Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-05-07
Of CHARITY
THEME OF SPEAKERS
Aid That Lends Moral Support
Is Most Needed, 1t Is
Asserted.
MRS. ARCHIBALD HOPKINS
CRITICISES ':KNOCKERS"
Friendly Visiting and Organized
Work Discussed at Meeting
Held in Raleigh Hotel.

| stores that reached down and un-
covered the very soul of life and show
! Ing that while the immediate material
wants of man must be met. yet the most
needed kind Of charity is the kind that
| lends its moral. inspiring support, were
related at meeting Of volunteer work.
ers OF the Associated Charities at tho
Raleigh Hotel last evening. The assem-
| bly, was appropriately termed an expert
! ence meeting The stories ranged from
, those which told of aid in a bread and
butter" way to the brea king up Of an
eternal triangle
Mrs. Archibald Hopk ms, who was one
OF the principal speakers. took occa sion
to criticise those people who do not as
sist in some charitable work and also
those who prefer to lead an idle life rather
| than help their fellowmen.
The people who knock organized char
1ty are the people who never do any
thing for anybody" she said ''They are
shelter themselves under the cry, bad
! management That sort Of cry never
worries me any more.
At another point in her talk she
many more friendly visitors" as
members of one group of volunteer
workers are called She said: "One
woman to whom I spoke about this
asked me. But what could ] find to
talk about" answered, Talk to
your poor friend just about the same
as you would to your rich one. You
will find her just the same, except,
perhaps more interesting. The
woman to whom Mrs. Hopkins was
talking thereupon picked up sensa-
tional New York weekly and showed
annoyance. following which Mrs. Hop
kins left.
Lesson Learned From Experience.
The more I do of this kind Of work."
said Mrs. Hopkins. referring to friend
ly visiting, the 1atter and duller the
other kind of life seems. I feel that
every one Of us should get more peo-
pie interested in it,
She told of the development Of or
ganized charity in Washington say
ing that unorganized charity-the pro
miscuous giving-had proved made
quate. She related instances in which
persons had obtained aid from several
families. Nothing was really accom-
piished by this sort of charity. she
said. except. perhaps, in a few in
stances to ease the dying moments of
some poor person. But in the case
where one woman in a family died of
tuberculosis it is probable that other
that the people living in the house
afterward also died of it, she said.
calling attention to the lack OF pre-
ventive measures attending the efforts
Of such "haphazard and happy-go-
lucky way" of conducting charity.
Work of the Volunteers.
Rev. DR.. Jay T. Stocking. who spoke
on the work of the church volunteer.
he hol
ing up an eternal triangle through
obtaining the assistance of several
men in his congregation. In this case
the husband had told his wife that he
intended to leave her and marry anoth-
er woman. Upon learning of this sew
eral members of the congregation were
told the man needed their help and
companionship. without telling the
reason. Within a short time the man
changed his mind and decided to re-
main with his wife.
That friendly visitors should stand
shoulder to shoulder" with those
whom they wish to befriend was urged
by Louis A. Simon. These people must
be made to feel something of this
motive power. poise. initiative, or
whatever you choose to call that force
which they seem to Lack he id.
How she had found a husband and
wife, both college graduates, living in
poverty, was described by Mrs. Edwin
Seton. These people, she said, had
lost their money in trying to promote
band. and had been SO interested in
books that they had failed to realize
their condition. Advice was more
needed in this instance than material
things. she said.
Speaks for "Big Sisters"
Miss Margaret Howard spoke of the
big sister" work. while George H.
Wilson related what power the big
brother" had
When interest is taken in the chill
dren,' said Miss Howard" the mother
soon comes out and tells Of her trou-
bles. She related an instance in
which all efforts proved useless to
make boy take interest in the proper
things of life. the result being that he
ended in the reform school.
Mr.. Wilson declared there are thou
sands Of boys In Washington-not all
OF them poor-who need big brothers
some one whom they feel Is inter
ested in them.
Walter S. Ufford. secretary of the AS
ISOLATED Charities. who was the ONLY
employe of the organization speaking.
declared that Friendship is the secret
OF all charity work. We are sometimes
held up as hard-hearted organiza-
remembered food, fuel, clothes and the
| like are the only drugs which are in
| our pharmacopeia."
| Other speakers and their subjects
We're: Miss Jennie Grady. Home Lii
| brary Work: Miss Lillian Brine The
Volunteer at the Office. Mrs ]. r,
| Neigh. The Work of the Savings Col
| lector': Mark LeGrange, THE Volun-
ieer at Summer Camp; Charles d.
Westcott. volunteer Legal Aid" Mrs.