New-York tribune., 1915-03-21

dance up on Fifth Avenue she was there, in
spirit The rent was overdue. The food set
out on the table came to have less and less
variety. Mary knew her mother was doing
the best she could, bu. she also knew that the
household was drifting toward the brink. Then
she had this happy idea. Why not write
letter to Mrs Rockwell Jones and ask her to
help them? Mr. Dart was very proud man,
she must not tell him. She would simply drop
the letter in the box and quietly await the re-
suit She also wrote to Mrs. Clifton and to
a Mrs Wellington.
THE ORIGIN OF THE CONFIDENTIAL EX-
CHANGE.
The story Of how these three letters from
Marv Dart came into the hands of the same
visitor for a single charity society throws an
interesting side-light on the complexity of the
organizations in New York for helping the
poor, and on their methods for cooperating
with each other. Many years ago some OF the
social workers engaged in visiting and helping
needy families happened to fall into converse
ton about their work and it developed that
several of them were visiting and helping the
same family, each unknown to the other. This
seemed like a terrible waste of time. Other
needy people were being neglected because
there was no one to look them up. How much
better it would be- they decided to confer with
each other and agree to let some one visitor
care for each family, calling the others in for
advice when necessary but always trying to
avoid duplication Of effort and waste of
energy. This was the beginning Of what is
now generally known as the Confidential EX-
change.
When Mrs. Rockwell -Jones's note and its
nclosure reached the Office of the society
which helps her do this kind of work visitor
called up the Social service Exchange, an ad-
junct Of the Charity Organization Society:
DO you know whether any agency knows
the Dart family, living at the corner of Catha-
rne and Cherry" he asked.
After moment OF delay the answer came
back, mo, we find no record that any one
knows them
VERY well" replied the visitor, Il will look
them up. If any one calls up about this family
tell them l am calling on them"
SAVING THE TIME OF THE SECOND VISITOR.
Two or three days later Mrs Ciftor.'s letter
reached the other Office The ordinary course
would be to send visitor down to Catharine
Street at once, but this agency also uses the
Social Service Exchange. Finding that another
society had taken hold of the needs Of the Dart
family. Mrs Clifton's letter was forwarded TO it,
and several hours time Of second visitor was
saved The actual cost of supplying this simple
information was less than the carfare for the sec
ond visitor to and from Catharine Street
This confidential exchange Of information served
another and more important benefit The Dart
family are not only proud but rightly 20. Mr..
Dart would never have permitted his daughter TO
write those letters had known It. lie was
born in New York has always lived here, and has
never had TO ask for help from any one, except al
occasional loan from some friend. The Darts
need help this winter and it is by no means an
easy task to help them in such way that the
shock to their feelings at having to bare their
distress to strangers will not counterbalance the
good that Mrs. Rockwe-Jones wishes 20 do. Some
had to go to them to find out their needs.
That person stranger. and it is not easy TO
speak freely of such troubles to a stranger. How
fortunate that it not necessary 10 -end
other stranger into that home TO ask the same
questions. and then still another with Mrs. Wei
lington's letter. At present the Darts are icing
helped with food and money for rent Mary is
about to have a new position, which the visitor
has secured for her in hotel uptown. The neigh
bors only know that the Darts are getting along
somehow" Everything has been confidential and