Evening star., 1953-02-26
UCS Report
Urges Services
Be Increased
Committee Submits
Recommendations on
Settlement Houses

10 all people IVlng IN the
neighborhoods they serve was
recommended for eight settle
ment houses here in a report
released today by United Com
munity Services.
The study found that some
of the settlement house activi-
ties are available only to parts
of their neighborhoods, and that
some draw membership from
distant areas.
Besides a more definitive
statement of the settlement
house role, the report called for
more effective governing boards,
better qualified staff, better
board-staff relationships and
more stable financial structure,
Work of Committee.
1t was submitted by a special
committee of the UCS Recrea-
ton and Group Work Section
based on self-Studies of the set
tlement houses receiving UCS
support and findings of a So
member Central Study Commit
tee.
Professional assistance came
from the National Federation of
Settlements and Neighborhood
Centers and the UCS Depart
ment of Research and Statistics.
The study has been in prog
ress more than two and a half
years.
Calls for Analysis.
The report called for each set
tlement house to re-examine it's
neighborhood for physical, So
cial, economic, educational, civic
and spiritual aspects, and then
to analyze its performance.
1t pointed out that neighbor-
hoods served by the houses "lie
in areas of significant popula-
ton change" It cited a per
cent decrease in the 1910 to 1850
decade, a bigger decrease in
child population, an increase of
Negro population and, except
for the Georgetown neighbor-
hood, a proportionate increase
of Negro population in census
tracts already predominately
Negro.
Five Below Standard.
The study found that partici-
patton in house programs from
the neighborhoods ranged from
939 per cent at one house to A
per cent at another. five of them
falling below the standard of 80
per cent neighborhood partici-
patton considered reasonable.
The report made its recon-
mendations general, not attempt
ing to outline a course of action
for any one house. The eight
are:
Christ Child, 6O8 Massachu-
sets avenue NE, and George
town, 1924 N street NV, both
having interracial programs;
Barney, 470 N street S.W.;
Friendship, 619 D street Sc, and
Nye, $50 Eighth street S.W., all
white use, and Northwest, SIS
M street NV; Southeast, 324
Virginia avenue Sc, and South
west, 1725 First street S.W., all
Negro use.
The committee called for con-
sideration toward merging re-
sources of houses geographically
close together and serving the
same general neighborhood. 1t
recommended that all the houses
work for more cooperative ef-
fort in solving problems of ad-
ministration, planning, co-or-
dination, program guidance,
financing, records and purchas-
ing.
LiaisOn Held Needed.
It said that too little attention
has been devoted to productive
liaison between settlement houses
and organized resources of the
community. The houses should
identify themselves with other
community groups and provide
for unmet needs. it added.
Land and buildings owned by
the houses is valued at about
$400, 900, and cash reserves and
investments total about $88, 900,
the committee found. Budgets
are based on Community Chest
income, donations and fees for
service. The report found that
the, community in the last five
years has offered about 5000 900
worth Of settlement house serv-
ices annually.
The houses should seek addi-
, tional bequests and endowmentS,
help in maintaining physical
plants, and pay salaries to OBJ
tain effective staff, the report
said. .-.
The committee also recon-
mended that the houses even
tually be relieved of RESPONSE
bilitv for child day-care service.
q, The report was approved today
by the Recreation and Group
Section and recommended for ac-
ceptance and approval by the
UCS Board of Trustees. It was
presented at a meeting in the
Giddings School, Fourth and G
streets Sc.
DR.. Paul F. Douglass, chair
man of the special committee,
pointed out that what the set
tlement house does to make bet
ter people makes Washington a
better place to live"