New Britain Herald Newspaper, October 14, 1915, Page 5

CHARITY ORGANIZATION EFFICIENCY IS DOUBLED DURING PAST TWO YEARS TWENTY-SECOND ANNUAL MEETING BRINGS FORTH SOME INTERES ING STATISTICS—REPRESENTATIVES OF TWENTY-FOUR NATIONS ASSISTED DURING PAST YEAR—OFFICE RS RE-ELECTED. Efficiency of the New Britain Charity organization has been doubled in the past two years and during the season of 1914-1915 twenty-four dif- ferent nationalities were represented among those who appealed for received aid from this association, cording to the reports submitted the twenty-second held last evening. Miss Osborn’s The report of Miss agent of the organization, sented to the officers as follows: “ ‘Business!’ cried Ghost, to old Scrooge in Dickens’ Christmas Carol. ‘Mankind was business! The common welfare was my bus Jmess; charity, mercy, forbearance and benevolence, were all my business!’. Objects of Organization. “Whereas Marley's Ghost cried out in vain regret, we in the Charity or- ganization are trying to make this a ‘living principle. Surely we may claim such business when our charter ex- pressly states that the objects of this * society shall be, (1) to promote the welfare of the poor by social and sanitary reforms, (2) to promote sys- tematic co-operation of all charitable agencies in the city of New Britain and to be a center of intercommuni- cation between them, (3) to encour- ~age thrift, self dependence and in- dustry, and (4) to see that all cases of destitution are promptly and prop- erly relieved. With this four-fold object our aim must be positive and construetive, and our time must be spent, not in justifying, but in show- ing results. “In the matter of promoting wel- fare through social and sanitary re- forms, our aim is prevention as well s alleviation. Through hearing the needs of many individuals we come to know the needs of this or that group. This leads to a thorough knowledge of our own community, for which we have the necessary basis of facts. It involves the championing of sane re- form measures and enlarged appro- priations for needed state institutions. ‘It leads to thorough investigation of all quacks, loan sharks, clairvoyants, and the like, whose operations prey upon the poor, and the reporting of all discoveries made to the proper au- thorities. “We must be ever alert for the housing and sanitary conditions of those whom we visit. Usually the rents are cheap, but the ultimate cost is high enough. The lodger ewil is linked with the room crowding and these two elements together are a menace to family life and decent morality. ““As for systematic co-operation, it is well to bear in mind that our busi- ness is to procure as well as to give relief. With the various charities in existence specialized for certain anches of work, how stupid it would be for us to attempt to duplicate their efforts instead of resorting to them for their specialties! The handicap for us in this city is that the town has so few of these, that the Charity organization must act in a great va- riety of capacities, arranging indi- vidually what would in a larger city be cared for by a day nursery, free dispensary, dental clinic, shelter for women, lodging for homeless men, fresh air fund, free employment bureau, and so on. “To achieve the best work in co- operation it is necessary to see in terms of the whole and not in part, and there is a demand for intimate relations with police court and city officials, churches, teachers, employ- ers, health board and all the other welfare agencies of the city and state. The more intimate the relations the more successful is our work in serv- ing and taking toll of' each one. Resume of Past Year. “We find on careful reckoning that uring the year we have been in close touch with sixteen churches, fifteen agencies for the public welfare, rang- ing from police and probate court to the Boy Scouts—who rendered us splendid service at holiday time,— twelve societies and clubs doing wel- fare work in the community, ten paid welfare workers in factories, schools and churches, not to mention count- Jess professional and private indi- viduals of whom we had some favor t6 ask. To recount them all is prac- tically to call the roll of the charitable resources of the city. “It goes without saying that a Charity organization agent would need the wisdom of Solomon to settle wisely the appaliing questions of numan welfare placed before her. Since no one of us is too heavily en- dowed in this particular the only safe fcourse is to appeal in each case to the one person best qualified to pass judgment in that instance. Thus we are able to dispense expert advice to those who appeal ana never once has our plea for help been disregarded, such is the desire of everyone to help Mis fellow man. Many Queer Questions Asked. “Imagine the distress of settling, without recourse to the wisdom of others, such questions as these, which have been placed before us of late:—Won't you give ‘our club some charitable work to do? Shall I go out with the strikers or stay work? Please help me to find a wife. How shall I curb my wayward #ir1? Make my father treat me more kindly. Help me secure part of a relative’s estate. Help me to find out what has become of my husband in the old country. Please get Mary out and ac- at annual meeting Report. Elsie Osborn, was pre- Marley’s my at | of the institution. Please find a home for John. Where am I to lay my head tonight? Who will help me pay for an operation? Help me to adjust my husband’s insurance. How shall 1 induce my wife to return ‘home? Won’t you search for relatives of this insane man? How am I to escape the poorhouse before 1 die? “To increase systematic co-opera- tion we conduct a registration bureau which is frequently consulted and is especially useful at holiday times. We have no desire whatever to direct the activities of any other organization but during the holiday season Wwe are in a position, as a central bureau without restrictions of race, creed or color, to render real assistance by confidential comparison of the lists of all others. Moreover, through our relalions with all, we are in a posi- tion to know if any certain channel is likely to be neglected. We can then fill that gap ourselves or see that someoc else does so. “This autumn your agent has ar- ranged an informal conference of so- cial workers, meeting once a month at the Charity orgaization rooms, to discuss topics of common interest. This, too, is of extreme value as a means toward better acquaintance and closer relationship. “We congratulate ourselves on our cordial 1elations with the board of public charitfes with whose officials we work in such close accord as to become much like another branch of the same department; the one sup- ported by the city appropriations and the other by private subscriptions, both striving to serve the city in a common interest. Conduct Employment Bureau. ““To the end of encouraging self de- pendence and thrift we conduct a free employment bureau, not so much to accomodate the public as to pro- vide work for many who would not otherwise need our friendship and who prefer to earn their own living rather than have it provided through charity. Temporary work has been provided for sixty persons amounting to several hundred days’ work, and steady emplovment for fifty-five. “As to proper relief of the desti- tute there is the long continued relief which we organize from many sources and the emergency relief which we administer ou ending a crisis in some family’ “It is the aid which we organize from outside sources,—often pro- the bill stand. One boy needed eye- glasses and all the children, includ- ing a new baby, needed clothes. These were provided, the bill for medicine assumed, the matter of rent was ar- ranged and a weekly grocery order was promised to suppliment the little garden patch. In two months Mr. K. was back at work and the family was self supporting again. Anchoring Those Adrift. “A telegram from a distant city told of a young boy stranded there who had run away a year ago, fol- lowing a circus, and asked us to as- certain if he belonged in New Britain- After many inquiries the boy’s mother was located. She cried with joy at news of her son. Work was found here for the lad and we have since kept in touch with him. “With two cents in his pockets Ed- ward Gilroy came to us for help. Leaving his family in Massachusetts, with a recommendation from his last employer and $1.60 in cash, he came to a near-by city for a job that did not materliaze and then drifted here. Some time ago he was employed in a neighboring city and, since worlk of his sort was not to be found in New Britain, we managed by telephone to get in touch with his old time em- ployer who offered him work at once. Accordingly we furnished Gilroy with a meal and a car ticket and made provision for his lodging that night in the neighboring city. The two cents was used in notifying his wife that his luck had turned. Sick Strangers. “John Dutton was a tuberculosis patient who left a New York sani- tarium in search of work. After a leng pilgrimage on foot he landed penniless in New Britain, weak from a recent hemorrhage and anxious to reach the sanitarium again. We tel- egraphed immediately and while the man was provided with a dinner and a comfortable resting place, an ans- wering telegram confirmed his story. In three hours he was on his way back to the sanitarium for tregtment. Travelers Aid. “A pretty Polish girl, speaking no English, who had taken the wrong train, was brought to us bewildered- Early that morning she had left Pas- saic to become a domestic in a place written on a slip of paper as Vincent street hospital, West New Brayton. Well meaning people had sent her to New Britain. After the ticket agent the post office officials, and St. Vin- longed through months and years,— which puzzles us most to account for. This phase should be emphasized strongly and yet we are at a loss for an honest method of computation. How are we to estimate in a lump sum such items as the widow’s pen- sion secured by us for a woman in another state, or the aid secured from, relatives of the needy hitherto estranged, living near at hand, or in places as remote as across the con- tinent, or in Europe? How shall we determine the value of the services of many a kind hearted professional man, who treats our proteges free of charge, or compute accurately the price of the vacation day outings se- cured for many without spending a penny from our treasury? How are we to reckon in dollars and cents the material relief pledged us by many churches and organizations for those of their number who come to our at- tention? And above all who is able to reduce to financial terms the helpful friendship enlisted by us from scores of kind people- This is our problem! “When it comes to emergency aild the subject is practically limitless. Giving away money without wasting it and without harming anybody, is pretty hard work. Perhaps our work is best demonstrated by concrete ex- aples carefully chosen to avoid sensi- tive feelings and therefore by no means the most thrilling experiences in our work. “First of all stands the type of normal, self respecting family which meets a crists of need through loss of work or illness of the wage earner. By coming to us for confidential help for a few months they sacrifice no whit of their self respect and often later on offer to repay us. We have arranged a composite story typical of eighteen such families befriended during the year. A Composite Story. “Mr. K. had been ill so long that his savings were exhausted. His wife and five children were reduced to al- most a bread and water diet when a school teacher brought Jimmie to us for shoes. Inquiry found Mr. K. con- valescent, a job promised him on re- covery, and the doctor willing to let I'IEINZ‘ 'Tomato. Ketchup Mfivmflmumofsm The relish that takes the lead over all others for use with hot or cold meats, game, fish and many otherfoods. It cent’s hospital in Bridgeport had been appealed to, we discovered that Sophie’'s destination was- at hospital on Vincent street, West New Brighton Staten Island. She was given a warm supper and a ticket to New York city, and was placed on board an early ev ning express at Berlin Junction. Pin- ned to her coat were full directions to conductors and she had a letter for the Travelers Ald at Grand Cen- tral station. Subsequent letters told of her being escorted from the Grand Central station to the doors of the hospital by a Travelers Aid agent and the money spent on her fruitless journey was made good to her through our efforts. Family Adjustments. “A Charity Organization society in another city sent us urgent instruc- itions to locate and secure cash from | 2 husband who had left his little fam- ]ily in their city and had come here ! to work. The family was jn need be- cause of his failure to send a share of his wages. Our initial plea, as tactfully worded as possible, brought 8. fine response, and after serving as a go-between for a time, we were ablc to make an arrangement satisfactory to all concerned whereby the main office of the man's employers will forward weekly a certain percentage of his wages to his wife, no matter where he may be sent to do work for them. Securing a Widow’s Pension. “A widow with five children living in another state was entitled to a widow’s pension but could not produce a marriage certificate of the ceremony performed in this city years ago. Ann appeal was made to us tv cunsult the city records, but the most caretul perusal of every possible name and spelling failed to bring results, The marriage was not recorded. How- ever, after much effort, we were abie to offer the pension bureau of that state half a dozen affidavits of wit- nesses to the marriage and on this proof the widow was granted her pension. Sight U “An appeal was made to us by a far distant Charity Orsganization so- clety to interview a well to do rela- tive of a disabled man who was in need. We found the relative living in a place not many miles distant from this city. She had not heard of her crippled relative in years but was anxious for news of him and im- mediately asked his address, then planned to arrange for his support for the rest of his days. Deserted Wife. “Please make my husband sup- port me so that I shall not need city aid,’ a young wife of eighteen askc¢d us through an interpreter last spring. Two vears ago after leaving the old country and coming to a relative in New Britain, the girl had speediiy married a man who took her to an- other city where they worked sidc by side in a factory- The baby be- came ill a year ago and when told that it had not long to live, the shrewd husband shipped wife and baby to this city, where the baby was buried at public expense. Any plea to return was met with threats. “It semed a pity for the wife to exist on charity when she had an able bodied husband working in an- other city, but extraditing a deserting husband is seldom resorted to. The seen. only course remaining was to send the young wife, properly safeguarded, to her husband's home city there to bring action against him “We appealed to the Charity Or- ganization society of that city which responded nobly. There was a com- plicated correspondence and finally on the appointed day the girl was put aboard the train in charge of the con- ductor, with an identifying tag pin- ned on, letters in hand to present to the conductors of the trains en route, and to the Travelers Aid Agents, a ticket from ‘the public charitics, pocket money from the Charity Or- ganization, and an all important mar- riage certificate, ‘“After her cxodus we waited anx- fously. Successive letters brought us news of her progress,—in changing trains, being met and escorted to lodging place, and later befriended in court. Last of all came news of a complete reconcilation and the couples’ retiring from court beaming with smiles. “There are, indeed, many sides to this business of ours—the common welfare. Parculiarly necessary in them all is a true understanding of our immigrant problem. “The problem of making immi- grant residents into integral parts of this nation is the business of phil- anthropy as well as of the schools. Naturally the greatest factor in the fusion of racial elements is educa- tion. Immigrant children below the age of sixteen years are receiving a splendid instruction in our loeai schools. Our real problem at present is how to reach those aliens over six- teen who are not affected by our com- pulsory education laws. “We are prone to overlook the real successes and dwell with resentment on the dependency and delinquency of some of our neighbors without real- izing their handicap or making any conscious effort toward instilling American ideals.: While we are hear- ing so much about “Made in America’ products, what about the output of successful American citizens within our borders? “When the immigrant arrives in this city he leaves behind him all the Old World machinery for life. Before him is the Promised Land. He brings with him another language, other customs inbred through generations, a stan- dard of living founded on a different basis, and a cringing to official au- thority, acquired through military government. His dominant desire is to make money in this much vaunted land of ours. “Here he finds a new order of things. Coming usually from a rural district of the old country he is plunged into city life; he sees strange, new customs, he is awed by the inces- sant rush and hurry. “If under sixteen years he enters our schools, otherwise he is left to ad- Jjust himself as best he can. Is it any wonder he is sometimes unequal to the change? Becoming a dependent means the shattering of golden hopes and possibly deportation. Falling into the delinquent class is even more seri- ous. “The Charity organization, then, must stand ready to interpret our so- cial life to the newcomers. who with few exceptions, fill the ranks of our applicants. We must be ready to re- ceive and befriend the aliens referred to us. We must faithfully comply with such requests for service as the Red Cross has sent to us in the past regarding victims of disaster whose destination was this city. We must safeguard non-English speaking wo- men and girls passing through the city or coming to make their home here. We must impress upon over ar- bitrary husbands the legal protection given to wives in this country. We must warn that no such neglect of children or abuse of animals will be tolerated here as may have been per- mitted elsewhere. In short, in every conceivable phase of this new life we must be prepared to advise and sug- gest, to champion or admonish. This instead of being a side issue to the work of the Charity organization is a matter of prime importance in so for- eign a city as New Britain, and a sense of obligation to us makes our hearers the more receptive. “Our statistics show a tremendous growth in the past two years, and as conditions change with the expansion of our city, new problems, new oppor- tunities and new responsibilities will constantly unfold. Tt is our business to be so flexible and alert that we can meet demands successfully and take our full share in the public welfare, which is the common business of all.” + Agent’s Financial Report. The agent's financial report, for the past year follows: Balance on hand Oct. 1, 1914 .§ 91.83 Received by agent from con- tributions for special cases and return of loans Total Expended by '\scnt cases:— Special Shoe fund Pensions . . Rents .... New clothing Meals and lodging 17.96 Transportation .. .. 19.53 Fuel . . . . 5 Moving expenses 11.50 Cash ... 7.15 Christmas and Thanl(<zi\,|ng 58.3 Medical and nursing care ... 268.3 Board 40.40 Groceries . 31.7 Loans .. 51. Prescrlptlon . .63 New furniture .00 Miscellaneous $866.45 for speclal $102.69 122.05 12.00 32.04 .55 Total 2.51 Balance on hand Oct. 1, 1915 $ 53.94 Officers and Committees, Officers and committees for the en- suing year were elected but few changes being noted from the past vear: J. H. Kirkham succeeds C. E. Wetmore, deceased, L. P. Slade suc- ceeds Mrs. C. B Parsons and Mrs. F. G. Platt succeeds Dr. T. Eben Reeks as_directors. The officers elected were as follows: President—William C. Hungerford. Vice President—John H. Kirkham. Secretary—Charles F. Chase. Treasurer—Frank G. Vibberts. ! 14, 1015, Agent—Miss Elsie C. Osborn. Assistant—Miss Cora M. Beale. Finance Committee—Hedley P. Carter, chairman; J. R. Andrews, F. G. Platt, W. L. Damon, F., G. Vibberts. Executive Committee—E. F. Neu- mann, chairman; G. L. Damon, A. F. Eichstaedt, W. L. Hatch, C. J Par- ker, Mrs. J. H. Robinson, L. P. Slade. Case and Visiting Committee—Mrs. Charles F. Chase, secretary of case committee; Mrs. Theodore Brown, secretary of friendly visiting; Miss Florence Andrews, Mrs. Buell Bas- sette, Miss Mary Brown, Mrs. Hedley Carter, Miss Cornelia Chamberlain, Mrs. Edward Clary, Mrs. R. N. Hem- enway, Miss Flora Humphrey, Mrs. Laura Johnson, Mrs. Arthur Kimball. Mrs. J. E. Martin, Mrs. Eugene Por- ter, Mrs. Frank A. Porter, Mrs. J. H. Robinson, Mrs. I. D. Russell, Mrs Laura T. Seelye, Mrs. Hartwell Tay- lor, Mrs. Frank Traut. Board of Directors—Term expires October, 1918; J. R. Andrews, Hed- ley P. Carter, W. L. Damon, Carl Eb- besen, E. C. Goodwin, Miss Flora Humphrey, Mrs. E. T. aMrtin, Robert N. Peck, F. G. Platt, E. W .Schultz, Philip Stanley, Mrs. Hartwell Taylor. Term expires October, 1916—F. S. Chamberlain, Charles F. Chase, E. B. Eddy, A. F. Eichstaedt, W. L. Hatch, Mrs. R. N. Hemenway, W. C. Hunger- ford, Rev. L. S. Johnson, E F. Neu- mann, E. J. Skinner, F. G. Viberts, J. H. Kirkham. & Term expires October, 1917—Mrs. A. S. Churchill, G. L. Damon, E. H. Davison, Alonzo J. Hart, E. N. Hum- phrey, Miss Elsie C. Osborn, C. J. Parker, L. P. Slade, Mrs. Eugene Por- ter, Mrse. J. H. Robinson, George S. Talcott, Mrs. F. G. Platt. Treasurer Vibberts’ Report, Treasurer F. G. Vibberts' financial report for the year ending October 1, 1915, is as follows: Receipts . From memberships and con- tributions .$2,609.00 From loans returned .. 10.90 From dividends 40 shs. American Hdw. Corp.. July and October . From Burritt Savings Bank, Interest for 9 months .. Deficit for year parisons know that the producing tone of the records, is so much rich dand more musical, so pletely natural andso more satisfying, that no ing heard before, no ma how good, can approach in tonal beauty and artis merit. Try a Grafonola -in yo own home without expe: or obligation. The Columbia ‘Leader” $85 On Easy Terms of GRAFONOLAS FROM $17.50 UP. 120.00 Total $2,846.11 Pnld loans shown in last ro- 138 MAIN STREET, Hallinan Building 371.09 2,476.02 $2,846.11 Office Statistics. Miss Osborn compiled an interest- ing list of office statistics which in- terested the directors. They showed that the efficlency of the organiza- tion has been doubled in the past two years and that twenty-four na- tionalities are represented among those who have received aid during the past year. The statistics follow. 1913 1914 1915 Immediate causes of need cases: unemployed, 91 d 15; insufficient incorfe, or accident, 22;-“mental or handicap, 7; desertion or n port, 21; intemperance, 13; ness or vagrancy, 84; immo; old age, 5; miscellaneous, 26. 367. Nationalities = represented: dians, 1-French; 2- Irish; American, English, Scotch, Norwegian, Swedish, French, German, Irish, Lithuaniin, H Russian, Austrian, Polish, Jewish, Rutherian, Asiatic-G menian, Syrian, Colored, P ryrian, 179 92 674 New cases Recurrent cases . Visits by agents Out of town in- quiries Nationalities rep- resented .......- Employment se- cured .. ‘Permlnem for i Temporary for .. outing 18 25 Total number of applicants Office Calls from appli- cants Calls from sultants Telephone One day's for Two cation for . Volunteer office work, in hours At the Store Windows THIS W EEK Merchants, at the invitation of the newspapers, arc joining In & mighty continent-wide display. They are showing the goods made familiar to the public through newspaper advertising. They have prepared some very interesting and attractive windows, which are designated by this sign: INTERNATIONAL NEWSPAPER DISPLAY WEEK We Sell These Standard Products — All Advertised in the DAILY NEWSPAPERS e The goods will interest you. The windows are attractive and the whole display is a progressive move for better business. Spend a few minutes looking over the attractive shows our store- keepers have made ready. Better times always begin at the dealer’s counter—and Window ‘Week is a business builder. Newspaper Window Weelk QOctober 11-16