Evening star., 1942-05-24

IlC SOullSll VI OoSldl nSCllSICS 10
gearing its activities to meet the
economic and social needs of war
time Washington, spokeSmen OF the
council said yesterday.
1t was pointed out. for instance,
that several secretaries of divisions
of the council are also secretaries Of
committees within the District De-
fense Council. The recreation sec
retary of the council was loaned for
four months to the defense group
and is now with it permanently
Still later the assistant executive
secretary of the council was released
to the Defense Council and is at
present administrative assistant to
the director
1t was also pointed out that early
last year the volunteer bureaus Of
the council and Junior League were
merged with the Civilian Defense
Volunteer Office, now directed by a
former president of the council,
Mrs. Harry Bernton. However. the
cooperation has worked both ways.
A large number of volunteers have
been sent to the Council of Social
Agencies from the Defense Volun-
teer Office.
Prevented Curtailment.
without this help the councils
activities would have been greatly
curtailed," the l941-42 report of the
council states.
The secretary of the Health Divi-
sion of the council, Mrs. Theresa
Dansdill MCGEE, is secretary of the
Nutrition Committee of the Defense
Council. The division also spon-
Sored a nutrition course, which was
attended by superintendents of in
stitutions, their dieticians, cooks
and others. 1t was done during the
winter through the cooperation OF
the Red Cross.
In February of this year the
Health group, Mrs. MCGEE said, is.
sued a pamphlet, Health. You Owe
it to Yourself" which was designed
to serve as a guide to rejected selec-
tees who wished to correct their phys
ical defects. Mention of it was made
recently in the American Journal OF
Medicine, she said, and inquiries
about it have been received from
North Carolina and New York.
Another link between the social
council and the Defense Council is
Edward Ackerman, secretary of the
Child and Family Welfare Divisions
of the Council of Social Agencies
who is also serving as secretary OF
the Family Security Committee OF
the Defense Council and is a men,
ber of its Child Care and Protection
Committee.
Area Committee Aid Asked.
At the request of the chief Of Civ
ilian Mobilization of the Defense
Council, Conrad Van Hyning, the
Council of Social Agencies has been
asked to aid in the work which may
be carried on in the 68 area COM
mittees of the civilian defense dis
tricts Mrs W. A. Roberts, execu-
tive secretary of the council, said
that they would be glad" to use
their eight neighborhood councils
in this work.
Mrs. Roberts said it was expected
that the council would be called on
to help organize the work in such
matters as child welfare and health,
explaining that through the neigh
borhood councils they know the
key people already" The Commun-
ity Chest, she added, has granted
money to the Council of Social
Agencies for a staff member to act
as liaison officer between the areas
and the council.
Citing the fact that the council
has made its resources available to
the area committees on War Pro-
grams in the fields of health and
welfare a communication from
the civilian mobilization unit stated ::
Especially qualified members OF
the council staff will be designated
for the purpose of rendering such
assistance as may be desired by the
area subcommittee chairman
5-Point Requirement.
The communication said that this
would mean five things. D meet
ing with the advisory area commit
tees; supplying facts on the area,
and providing speakers or materials;
CO informing area committees of re-
sources to be utilized in considering
new programs; 90 planning and as
sisting in the conduct of additional
fact finding activities, including the
necessary clerical help; a. serving
as liaison between the area COM
mittee and any and all agencies
concerned and the committee activi-
ties of the regular divisions of the
Council of Social Agencies; and 60
providing clerical and technical as
sistance in the preparation of ques-
tionnaires and reports.
Mrs. Roberts said the council, in
cooperation with the Emergency
Committee for the Day Care of
Young Children of the Defense
Council, the Defense Volunteer Of
flee, the American Women's Volun-
tary Services and the Women's Aux
iliary of the c. I. O.. had given q
course for volunteers for daytime
care Of children. She said that this
was . growing problem with 70