The Dallas express. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1893-1970, 1921-01-15


Social Welfare work in Dallas, Mrs.
s. A. Mccall, Worker With the uni
ted Charities.
The United Charities. which minis
tiers to the poor and unfortunate OF
the city of Dallas, is not an organiza-
although it serves the city, This or
ganization appeals to the people who
out of the largeness of their hearts
and in response to humanity's call
donate an annual budget which pry-
nance in a business like way. Miss
Flora Saylor is the originator and
superintendent of the work.
Some three wears ago Miss Saylor,
who is a Christian and who loves hui
manity and people regardless of tl,e
color of their skin. felt that the Ne
groes of Dallas were due a larger and
more. sympathetic service She there-
fore began prenarations to add to her
department Negro worker This was
unusual in this section of our coun-
try. but Miss Saylor had always done
tate to do this unusual thing She
called into her council members of
the Negro Welfare Board told them
that she, wanted an intelligent Chris
nurse-training, If possible, to take
charge of the work. AS a result, Mrs.
S. A. Mccall who entirely qualified,
was invited to come, which she did.
leaving a more remunerative position
under the State. as Head of the Hos
pital at Prairie View Normal
Mrs. Mccall, received her Literary
training at Straight University. When
she must return to the work-a-day
world. She entered Provident Hospi-
tai Chicago, H.. for professional
nurse trailing. Immediately after her
graduation she was called to Austin.
Texas. to tae charge Of the hispital
at the D.. D. and b. Institute
She was head nurse at the Baptist
Santtarium from which she received
an appointment to the hospital at
Prairie View Normal, where she SER
left that service and came to our city
at great sacrifice but the kind Of
service here appealed to her and gave
her an opportunity to be with her
Daughters who were already in the
service Of the city as teachers
What does Mrs. Mccall do? She is
one of twelve welfare workers. The
white workers are each assigned to
a district of the city. but her field is
the whole city Cases of poverty, old
age, sickness dire distress caused by
floods. fire, accident to heads of fam
lilies. disruption of families by incom-
patibility or crime. where wives and
children are left in distress call for
she visits the sick OF any nature,
gives instruction in the proper care
of the patient, seeks medical service
and hospital accommodation when
possible. When winter brushes the
poor. Mrs. Mccall sees to their needs
In the way OF fuel and warm cloth
ing. Sick mothers are relieved of
their children by hired attendants un-
I'll returns, the orphaned are provided
for and sought homes through her.
nnOnla
lieved to the best of her ability. She
keeps a record of all her cases and
Keeps In personal touch with them
for even years.
MissMargaret Spray, trained So
cial worker is her Supervisor and
Mrs. Mccall has the advantage of her
lectures and experience. She reports
the most courteous treatment from
superiors and associates.
In interviewing Mrs Mccall, It is
clear that her capacity for service is
greatly hindered by a lack of proper
facilities to carry on the work. In the
case of the aged. the fact was reveal
ed that the City is filled with old
people, who have no support and there
Is no place to put them they are
found In servant rooms where they
have outlived their usefulness and are
unwelcome guests often living on the
charity of the neighborhood. Is it not
high time that we make some bust
ness like arrangement for the care
OF our old and decrepit? 1t should
be matter OF race pride and a step
forward in our racial development.
Then there is the question of our sick
they are refused, as a rule in our
city hospital, where there is no Me-
gro nurse to care for them, often the
white city doctor scarcely sets down
his bag when sent to make them a
call. We need a nurse and n ward in
our city hospital. Who needs to get
busy? What about our tubercular
hospital? Miss Mccall reports T. b..
as heading her report A tubercular
Negro is as great a menace to the
city as a whites one Can't we impress
that fact? One Negro Welfare worker
doing the work of three-why? Be
cause we do not interest ourselves in
this cause, pledge our support to the
work. A little systematic giving from
our clubs, churches and individuals
would make ii possible for us to feel
greater pride in this great humani-
tartan service carried on in our city
for the good of all the people.