New Britain herald., 1919-04-10
NEW QUARTERS ARE
 PROVING POPULAR
Charity Organization Pleased With Center St. Headquarters

as 1t begins the month of April in it's new quarters at 52 Center street. It
 has for one incentive. the closer CO., operation Of several Of it's fellow. SO cial workers. Better opportunity is afforded by being in the building with
 the Visiting Nurse association and Infant Welfare bureau, for consulta-
 ton and plans regarding families
 known to both the Visiting Nurses and the Charity Organization society.
 Is Mrs. S-- ill and the. new baby
 under nourished? The visiting nurse
 cares for the mother who also re-
 ceives spec!al instruction as to prop
 erly feeding the baby according to a
 physician $ knowledge of 2 sick babys
 needs. Of what use is such advice
 when the poor mother cannot work,
 when there $ no income, when the
 cupboard is empty and there is no
 milk? The situation is explained to
 the Charity Organization society who
 stock up the empty shelves, send
 coal into the cellar and arrange with
 the milkman to call daily, If medi-
 cine is ordered the prescriptions are
 filled at our expense. The older babies
 all need extra clothing as the mothers
 income has been sufficient for only
 the rent and food when everyone was
 well. SlOeS dllu garments are pro-
 vided and if there is no possibility of any arrangement whereby that mother can be self-supporting, she is placed in the care ot the Board of Public Charities to receive some reg ular help from the city till her c11il dren are old enough to aid toward the family income. Has her boy of ten been too ragged tc send to school so that his repeated absent days have come to the notice Of the attendance departm ent? The visiting teacher calls and finding the real reason for tru- ancv to be need of clothing because of illness and WidoWhood, asks CO., operation of the Charity Organization
 society just around the corner, who
 knowing the circum stances, gladly
 furnish the needy wearing apparel and the school records again show perfect attendance.
 Have some of the persistent truants and their parents been summoned to court after other means have failed? Boys and girls placed Ill the care of the probation officers are now inter- viewed each week as they report to compare school records, and receive encouragement or friendly advice in one Of the rooms at the Charity Or ganization society arranged for that
 purpose, The probation officer often
 benefits in his dealing with the chil-
 dren by the Charity Organizations former knowledge of their family matters.
 The agent as part ttrle woman pro batlon officer has better opportunity in the quiet of an additional private office to bofriend and counsel the wayward girls placed in her care, as well as talk over plans with a dis couraged parent.
 The close proximity of the new Of fee to these various welfare work i CTS the improved accessibility of it's rooms for applicants, the majority or whom are north of the railroad. its l increased space and easy adaptatio 1 to various needs, all present oppor- tun1ties for a broader scope of work. l Plans are already form u1ating toward 1 an improvement and enlarging of the 1 various lines of Charity Organization l society work, bringing some realiza- ton of the hopes of directors and 1 agents of the past years. All have l known of the benefit and impetus 1 gained by not only working in har- mony with the other agencies but 1 have foreseen the additional gain of l being housed together.
 Out of 31 families coming to our attention for the first time during 1 March, only two presented themselves because of unemployment. Eleven of ] those known to us before asked Us to help them secure work. The greatest need was caused by illness. Tn eight families either the wage earner was laid up, causing Q halt in the income, or there was extra heavy expense due to a child's illness. Four mothers were supplied with necessary aid because of desertiOn or non-sup- port while awaiting the return of the husband from jail or during the time of locating him. Four vagrants are slightly larger number than usual, some few taking advantage of the plea of unemployment.
 Just shiftlessness brought members of four families to the point of need. Time, energy and expense, all valu- able assets, are expended in the al- most hopeless task of getting shiftless men and women firmly on their feet. needing 3, prop, always de- pending on someone for assistance, lazy and minus bition-these are the hardest type of humanity with which to deal.
 Over and over again is placed be- fore the public the needs of our wid- oWs and fatherlesS children. Every m onth brings a few more to our no- tice in addition to our already lengthy list of over 70. Four new ones were added during March, the funds left from life insurance being exhausted.
 Because of mental handicap three were unable to provide for their own maintenance. and two oth- CTS for various causes were in need of help. We were able 10 secure work that should be permanent for six and days work for four.
 Coming in touch with 152 families. during the last month, it was neces- ga n furnish erocnc ai1