The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1942-11-20
VALUE TO THE STUDENT OF
THE SOCIAL WORK LAB

learn through doing under trained su
pervision. Thus caseworkers have
actual practice in public and private
welfare work before leaving the Uni
versity.
The real challenge, and the unique
opportunity DR.. Tascher offers his
students is the freedom to work with
those social problems ignored by the
community and for which no remedy
has previously been offered. Here
social planning enters and students
have the freedom to think and act
creatively toward an improved So
ciety
Democratically and informally the
entire class discuss all possible meth
DDS of dealing with a particular prob
lem. Every angle is frankly and hon
estly aired. An outline Of the project
is drawn and one or more members
assigned to work it out Periodically
they ask the entire class for further
discussion and suggestions. With the
concentrated effort of one student and
the cooperation of the entire class in
solving particular phases, a workable
solution is found.
The thrilling feature of working in
the Lab has been watching a small
suggestion grow into a real program.
This has been possible only because
of the tremendous faith Dr. Tascher
has placed in his students and his
course in challenging them to accept
the freedom he offers. A fine ex-
ample is the growth of the Coop
houses on the campus. In chance
conversation with a student who was
doing janitor work in the building aft
er school hours, Dr. Tascner learned
that that youth was interested in
Co-ops. He found that the youth had
some definite ideas and plans for
building Co-ops among students. I'm
youth have felt who have visionary
IDEAS, that his ideas would never have
q chance to develop. But, DIR. Tascher
offered him university credit to de-
velop his ideas as well as the assist
ance of the Lab group. Out of this
has grown a Boys Coop House, a
Girls Coop House, and Coop buying
plan for patching students. Not only |
las large number of university stu
tents benefited by the creation of |
.hese Coop housing units, but imagine
he encouragement it has given that
student and all other students asso-
,iated with the Lab to think and act
relatively
Thus the Lab is like a Social Plan /
ling Board for an improved society.
Individuals, each busily engaged in
working on some particular social
meet in conference weekly
or mutual discussion of problems
hat have developed on some particu-
ar project. The girl who Is organic
ng the Forum group may ask for sug
estions on how to obtain greater par
icipation from the student body. In
the question is discussed. ]
Tut of this democratic discussion
lany ideas are crystallized and she
eturns to her project to try them out
Out of this group effort, each mem
er of the group gains an understand
ng of all phases of social work and /
basic philosophy While students /
lay specialize through personal i
hoice and prepare to be caseworkers i
r recreational leaders or civil service {
ssistants in governmental agency, t
ley are always more than a special Y
It. They are social planners i'll the t
roader field also. In the Lab they S
ave learned to ask questions. (This G
very different from the acceptance r
{ dictatorial profundities in an eco ]
omics class which appear unwork- G
BILE in actual practice and serve to Y