The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-07-07

/ udSH Oh common sense ana KNOW
ledge of psychology, season with
cooperation. and stir together
with the milk of human kindness,
and you have the average fcrmu-
Ia which workers on the Board of
| Social Welfare here are applying
t. their countless problems.
! A check-up on few of their
: case histories after a feV; months
Of operation would indicate that
the recipe is turning out some
, worthwhile products.
Lack of any large amount of
material ingredients have obliged
. the workers in District No. 10,
Board of Social Welfare, to evolve
their own methods of handling
their job. Without funds, they
have found that common sense
can frequently be rsed to take the
place of actual cents. For this
state board is one branch of en-
dCavor which has no money to dis
tribute. 1t was set up as an ex-
pertinent. with the hope that it
would prove its worth in such a
way that the state legislature will
carry on after the current funds
are exhausted. 1t has been main
tanned for more than a year on
dc. h0f 10
: than two weeks if distributed as
material relief.
! To persons who think that the
term welfare entails handing out
money, food and clothing. the ac-
Invites of the board would prove
a revelation. From the Federal
Surplus Commodity committee,
which buys surplus foodstuffs for
canning and putting up for dis
tribution to those on relief. the
board obtains its only tangible
; supplies, with the exception of
garments made at the WPA sew
ing rooms, six of which are main
tanned throughout the district.
What can a wslfa~2 beard do
with only limited canned goods
and a few clothes to distribute?
The answer is that frequently
just the helping hand Of a few
groceries may supplement fam
ily's need and tide it over. and
that workers can attempt to get
, at the causes underlying many
family acknowledgements that
| will not be cured by money
alone.
A middle-aged couple has a
daughter suffering from diabetes.
Their meagre income is insult
= ficient to give her the special
foods that she must have. Con-
sienments of commodities to this
family feed the parents, and the
money they would otherwise have
to spend on food for all three
can go for the necessary items in
'ltt uduSuItI - uIels
A young fellow comes from a
shiftless family. They've all
gone to the dogs. so l might as
we'll 90 too" is his attitude. All
efforts to improve the family
seem futile. but the boN is recon-
mended for the CCC camp. and is
becoming a useful, self-respecting
citizen once more.
Seven girls in families on re-
lief receive vocational training as
part of the federal projects, and
later are able to work into gain
full positions. One in playground
work. several stenographers and
clerks.
One mother is so delighted with
the Improvement in manners.
morals. and health of an older
son, who had been sent to reform
school. she comes in seeking a
way to get a second one commit
tedi
A mother deserts a large family
of poverty-stricken children, the
father lands in Jail, an older SIS
ter attempts to keep the family
going with meagre wages brought
) in by an older brother. Living
conditions are such that the neigh
, bOrs object and seek to have the
family broken up and distributed
. to institutions. Through the
work of a case worker. the family
is considerably cleaned up, taught
! something of hygiene, the young
est sent to kindergarten. The
father gets out of jail. and gets
some Federal work. The family
: equilibrium is maintained suf-
: ficiently to prove that institutions
+ are not necessarily the answer,
! even though the easiest solution
A youngster steals from his
classmates; is on the verge Of
>ENT HIGH POWFPI