The Dallas express. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1893-1970, 1921-01-22
SOCIAL WELFARE WORK IN Dali
LAS--MRS. HILARIA ID. HAGAN-
MORGAN, GENERAL WELFARE
WORKER.

| MORGAN, GENERAL WELFAHE
WORKER.
The first definite task undertaken
by the Negro Welfare Board was the
establishment of Child Welfare De-
had been called to the Cry of the
Children" Many, many children were
roaming our streets. furnishing our
Juvenile offenders, in need of special
attteehtloni then there We're neglected
children, whose plight and suffering
were faults of their parents, in need
OF some ono to put these parents
to their natural tasks. Mrs. Hilaria-
Morgan was asked to take charge of
this newly. created position. She was
Board, the members pledging a cash
monthly pro rata to provide for her
salary For one year they carried out
this program and Mrs. Morgan was
The City of Dallas being so favorably
impressed with Mrs. Morgan's work
and realizing the benefits to the City
government took over Mrs. Morgan
and made her General Welfare Work.
err
Mrs Morgan obtained her early edu-
cation and training in the public
schools al, III, Of Marlin. Texas. attending
View Normal for her higher training
She entered the profession of teach
ing, serving in that capacity at Little
Rock, Ark. and in Dallas County
was a social worker for the govern
ment in the state of Arizona, so she
came TO her new work with splendid
qualifications.
What does Mrs. Morgan do? Cases
OF delinquency in children: dependent
and neglected children helpless Wild
owhood; immortality in the home, i'm
human treatment of wife or children;
wlte and child desertion; neglect and
non-support of family; Industrial ac-
cident leading to heiplessness OF the
entire family; the handicapped man;
hindered from productive employment
through physical defects or disease;
the feeble minded, who distress their
families and are the most expensive
wards of society; the insane, who are
local burdens and even menaces, where
state institutions cannot take them:
the aged and helpless poor, who will
not permit support at the Poor Farm;
vicious men and women who contrib
ute to and encourage vice in all its
firms; unemployment and the social
disease in women are some of the
daily tasks of this worker. In the
case of the Social disease the patient
reports to Mrs. Morgan, she in turn
seeks medical treatment for her, fol-
lows her up and prevents her en-
ployment at places where the disease
might be transmitted to others, when
the case warrants she orders an en-
terment in the Venereal ward at
the jail. Mrs. Morgan inspects the de-
partment for Negroes at the NUM-
cipal Farm and gives lectures to the
inmates. She personally conducts the
insane to the asylum and orphans to
the foEphanage. and keeps in touch
with them and the treatment they
receive.
Mrs. Morgan is under the direct SUI
pervision of Miss Alicia c. Brown, a
highly trained and very efficient
worker. Miss Browns watch-word is
investigation of the case in hand. She
not only investigates but sets in mo-
ton preventative and curative meas
ures. Mrs. Morgan reports the most
cordial treatment from superiors and
associates.
In interviewing Mrs. Morgan. we
find the same lack of facilities which
confront our other workers. In the
cases of delinquent girls brought be-
fore our courts for juvenile offences,
whose cases call for reformatory SEN
fences. They are now being sent to
the Farms where they fall into only
God knows what-certainly they come
back to US worse for the experience.
A reformatory would teach them some
useful tasks and set IN motion some
return to society better citizens. Mrs
Morgan often witnesses our girls sent
TO the farms for trivial offences and
with the most flimsy evidences of
guilt She has no substitute to offer
How long will we sit idly by ana DO
nothing? Money? Yes, we need mon
ey but we need a large hearted wom-
an, who like Rachel of old will re-
fuse to be comforted because her !
children are not.
IF one woman resolved to do this
task we know it could be accomplish
ed. Mrs Morgan acknowledges the
great services rendered by Mr.. j. d.
Rice worker with delinquent boys for
the Y. w. c. A. ii has been said by
welfare workers that our criminals
are developed between the ages of
eight and eighteen years. This is the
time of surplus energy and 1t thus
seeks an outlet. Would that we had
a man. leader with magnetism who
would marshal our boys into Boy
Scout and similar activities. Would
that we had woman with similar
qualities. who would lead our girls
in the Camp fire circles and like
Prevention is so much
cheaper than Hcure,
Plans are on foot to open a Day
Nursery which will be of great help
to Mrs Morgan. mothers can leave
their children when they are at work
and they will have care and be off
the streets. Other measures should
follow this worthy move and our City
will become a better city for all peo"
pie and we shall have dozens of well
fare workers instead of three