The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1918-09-21

Was ScuL DdCh IL SCllOOl. lnell GULF
ing was secured for the little girl.
When the mother was able to get up
1T appeared that she had no clothes
which were really fit to wear. When
the Red Cross visitor first saw her up
and about the house she was wearing
one old white woman's shoe and one
mans shoe and had on threadbare
wrapper. A remarkably good outfit
was purchased for $25; pair OF
shoes, coat, skirt, hat, two waists,
and two corset covers.
After the start, things began to be
better. The husband made an allot-
ment of his pay and took out war
risk insurance AS soon as the pay
ments from these sources begin to
come in the family will no longer be
In need of financial assistance. In the
meantime the Red Cross worker Is
keeping in touch with them.
Children's Welfare First.
Nothing is more vital than the well
fare of the children. One Of the home
service directors issued this statement
to the workers of the district: "The
home service is especially interested
in children, and we feel that its most
important service is In the conserva-
ton of the child and the home for the
future. For this reason we stand ready
to see that any child does not have to
leave school to 60 - work because its
father has either Volunteered or has
been drafted into the srmy. We also
stand ready to see that no woman
with small children has to go to work
because her husband or son is. serving
the country as soldier or sailor"
A short time ago it was reported to
the Red Cross home service station in
one of the cities that little girl of
fifteen was about to be taken out of
school because her family needed the
money she could earn. Irene's father
was dead. Her oldest brother, Alex,
was contributing $40 a week to the
family treasury, but he was saving to
get married, and that was all that he
could spare. The second boy Joseph,
had enlisted. The oldest girl, Helen,
made $40 week, while Harry, sixteen
years old and just returned from a
runaway jaunt, only earned 81. There
was another little girl, eleven years
old, who was still in school.
The Red Cross worker explained to
Irene's mother why she felt so strong
ly that the child ought to have at least
a grammar-school education. In June
she would be through with the gram
mar grades, and in the meantime the
Red Cross offered to pay Irene's fam
lily So week, which was about all
that she could be expected to earn.
The arrangement was made, and Irene
is still In school, while the mother is
gradually paying off her debts. When
June comes Irene will graduate, and
she will probably be able to earn more
than Sc n week.
It is a splendid thing to help de-
serving families, but 1t is still better
to put them in position to help them
selves. That is, OF course, the ulti-
mate purpose of social work as it Is
practiced nowadays. One of the large
home-service sections was able to car
ry through a very large job of this
sort recently.
Pawned His Wooden Leg.
Douglas, the eldest boy, was in the
navy. The second boy, William, was
consumed with desire to enlist, too.
He had tried, but had been turned
down because of q physical disqualii-
cation, and, in rage and disappoint-
ment, he had gone off to the West
where he wandered for several months.
When he finally came home, he, too,
settled down to be charity patient.
A third boy, Raymond, seventeen
years old, had also taken to tramping,
although he had wooden leg, the
souvenir of an accident in the railroad
yards when he was small boy. When
absent one one of his hikes the eE-
terprising gentleman ran out of funds
and chose the expedient of pawning
his wooden leg. Helen, the Oldest girl,
had St. Vitus' dance, and there were
five younger children, all of them
growing up in dirt and ignorance.
BY the time the mother applied to
the Red Cross for help the family was
suffering for want Of food. The work
err paid visit to the household and
found the conditions as they have been
described.
First of all, food was supplied to
the family and their most pressing
wants were met. Then court order
was secured requiring the father to
stay away from his family. He was
always drunk, and his laziness and
bad temper were the principal causes
Of the family shiftlessness.
Then the problem Of William was
attacked. It developed that his rejec-
ton for service in the navy was due
to his being underweight. He simply
had not had enough to eat nor food
of the proper sort. 1t was arranged
that he should 60 to the Y. Nj. G. A.
cafeteria for his meals, and that he
should go to the Y. NJ. G. A. gymnasium
to exercise. In an Incredibly short
time he was able to pass his physical
examination for the navy. His only
disappointment was that he could not
be taken right away. The Red Cross