The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-11-08
FIGHT TO KEEP THE FAMILY HOME INTACT

prise she answered me. Lady, while
worked at the hospital. crazy pa
tlents blsckened my two eyes, pulled
out my hair and I was bitten on my
arm, 50 Just got married. though
was making money" verified her sec
ond marriage, learned the income Of
her husband was sufficient and the
home conditions satisfactory. The
mother now has her children.
Mr. b, my next applicant, an
Italian, spoke but little English. From
his history ! learned the mother was
dead and no relatives were living. His
income was SIS per week. Agreement
had been made that the father was to
pay the department for two children
he had placed In the institution upon
the death OF their mother Record
showed no payment had been made.
Applicant was asked why he had failed
to send money; he shrugged his should
ers and replied II pay" lie had prom
ised this before, but failed TO keep his
promise. l scoided him a little and in
sisted that he show his receipts. HIS
face suddenly frightened and he pulled
from his pocket "A dirty mass of blue
slips. ] discovered money orders to
the amount of SIS, each made out for
the original amount OF his agreement.
Tearing off the small end handed Il
to the man, tnstructlng him that this
was the receipt, the rest was money.
Orders amounting 70 SIS had been care
fully stored in his pocket. I asked the
man II he had more home. He mn
swered Sure" The cashier OF the hu-
resu has since received $42.
Mother OF Lucy. In answer 20 letter
Received, came 10 the department She
insisted that she was not ilnanriaIlv
ablo TO care for her child. now In tho
institution. History OF ca.e states tina;
the child was committed because Of
death of the father. The mother wa
married IA second time and the sten-
father was earning SIS n week. They
had no children. Conversation with
mother revealed the fact that she was
keeping her child In the institution he.
cause che could not afford TO nay for tho
child and the expensive furniture sh.
had bought. She preferred TO work and
earn money to pay for her furniture.
but was unwilling 10 care for her own
offspring. ! proved to the mother tina.
the life and happiness OF her child were
not to De balanced against her furniture.
The mother then consented 10 take her
child home and the discharge was given
Another description Of day I'm tho
field Indicates the diversity Of the social
workers task. the necessity for detec-
tive work, the exercise OF mother wit.
patience and even a sense OF huinor a.
times TO accomplish results. Thu special
field visitor reports: my early call
was To tho home Of an educated colored
mother. whose husband worked outside
the city. She greeted me MIST kindly
and when | informed her that | was
from the department and had come TO
talk to her about taking home her boy
she seemed az first reluctant to talk.
but proving myself n friend rather than
an examiner learned the following
facts: Her boy. who was now Years
old had been placed IN the institution
because he vas Wild and needed dis =
cipunary training The mother had
visited Him regularly, hut had made
little effort to obtain his discharge.
though the child had been praying and
saving all his pennies To- buy "A baby
SISTER. so that when he came home she
would he there. The mother had little
daughter and the home conditions were
most satisfactory. The examiner in
sisted upon the return Of the boy to the
family, and has since learned that the
family Is now happy.
! then started off 10 find the father OF