These two types of overlapping make the masses of material with which we have to deal both indeterminate and confusing. But representing as they do the mutual interpenetration of social work and other callings, they give a fresh opportunity to distinguish the nature of social work. We may inquire what is the special interest of social work in “children,” in “delinquents,” in “health,” and in what ways does it differ from the respective interests of teaching, law, medicine and so forth. It is obviously impossible to review in readable compass the fifty years in which the conference has met and, as there have been great changes in social work during that time, it would be profitless for a contemporary definition. A new arrangement of sections was made in 1918, and therefore the reports of the years 1918, 1919, and 1920 (the last in print when this study was made) were chosen for detailed analysis. That analysis can be most simply presented to the reader by sections, putting before him an itemized statement of the subjects covered in the reports of each section (treating the three years as a unit) and then following this sectional review with such considerations as have recommended themselves cumulatively and can only be offered on the basis of the material as a whole. We are looking for the characteristics of social work as a whole and can therefore consider only such features as continue to show themselves throughout the sections. In the following itemized lists for each section the figures represent the number of papers in which the subject indicated was the principle topic. I. CHILDREN. The forty-five papers presented in this section dealt with the following subjects: Plans for removing the handicaps of the illegitimate without increasing illegitimacy 8 Recreational needs of children 7 General protective schemes, plans for extending a sheltering arm over children isolated in the country and for establishing state-wide vigilance 5 Standards for child care 4 Reports on the practices of particular localities 4 The working of children’s courts 4 Nature and causes of that chronic and excessive troublesomeness which is called juvenile delinquency 3 Special psychology of children 3 Best ways of providing for children dependent on the public 2 The responsibilities of the public to its neglected children 2 Problems of day nurseries 2 Health needs of children 1