Evening star., 1946-02-24
District Social Survey Mapped
To Solve Postwar Problems

Washington is the laboratory for
an experiment that may determine
what life will be like for many of
its residents in the next 10 years.
Social scientists directing the
Washington Social Survey are seek
Ing the elements of happy, pros
porous and secure community. They
will try to compound them so Wash
tngton can meet or prevent any
crises which may face the commun-
tty or its citizens.
How Is the social health of the
District? Are racial and religious
tensions mounting? Is there evi-
dence of wasteful duplication of So
cial services? Are there uncovered
social needs? Do social agencies use
outmoded methods? What reception
are veterans receiving? Is WASH
ington prepared to solve the prob
lens arising from disproportionate
number of women here?
All Factors Under Study.
The delinquency rate, the ratio
Of take-home pay to cost of living,
opportunities for recreation, the
number of illegitimate births, the
loss due to strikes and lockouts and
evidence of racial tensions, all will
be examined and weighed to deter
mine what is missing here.
The Council of Social Agencies,
sponsor of the project, explained
that while other agencies deal with
material improvements, the survey
Will take inventory of Washingtons
human assets and devise plans for
preserving and enhancing them.
Directed by Clarence M. Pierce
and guided by more than 600 citi-
zens, a technical staff recruited from
10 States will attempt to complete
an investigation of seven major
fields by next fall. Aware that
previous reports of experts have
gathered dust on library shelves,
the Council of Social Agencies is
basing the survey on community
participation. Citizen committees
will formulate the recommendation
coming out Of 1t and will work to
realize them.
Seven-Point Plan.
Here are the seven committees
and what they will do:
l. Family and Child Welfare will
investigate all the activities of the
Board of Public Welfare related to
child and family care, including
relief services and the institutions it
operates. The major private social
agencies also will be examined to
determine what part they play in
community welfare.
2. The Recreation Committee will
study camping programs for chill
dren, neighborhood centers, private
and public parks and Fairgrounds
and opportunities for cultural de-
velopment.
3. The Corrections Committee will
examine the problem of juvenile
delinquency in the District and its
treatment, both by the Juvenile
Court and correction institutions.
1t also will report on the handling
Of adult offenders here, both be-
fore and after sentencing.
4. The Adult Education Commit
tee, entering a comparatively new
field for social agencies, will pay
special attention to training for
veterans and the handicapped and
to the retraining of war workers
for peacetime occupations.
Seek Causes of Tension.
). The Group Relations Commit
tee will tackle the relations and
tensions between races, religious
groups and between labor and man
ages1ent.
S. The vocational adjustment sec
ton will investigate the labor mar
ket, changing since the war end
ed, and will measure the type and
qtality of vocational placement and
counselling services offered to Wash
ngtonians.
7.;Community organization will
center its attention on co-ordinat-
ing all the social service programs
in the area. 1t will make recon-
mendations for increasing commun-
ity participation in social work.
Each committee will direct and
guide the work of its technical staff