Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-12-16
DEACONESS JEAN COLESBERRY
On Christmas Baskets for the Poor

TNlIE. giving of Christmas baskets for tn"
i poor and unfortunate is how. as It
has long been, one OF the chief lnetide
activities of the philanthropic organizations
Of the city, says Dcnconcss Jean Colcs0erry
of .S IS, Mar,hns ii"nSe Sc noss baskets" said
Deaconess Colesberry. "is matter which Is
guarded against carefully. but not always
successfully. although every prccnution
which complete organization can devise ~
it is not that there is any unwilIingnets that
n family should receive moro than one bns.
ket, especially II their need b" great b,il
because for every duplication. there must be
No Deception Used
"There was an instance not so long ago
where, of the lists turned in. there were
1000 names for baskets, of which 1000 we're
duplicates. OF course. this was seen ana
correct ed before the baskets were given OUT,
but it shows how thoroughly the clty |"
covered and how many persons VINO n"cu the
cheer of Christmas baske'S have their names
on more than one list.
"Anothrr thiny which should be- mad"
clear to the general public Is that, because
there is this duplication OF names uGrs
to get more than its fair share. By TAR
the greatest number Of these Implications are
unntent iOnal and, in many instances; !nc
proposed bcneiicarics know nothing OF On"
are on more than on" list.
''This duplication Il now avoided so 1hr
as it is humanity possible to do 50 by send
ing the iiSlS to thG HhrstmaG; HSSxnhhs" "'
where they arc checked up and the duplica
tions taken off before the baskets are Sent
out. Practically all Of the philnnthrnr2
organizations of the city follow this plan,
but there are some clcrgymen who do not
do this. and most Of the duplication results
from this cause.
always been very high and still Is SO. l'eo-
rle are doing today about as they have dom"
for years in this respect. There are moro
baskets given now, 1t Is true, but there arc
also more families to b" given TO ana
moro pcrgonS 10 do the giving. so that the
proportion and the spirit remain about the
same HS il always has been:
Thirty years ago people did not 40 the
amount Of giving to the poor that they ar"
doing now, but on the other hand, there
were then and also more poor families.
"The Christmas giving is somewhat OF an
exception to tn" rule Of our house, as We
do no. "ncourNg" material giving: 1t IS our
desire TO help those who need assistance to
help themselves, for, in this way, th" basis
OF the best prosperity is laid. We would fur
rather obtain II position for worthy man
than give him the same amount OF help in
material assistance. OF course, there are
cases where the latter Is required and then
il is Chccrfuly given, hut il il rather against
our policy except at Christmas time. In
the case Of actual assistance being needed,
It is given quietly and as friends.
Preventing Implications
"But to return 10 the matter of Christmas
basket Implications; we register everything
as soon az we can with the Social Service
Exchange Burcnu and, after checking up,
they call us up and inform us of the duplica
tions. The number Of persons or rather
families which Will deliberately make an
attempt to get on more than one list for
the purpose Of getting more than one bas-
ket is exceedingly small.
at is nothing against family to be on
more than one list, and some families,
through church connections, friends and
social organizations, will be on Ms many
as half dozen lists. AZ ! said before.
the duplication of names simply means that
there will be certain families who will have
TO 70 without baskets If there are many
Implications and so, IL the applications can
be cut to the lowest possible limit. It means
that there will be more deserving families
who will receive baskets.
''The number of baskets which are pro-
yided each Christmas is smaller than the
number of families who want them, but il
Is my experience after many years in this
work that every really deserving person in
the city Is supplied
"Any exceptions to this, which there may
be, are usually the very proud persons
among the poor, and there can be- little doubt
that there Is qnite considerable number OF
those In the city. They are usually per-
sons who, at one time. have been quite WELL