Evening journal., 1921-10-19

Side Side Total
New cases ..... l79 l6s 3i7
Rseurrsat R,s SasSS cases; cases g g s. isi 81
Out-of- town In
quirleS ....... b2 fb "a
Homeless men Il IA
These figures will show the ac-
tual number Of families comins 70
the attention Of the Associated
Charities during the twelve months,
but it does not demonstrate the real
volume OF work carried by the dis
trict workers. Some difficulties pre-
sented can be adjusted in a short
time and the family dropped from
our list OF those under care. other
problems are not so easy OF solution
and many. in fact. during this past
year, the great majority OF families
are carried on every monthly report
In order that this may be perfectly
clear TO those Of you unfamiliar with
the statistics Of the work. let me
give you the total number Of fami-
the carried over families under
care.
october. 159; November. 173;
December. 24O; January. 2s4; Feb
ruary. 291; March. 312; April. 500:
May. 800; June. 323; July. 327; Au-
gust, 800. and September, 313. II
these could be counted as undupli-
Gated cases. our total would read
1880.
IdIeness as New Factor
THE significant fact about the work
this year has been the difference
in the type OF cases handled. A year
ago. the report showed the greater
part Of our work being done with
widows and deserted wivos These
we still have with us. but their num-
/ Der has not materially changed OF
the BAT new cases almost all have
been the families Of men without
employment. This was a new ele-
ment with which TO deal and re-
! quired an entirely different tech
/ nique for treatment. Mrs. A., whose
husband had died leaving her will
five small children and no means OF
supporting them, is an entirely dif'
ferent problem from. Mr.. B., who
without employment for the frs
time in his life. finds himself help
less in the face OF his family respon'
sibiiities.
'In the first case we can pension
Mrs. A. explaining to her that we are
helping her to train her boys and
girls for good citizenship. But the
second problem Is not so easy. Here
Is a head of a family. who through
no fault. OF his own, is forced tc
turn over to someone else his legi.
innate responsibility. How can we
las an organization, so help him tha'
he may not. when employment agair
offers tself feel that It is more
pleasant to shift his task to some
one else. The habit Of regular worl
Is strong, but that OF idleness Is II
many instances much stronger.
Praise for Employers.
"The psychology OF a man out o.
employment is a peculiar one. III
does not come to a relief agency un
til he has exhausted all other re
sources. And then he doesn't come
He sends his wife. SO many mel
who rebuked by workers for thi
shifting to the woman the disagree
. able task Of admitting their need
say but I am ashamed to come.
J. yes, but you are not unwilling Z
eat the food which is given to you
wife" To this they have no answer
II has been difficult. however, (as NJ
one but those of us who are meet
ing the situation daily know 70
great strong men to accept from tn
hands of a woman worker an orde
for groceries. when what he want
Is work.
ct could tell you many stories o
/, Unemployment. and no two would b
/. unite alike. The employers Of labo
in Wilmington have been splendh
! in their spirit Of cooperation, bu
! no family work society can handl
the problem Of fitting men to job
. and finding Jobs where none exis
: we gladly welcome Dr. Oden int
! this field and are endeavoring to &C
j, operate with the workers Of the Fed
eral Employment Bureau in ever
@ way possible.
"With four workers in the dis
trlcts. it has been difficult to do
: close follow-up work as should b
done for really good case work. w
could not refuse the work, nor wer
we in a position to enlarge our stat
Each worker has had to assume
7 share Of the increase. For exam
pie. one day very recently on
worker interviewed twenty-one pei
y sons and made a call in the cours
of a morning.
"During the year these four work
= ers have made 5.O39 visits and rs
ceived 5.OOs office callers. In add
: tion TO this the general secretar
4 has made s0s visits in behalf Of tn
r. organization and received 529 cal
Il ers, giving a total Of 5,S47 visit
n made and 5.537 callers received
k Also we have secured medical a
;. tention for 241 OF our people an
a legal aid for "a.
Require $4,000 a Month.
Besides work and time, II hs
required greal deal of money
:, handle the situation. Except II
. the Hebrew Charities, we stan
!. practically alone in any organize
y form OF relief-giving. To most ,
y us. conditions did not come as a su
prise and we were. to certain ],