Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-04-05
AS ONE WOMAN SEES II
Don't Try Social Service Work to Es.
cape unhapplness At Homs--t De.
mauds a Love o. Service and the
Very Best That's In You
by SARAH d, LOWRIE

10y SNNAH u. LONHlE
T RECEIVED. from q reader Of this
1 column. who lives in Rusledse. a letter,
which is interesting to answer:
Dear Madam--May I ask to have social
service work defined and its possibilities
% a means Of Livelihood explained! And
how may l app!y7
Yours truly" etc.
The letter made Inc wonder IL much has
been said about social service work and
workers in this column. and If 70. whether
i had seemed for or against the profession.
I am really for social service work, but
I find myself continually critical Of the
social service workers in my mind, though
hope that fact docs not revcrberate through
the column.
Perhaps for that reason am not a good
person TO define the work or the workers.
vas phianthroric work done by professional
and generally BY employed workers, and
that social service worker was one who
had received more or less scientific train.
ing for benevolent work.
AS 10 the chances Of earning q livelihood,
l should say. that they were multiplying
yearly, and that salaries Of from $500 10
S-y"V. ana, In sorno cases, living quarters
ana even meals. were offered with other per.
quisites that spelled considerable influence
ana even power over the affairs Of men and
women and children. not to say boards Of
managers and executive committees.
Every year. however. the training Of a
SOCIAL service worker grows more formidable.
WEARS ago in Chicago the evangelist.
l. Dwight J.. Moody. established the first
schoot OF training for religious social service
workers, and he astonished the pastors and
Dorcas Societies and Ladies' Aids exceed
insiy oy having tabulated methods By which
one or another set Of derelicts was con.
'erted and put on the straight path. From
that school the name Christian worker was
more Or less derived. and for some time It
represented n certain type--not always a
popular one-N1th the rank and hle OF
church members.
Soon after that there came into existence
social settlements. generally in the slums or
IN a poor neighborhood or. at all events, in
neighborhood of workers in industry:
settlements where men and women livcd and
dld philanthrop.c work under the direction
OF a settlement head and according 70
methods met outlined and generally taught by
that head. These persons were known as
settiement workers. and they did everything
IRON washing a baby to staging a play
IN the wake of the slum or settlement
worker came the Young Wonen's Christian
Association trained worker. who was scner.
ally known ns y. W. c. 4. secretary.
She received her training in the big Y. ".
I. A. school In New York City under the
supervision of no less n person than Miss
!ri Trace Dodge and teachers of her choice.
tor various Jobs under industrial, rural city.
INSTITUTIONAL. Religions. rccrcational and ad.
ministrative.
UNTIL the y. W. c. \. took the matter
- in hand the salaries Of these workers
among women were part time stlpcnds and
rs;ed rety dmfassf tSs at that t; The " W. E.
pay; II also gave the saaried trained
worker an equal position with the volun-
teer on boards and slightly superior posi-.
iion IN actual administrative work. because
hourly contact with it they wcrc not ONLY
better Informed than the volunteers, bur
they we're more efficient
From such orgn nlzations as the y. ", G..
a. tne idea OF having trained workers spread
TO charity organizations. hospitals. nnr
series. educational institutions of n Lcnevo
lent sort md finally TO business cstoblish
incntS ana tHrtories. until now no IN. 10 date
institution that is organized for the help Of
parsons, b,, splrl'naIiy mentality or physically.
stan OF trained and paid social service
workers.. And nearly every city of any sizo
has now Al least one and probably number
o., oi schools for the training of these workers,
inc COURSES vary according to the type of
work required, and the amount of prarticc |
ihcludcd differs with the different schools
In some. actual residence with work in
social settlement is part Of tho course. in |
others some hospital work in still Others q |
very thorough course in psychology and even |
psychiatrS.
pERlfAPs where 7 have been mentally |
l. critical of the scientifically trnincL sociol |
service worker has been in her insstence in |
her training versus the volunteer workers |
experience. She knows a general rule hut |
not local situation. and in spite of great
cxectncSH in technique. She is not always |
N IN air
too often, makes her feel that the only GOOD |
OF the volunteer is to provide the money and /,
prestige. while she manipua,es the funds |
and deals with the benctcarics and com.
Pa.es !ne vo,uminouS r"ports which she has !
been trained to consider necessary
In fact. In spite Of her scientific training "a |
deal with the poor or needy or young or Ind
or ignorant. she very often is quite ignorsnt |
how TO dca! with the goose that laws tho
solden egg when is why so many Of our
brink OF impecuniosty. The persons whose
business II Is to support them no longer
have q real sense OF responsibility in run.
ming them. and the persons who are helped
or hupporIed are no longer in close touch
with the men and women who share ,bc;r
incomes with them. "
Then. too with many trained workcrs
social service is not the dedication of n
n,e; /, Is Just one Of the modern, democratic
most cas"'. S"rvi"c dedicated to any ono
nccd OF lIn".lll'v ~ any on" locality. II
Is very oit"n matter Of salary and Of con.
.it''nN ~ '' .'", ih"h !" IGr l. W C.
y. there - '"!,',&ni ri&rH" IN tho sccro
tar:al force, Il sort Of succession Of now,
brooms for the discipline Of the old voInn.
tcers. " ''u"'
] "onfcsS that the "old volunteers, ava
apt I" b" uncertain in their turn rhor oo
away IN winter and they 80 away in snmmsr
and they. light out for pleasure or bn.I,h
- generally some on" elscs--!r bAlwcen
,lmcS, ,1n,s,, ana are very cond"sccndins about
there again their laXity il due 10 Iack of
interest. and the Jack Of inrercVr !. Gro W
lack OF real responsibility. and thc la"t -
responsibility is due I" the fact tia, n s"cla,
the interesting part Of the JOB, ~ a."
NTOW for the last part Of rho oro.,io,.