The Social Work of the Salvation Army — John Shaqi
The Social Work of the Salvation ArmyLamb, Edwin Gifford
History
The Social Work of the Salvation Army
Lamb, Edwin Gifford
Poor; Salvation Army; Social history
Coming now to the management of the Industrial Department in the United
States, we find that it is an up-to-date business enterprise. The
department is controlled by a corporation called "The Salvation Army
Industrial Homes Co." already referred to in our introduction.[24] The
management of the company is in the hands of the Army.[25] Under this
central authority, we find the United States divided into three
districts; the eastern district, with headquarters at New York; the
central district with headquarters at Cleveland, and the western
district with headquarters at Chicago. Each one of these districts has
at its head a social secretary, and under him are the different officers
in charge of the respective plants. Generally speaking, each local
officer is supreme in his individual plant. He can adopt methods and
means to suit the environment of his district, provided always that his
methods mean success. There are no iron-clad rules to hold him in check
beyond a system of bookkeeping and of making out detailed reports, which
must be sent to headquarters. When about to engage in some new venture,
however, such as securing a new location for his plant, opening up a
store, or renting or purchasing new property, he must refer the project
to his superior officer, before undertaking it. The local officer in
charge has trusted employees under him, such as a warehouse boss, a
kitchen boss, and stable boss, etc., each of whom is responsible to the
officer for his department.
Although present to some extent in other countries the special field of
the industrial work is the United States. The growth in this country
during the recent years has been great. In 1896 there were no regular
industrial homes; in 1904 there were 49 industrial institutions, and in
control of these 49 institutions, there were 70 Army officers and 820
regular employees. The accommodation was about 1,100. During one month
there were 225 cases that were considered unsatisfactory. There were 239
horses and wagons in daily use. About 1,000 tons of paper were baled and
sold per month. Contrast this with the year 1907. In this year there
were 84 officers engaged in these institutions and over 1,200 regular
employees. There was accommodation for 1,651 men. The unsatisfactory
cases for the year amounted to 1,389. There were 460 horses and wagons
in daily use. An average of 2,500 tons of paper was sold each month.
16,875 men were placed in outside positions during the year. No large
city in the United States is without this industrial work, and it is to
be expected that, within a few years, there will be no city in the
country with a population of 100,000 that does not have an industrial
home, and that many cities with a smaller population will have one also.
Already there are several cities with a population of less than 50,000
that have promising industrial plants. In London, the growth has not
been so rapid, and the industrial institutions are run at a loss to the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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