The Survey, Volume 30, Number 5, May 3, 1913 — John Shaqi
The Survey, Volume 30, Number 5, May 3, 1913Various
History
The Survey, Volume 30, Number 5, May 3, 1913
Various
Charities -- Periodicals; Social problems -- Periodicals; United States -- Social conditions -- Periodicals
From the report of a Boston visitor we learn of Angelina Conti, who was
constantly tardy, frequently absent, and never alert or quick in her
recitations. “She seems to lack ambition,” says the report, “and must be
dropped into a lower grade unless something can be done to brace her
up.” The visitor is sent to the home. She finds that Angelina is the
oldest of nine children and that the family lives in three rooms. The
burden of the family seems to rest on Angelina, who must wash the
clothes every afternoon when she comes from school, and go for the
baby’s milk before school in the morning. Angelina is a perfectly
compliant, patient little soul. She has a headache most of the time, but
expects to do all that her mother asks of her. She hopes that the
teacher won’t “degrade” her.
The visitor urges Mrs. Conti to send a younger child for milk in the
morning so that Angelina can come promptly to school. The headaches are
reported to the school nurse, who sends Angelina to the hospital for
much needed treatment. The whole situation is explained to the teacher,
who gladly promises to send Angelina home promptly in the afternoon so
that she may have time for her housework. There is a much better
understanding between Angelina and her teacher, her health improves, she
comes more regularly and keeps her class. Thus is the first step in
preventing dependency taken.
An interesting part of the work of these social service workers has been
to bring to bear on the lives of these “difficult children” all the
agencies which might be of assistance. This same Boston visitor states
in her report that “this new work of visiting the homes of the school
children is one of continual co-operation with principals, teachers,
truant officers, janitors and the children themselves, also with
hospitals, dispensaries, employment agencies, the Associated Charities,
or whatever the emergency may demand.” Too often this sort of effort is
scattered and ineffective because of the lack of connection between
agencies. With a visitor working from the school as a starting point and
not from any private organization, the connection is quickly made and
the influence of each helping agency is strengthened by the added
influence of every other. This has proved to be just as true in the case
of medical social service, particularly that of public hospitals and
institutions, and one might almost prophesy that some day the relief
work of philanthropic agencies will come only in response to calls from
the social service departments of church, hospital, public institution
and school, and that a great clearing house for these agencies, public
and private, will be the best way of organizing charity.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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