Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1939-05-04
Welfare Board Is
Completing Fifth
Year OF Activity
Glen Leet, Editor Of ''News
Letter., Explains Trend In
Social Work

The fifth anniversary of the Mont
gomery County Welfare Board was
observed with dinner meeting at
the Congressional Country Club. The
annual report, in comprehensive
pamphlet form, was made available.
Fred Lutes, chairman, presided and
Glen Leet, editor of the washington
News Letter" and former field repre-
sentative of the American Public
Welfare Association, made the prin-
cipal address.
Mr.. Leet summarized much of the
social welfare Legislation now before
Congress and commented upon the
present trends in public assistance in
dicated by this legislation. He ex-
planned that relief is now recognized
as problem of government, and all
though it is big problem like that of
public education, it is one which must
be met and methods of financing it
must be devised.
Mr.. Leet commented also upon the
Wagner Health Bill. which would
amplify the present program of ma
ternal and child health care and care
of crippled children. It would also
provide aid to states for construction
Of hospitals, for medical care of the
INDECENT and for systems of disability
insurance for those i'll temporarily.
He explained that under the present
unemployment compensation system,
benefits are not provided for those
who are unable to work becalse of ill
ness, though these are more in need
of assistance than those who are un-
employed simply because of lack of
jobs. Hearings on this bill will be con-
Quoted in May, but unless the public
displays greater interest in this bill
than is demonstrated at present. it
seems likely to die because of public
inertia, even though no one appears
particularly opposed to it.
Mrs. Dorothy M. Kurtz, executive
secretary Of the welfare board, ex-
planned that copies of the annual re-
port were available for any individual
or organization interested in the work
of the Welfare Board. In commenting
upon the report, Mrs. Kurtz called
attention to the chart which shows
graphically the four welfare agencies
in the county, their source of funds,
their function and the board to which
each is responsible. She explained that
because of the confusion existing in
the county in regard to these points,
the chart had been included in the re-
port and a considerable portion of
the report devoted to a detailed ex-
PLANTATION of the Welfare Boards
exact relationship to other agencies
and organizations. Mrs. Kurtz called
attention to the pin maps which were
displayed at the meeting to show the
geographic location of the case load,
and commented that this information
was given by race and by election dis
trict in the annual report. Contrary
to general opinion, these figures indi-
cate that less than one-third of the
assistance grants paid by the We'll
fare Board are paid to colored per-
sons. Mrs. Kurtz expressed apprecia-
ton for the cooperation given the
Welfare Board by other agencies, and
members Of the community and TO
GUIDE Brothers for the flowers donated
for the annual dinner.
The annual report shows that in the
past year, April 1888 April 1899,
S180,775.18 was expended by the We'll
fare Board OF this amount, $685.
603.27 was expended for old age as
sistance; SCI, 458.78 for aid to de-
pendent children; $4,O40.T for aid to
the needy blind, and SIS, 672.38 for adj
ministration expense mileage, salar-
les, telephone, office equipment, Office
supplies and postage). OF the total
expended, $14S,S51.9S was received
from the State and Federal govern
ments, and $31,92S.25 from the
County. During the year, the staff
travelled 33,619 miles, made 4,1ss
home visits, and conducted 1,1b0 once
tpkarufoxsga