Evening star., 1947-02-02

AIEAdIluIId NEtuS
Community Spirit
Alexandria needs a Regeneration
of community spirit" in order to
solve it's social problems, according
to the report of the social survey
to the Alexandria Council of Social
Agencies.
The report, part of major social
survey being conducted in the
Washington area, covers the fields
of family and child welfare, correc-
tions, recreation, adult education,
race relations, religious relations, vo-
cational adjustment and organiza-
tion and structure of social work.
Sponsored by the Alexandria
Council of Social Agencies, the sur
vey was financed by a $4,050 Com
munity War Fund grant. Techni-
clans assigned to the studies in
Alexandria were from the staff of
the Social Survey Organization
which conducted similar studies in
Washington. The Alexandria report
follows one made in Arlington and Is
the second outside of Washington to
be completed.
To Be Released in Sections.
Reports on the specific fields COW
Iered are being released in sections!
by the council, beginning tomorrow
Council members stressed the fact
the report is by the technicians and
not the survey committee. The lat.
ter simply received the report and
passed it on to the council, accord
ing to the Rev. Fred v. Poag, survey
committee chairman.
The most significant social prob
lem, according to the report, is the
relationship between the whites and
colored. This problem, however, is
common to all sections of the met
ropolitan area, the report declares.
Because the colored group is the
most under privileged group in the
community" it will represent a
Chronic source of acute social and
health problems" for some time to
come, the report states. ITO meet
this problem adequately requires
careful planning on the part of the
governmental and private agencies
involved"
Support Held Inadequate.
One significant feature of Alex
andria's community life, the report
states, is that it does not support
adequately its voluntary welfare
services, either financially or by per-
sonal effort.
1.-THE cause for this lack of COM
munity spirit and activity are OBJ
scure," 1t continues. "It is an over
all problem that requires the at
tention and concern of all residents
of Alexandria"
The city has trained, experienced
leadership with technical knowl-
edge to solve its local problems and
cooperate with other areas to work
on the more complex metropolitan
problems" the report declares.
What is needed is regeneration
of a community spirit and a lessen
ing of insularity to make the neces-
sary community efforts and Coop
Grafton possible"
Each section of the social survey
report, Mr. Poag said, will be studied
by special committee of the coun-
Gil. At the conclusion of the
studies, the council will announce
it's recommendations. These will not
necessarily be the same as those of
the survey technicians, he pointed
out.
Pierce Writes Foreword.
In a foreword, Clarence M."Pierce,
director of The Social Survey, de-
clares:
"In considering the individual
studies made in the report, it should
be realized that the effort was di-
rected toward an overall community
evaluation of the fields under study
rather than a precise evaluation of
individual agencies because time and
staff limitations would not permit
the latter.
"An attempt was made to provide
Alexandria with some guide posts
for the development of its social
welfare program in the future rather
than material for immediate reor-
ganization of that program. Alex
andria's needs for the next decade
are what the studies attempt to in
dicate in this summary"
Alexandria can plan for a popula-
ton of 10000 to 10000, according to
Mr.. Pierce. Any expansion beyond
that point would seem to depend on
territorial expansion since there
seems to be a limit to much addi-
tional building within the present
city," he declares in the general in
PRODUCTION.
Little Change Expected.
Since it is safe assumption that
Alexandria cannot expect any large
scale industrial development, it may
be expected that the present eco
nomic character of the city will con-
tinue for some time.
The development of decentralized
shopping centers adjacent to large
housing groups, such as darlington
and Parkfairfax, may have the effect
of diminishing Alexandria as a
shopping center unless active steps
are taken to compete with them. !"
he warns.
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