The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1919-01-28
BLUE PRINT Of
SOCIAL SERVICE
Address by Dean TrusIer Before the
WOman's Club of Ocala. Sat
urday, Jan. 25th

&AAA NV al SdAc1I oG1di II1S a CDCdhCI
on short notice on an important sub
ject is good deal like getting mar
ried-you are obliged to take him "for
better or for worse"
Your invitation to address you COM
plimented me. 1t just seems like
cannot reject an opportunity to speak
TO woman's club. Especially is this
true, when club has the enviable,
statewide reputation for wide
awakeness and progressiveness that
yours has.
| am here. Had it been possible, /
should have worked longer on what
am to say. Even university profes-
sors need adequate preparation. All
of US were born ignorant and most of
use are holding our own pretty we'll.
But | hope you will be as charitable
with me as an old Irish woman was
with the bishop, who had discoursed
oG married life and its beauties. ""Tis
a fine sermon his reverence would be
after giving u.s." said her friend, as
they were leaving the church. "It is,
indaae," was the quick reply, "and /
wish / knew as little about the matter
as he does"
/ like to think that / am a practical
man and / suspect that / have that
reputation. A few days ago | was
talking with two university professors
about a problem in reconstruction
how to bring the manless land and the
landless man together and make
them treat each other as they should.
One of the professors asserted that /
was behind the times. "Yes." chimed
in the other, "he is hopelessly behind
the times. He doesn't endorse any
program, unless it is sensible" 1t is
too bad compliments cannot be al
ways true; but this afternoon, at
least, I'm going to try to bring you a
practical message about social service.
I bring this message to you with
greater confidence, because / feel that,
contrary to the usual notion, women
tend to be more practical than men.
The following authorities. among
others, support this conclusion. Dar-
win tells us that there is greater
general variability in men than in
women. Mcdonald says that every
class of abnormality is more frequent
among boys. Ellis asserts that in
science women have attained the
highest degree of success in mathe-
nlatics. Burdock declares that "wom-
en- take truth as they find it, while
men want to create truth" He re-
marks that women are probably more
fitted for politics than men, citing
the large number of able queens. j.
S. Mills directs attention to the fact
that among all races and in all parts
of the world women have ruled briF
liantly and with perfect control over
even the most fierce and turbulent
hordes. Among many primitive races
also all the diplomatic relations with
foreign tribes are in the hands of
women and they have sometimes de-
cided on peace or war Other evidence
could be offered, if necessary, to show
that a belief in the practicability OF
women rests upon scientific founda-
tiOn.
It is a good thing, for social service
that women are practical; for social
service is practical matter, and just
now the mighty backwash of the wal
tends to disturb and radicalize oul
minds. The war liberated a vast
amount of social energy. it is true;
but at the same time it unsettled
things, destroyed idols, smashed con
ventions and set US thinking the foun.
dations of society anew. Often ole
beliefs seem shabby. Every form Of
radical thinking is bidding desperately
for recognition. Every Utopia seems
nearer to our grasp. Here is glory
and danger; and it is our great bust
ness to grasp the glory and TO rejeci
the danger.
Yet we approach this business witt
feeling rather than with nationality
intensified. The war has quickened oul
emotions and increased the precious
ness of our own kith and kin. From
the hearts of countless mothers ther'
came, in some form or other, this CT!
of pride and anguish:
"I give him proudly and | give hin
freely
His clean young manhood do
give-my son.
But Oh, my little boy, whose feet Wen
marching,
little soldier, with a mimic guniA
And now that the war is over, ther'
has come, with greater insistence. tn
old desire for that society which i
not without US as a fact, but within u
as a great yearning."
But what has all this to do witt
social service p you may be thinking
# has a great deal to do with it. So
cial welfare is inseparable from socia
environment. 1t rests upon our eco
nouic and political institutions, and
we change them for the worse we Sc
hack social welfare and increase tn
d;aiculties of social service. The lif
of John Ruskin illustrated my mean