eral educational work necessary to
finally secure such improvements as
may be deemed wise by the board from
time to tire.
Fourth Establishing a general bu-
reau Of information on all civic and so
cial welfare problems for the use and
assistance of our legislative bodies in
city and State. and for the general use
OF all interested citizens.
Fifth. Supporting such specific move
ments now under way in our commun-
ity which in the estimation of the Gen
eral Service Board and after full study
of all phases of the specific problem
would be deemed applicable for this city
and State.
The Importance Of this general prog
ress and the value of such a body to
net both as a progressive force and as a
stablizer in such movements cannot
well be over-estimated.
The starting of the European War
found the preliminary work of the or
uanizing committee only partially COM
plcted on the lines of securing the sub
scribing membership needed. Approx
mately 200 citizens offered their moral
and financial support TO the three-year
~ NkidHi IANHNitu ny lHt N'AHuAAA''f
The opening of the worlds war natural
w distracted attention from this organ
ination work for the time being. As a
great deal of preliminary work would
have to be done before the General Ser
vice Board could safely begin business
IN Delaware, the committee has CON
cIuded to proceed with the field study OF
the organization methods and the scope
and other general phases of consolidated
welfare work as successfully undertaken
In other sections of the United States.
As II will take at least three months
for the field work. the committed
hardly expects to issue the first gen
eral report on plans and procedure
until the spring of 1915. At that time,
It Is contemplated under the present
budget to issue 5000 copies OF this re-
port for the study OF interested clti-
zens throughout our city and State.
1t Is the belief of the committee that
a report prepared on these lines in
readable form and based upon actual
study and investigation elsewhere will
expedite the launching of the perma-
nent board as soon as the present
business and financial depression has
abated.
thorough and convincing manner the
need OF a General Service Board in
Delaware as a means for more ef-
fcient. accurate and effective handling
Of many of these problems.
In the field study and survey now
under way by Miss Eckman the or
ganization methods and successes and
Weaknesses Of 42 working bodies will
be undertaken. These various organi-
cations cover a variety OF welfare
fields located in the States of New
Jersey. New York. Massachusetts
Ohio. Indiana, Missouri, Illinois and
Wisconsin.
It is estimated that Il will take a
total OF three months carefully tc
study the one broad question of sue.
cessful lines OF organization from
which mass of data il will be the duty
OF the organizing committee TO Sc
lect the important phases applicable
70 Delaware for use in the general re
port to be issued next spring.
A statement of the general prelim
mary work now under way was out
Lined by the organizing committee
which comprises Charles Warner
chairman; 4. Allen Hllles, Cornelia
Townsend. Charles l.. Candee. Mar.
garet II. Shearman, Mrs. James II
Hughes. Irving Warner, George b
Miller, Edward A. Evans, Frederick
Brady, Caleb f. Burchenal, Herbert "A
Ward. and Edgard NJ. Hopes, Jr.
Measures for Consideration.
The measures for consideration by tn
General Service Board are announced 4
be:
A new charter for Wilmington
New method OF selecting Wilmington
Board of Education.
Home rule for towns.
Study of county government
Study of State taxation.
City planning and town planning.
Employers liability and worlmen'
compensation.
Social insurance.
Minimum wage
Study Of unemployment.
Free employment bureaus.
Free legal aid bureaus
Cooperation of municipal and privat
ing '"
Anti-smoke and anti-noise ordinance
Municipal farm and lodging hon,
iNilmington).
nr,son reform and parole system.
ing. anti-tuberculosis education. sar
tary measurcsl.
A Legislative reference bureau
Dover
municipal reference library f