The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-12-06
ROSE PORTER TELLS 0F C. O. 5. WORK AT HOME
 OF MRS. 5. SIMPSON

Miss Rose Porter. case supervisor of the Charity Organization Society, delivered an address this afternoon before the Ladies' Aid Society of the First Methodist church at the home Of Mrs. Sumner Simpson, on Clinton avenue.
 Miss Porter in opening her address, spoke of the original conception of charitable work, prevalent through out the early part of the nineteenth century. as administered along the old poor law system of England by overacers of the poor, who considered that their sole duty was, so far as the applicant was concerned. to dole out relief in the for Of coal and groceries. This always resulted in humiHating any self respecting ap- pliCant. and frequently. through process of paup perizatiOn, destroyed proper personal pride.
 Miss Porter then went On to state that with the beginning of the year 1869. new era in the history of charity Orga nizatiOn work began. For the first time a small group of high lr intelligent and humane individuals in London, met together and deCiued that satisfying manl<ind's lower ip sttncts alone by doHng out food should nol be treated as the begin ming and end of charitable work; and from this humble beginning has sprung the present system or Schen- tifc organized charitable work. Miss Porter then went on tC define what the sO-Called case working agency tried to accomplish. She stated tn the basic principle of modern scieu- tfc case work is to treat each individ- uaI a distinct and separate human being whose special and peculiar needs are to be studied. and so far g possible, given consideration. This Is the opposite principle from that of a military organization which treats human beings in the mass in stead of Individually. From those early beginnings which recognized that relief giving was only one of the tools TO promote well being among individuals and families, have sprung un suecial agencies such as. for example, those specializing in the welfare of children. giving each par tiCular child personal attention. study ing their behavior and endeavoring to supply their particular wants. This is of great value where young chill dren for one reason or another are compelled to he placed with straag- CTS where no parental control is available.
 Miss Porter then spoke of the inn Dortance of preserving family life Tn It's highest form, and went on to say that in order to solve the intricate question of family difficulties it is recessary to have highly trained workers possessed of unusual intelli- gence and q knowledge of sociology and psvch oloEv. if possible; so that Tn dealing with the needy families they may sympatheticallv understand the problems, environments, educa- ton, health and spiritual life of those with whom they come in contact. Miss Porter then gave some striking examples. showing how power to ap- preciate the capabilities and interest of the individual had enabled the Charity Orea nization Society to do some very effective work with phys tca11y handicapped men ard with de- lnquent children. These happy re- suits. she said would have been ab- solute1v impossible unless the workers had made a close and careful study of the persons concerned had gained their confidence and had through nersona1 contact learned to estimate the capabilities and interests of those they were endeavorine to he'D; and she further said that for such con- ~tructive work time. patience and human kindliness and keen power of observation are absolutely required.
 Miss Porter. in closing her sDeech. said that it was to be regretted have called u0on the churches for material relief alone. since the pri-| mary function of the church is to ad- minister to the spiritua1 wants of it's members: it would seem that these needs should be born in mind bv tn Q social agencies and wherever possi- h1e the church should be requested to supply them.