Woman in the Service of Society

...atmosphere in public opinion toward the professional school of social which religious faith permeates every branch of service is that of the New York School of Social Work science and is the mainspring of every form of action, which, possessing an endowment of $i,000,000, is now possesses resources of untold value...

...The spirit guiding the school in the world...

...In order to appreciate one of the most successful types of charity, and one the value of residence in a training school for social which is rapidly winning favor...

...work, in which training is permeated by a genuine When the problem of relief is considered from this Christian motive...

...solutions of the complex problems which beset our If there be any who still believe that the profes- generation, and one of the most hopeful evidences of sional social worker, even though trained in a Chris- a sane reaction against the forces of destruction which tian institution, will destroy the true spirit of charity,threaten the integrity of the entire human family...

...A typical illustrained and the character forged to withstand it...

...faced may be fairly general, but the discussion of The social worker was at one time considered by remedies calls forth expressions of every shade of many people a meddlesome busybob whose activities opinion and provokes the most bitter arguments...

...No more striking illustration of this evolution can be Agreement as to the nature of the problems to be found than that presented by the field of social work...

...Despite this adverse opir:ion, however, the which the social worker was trained will be revealed social worker has become so impo:-tant a factor in in the attitude of the worker toward such matters as the modern social system, that there is scarcely a divorce, birth control, labor legislation, immigration, branch of human activity that is not affected, at least education, and many other social problems...

...It were expected to result in the anrihilation of that is here that the dangers of certain modern tendencies Christian charity which has ever been the ideal of become manifest...

...kind in the United States founded by a women's orThat the Christian social worker is thus burdened ganization...

...Few constructive than the palliative measures often adopted students can afford to finance a two-year professional by those whose sole equipment is a ready sympathy course following upon four years of college without and a sincere good will...

...There is little justification for such a point would seem to be a sad commentary on man's methods of view...

...Nor can it be denied that willingThe National Catholic School of Social Service, ness to devote six years to training in order to render founded five years ago in Washington, D. C., by the the most efficient possible service to one's fellow man National Council of Catholic Women, and which is is, in itself, a form of charity deserving of gratitude now working to secure an endowment which will en- as well as admiration...

...In have been raised to the rank of professions for which fact, it is doubtful whether there is any other professtandardized preparation is one of the first requisites...

...asking for an additional $2,000,000...

...Whereas the college formerly strove to offer recent years, have all been framed with the obvious sufficient training for all professions except such tech- intention of correcting or preventing social injustice, nical pursuits as law, medicine, engi leering, and the and since those whose business it is to study the causes like, it is now generally admitted, not only by colleges and effects of social problems are accepted as the most for men, but by colleges for women also, that the col- authoritative advisers of the makers of laws...

...indirectly, by contact with the field of social science...

...lege is but a stepping-stone to the professional school...

...Even the most uncompromising ad282 THE COMMONWEAL July zi, 1926 vocate of the older conception of charity cannot deny let them consider for a moment the sacrifices which that accurate knowledge and thorough training, when must be made by many of those who elect social work placed at the command of a vocation to serve one's as their life's vocation, as well as by those who supfellow man, will be much more helpful and more truly port the institutions in which they are trained...

...On the other hand, the social sure its future development, is a typical example of service school, in order to meet the difficult requirethe Christian influence in social work and of the man- ments of high academic standards and low tuition ner in which the Church is meeting the demands of fees, must depend upon endowment funds and volunits own program of charitable activity...

...Some of the leading schools of social ment of $6oo,ooo will find a ready and generous rework have not escaped the influence of these theorists...

...But the recognition given to this school with a tremendous responsibility no one will deny...

...for it and accepting as students only those who have graducannot be denied that some of the conditions which ated from a college of recognized standing or whose are so greatly deplored today are directly attributable experience may fairly be considered to represent the to a lack of foresight on the part of our forefathers equivalent of a college education...

...in short, ing endeavor of the Church to encourage the training there has never before existed a greater need for of leaders who will apply the social teachings of the strong leadership inspired by enlightened charity and Master to modern conditions of life, one of the surest undaunted faith...

...communism is seeking new adherents in University as well as its membership in the National every country...

...forces of disintegration are at work in Association of Training Schools for Professional the family, the basic unit of society...

...On the poor mother, of protecting children, and of welcomother hand, the worker trained under religious aus- ing the foreign-born to our shores makes a special pices is the exponent of social principles and of a code appeal to the feminine heart...

...Many occupations for which service profession as a whole is rapidly becoming a formerly little or no special training was required battle ground for conflicting theories and ideals...

...sponse among all who believe that social work, to be Since the nature of their work takes them among the truly effective, must derive its inspiration from faith masses, their attitude toward social problems can be- in God and the Christian ideal of charity...

...come a genuine menace to social harmony, and their Women have a special interest in social service activities may cause them to be numbered among the work, since the task of rescuing girls, of relieving the possible agents of instability and revolution...

...That social service work, it is necessary to remember that the problems schools are indispensable in the modern scheme of encountered in the modern profession of social service social relief is undeniable, and there is abundant eviare such as to place the social worker under a severe dence that the public, having come, however slowly, mental and emotional strain, a strain which might to recognize the value of their function, may be relied easily lead to fatal discouragement unless the mind be upon to give them adequate support...

...But like all other special is the natural outcome of this state of affairs, for it movements it has created a need for special schools...

...But it is a matter with characteristic wisdom, long since realized the of congratulation that, having recognized conditions value of specialized training and after having inspired as they are, the present generation is making a gener- the pioneer work accomplished in this field by some ous, sincere, and intelligent effort, not merely to pro- of the colleges, has gone further still by prompting vide immediate relief, but to discover the causes of the creation of special schools of professional social these conditions in order to eliminate them...

...economic conditions in many countries have are due to the rejection of Christian principles of singularly facilitated the action of the forces working morality and justice, and who see in the forward-looktoward the downfall of Christian civilization...

...Hence the special enof ethics which have withstood the test of centuries, couragement given by women to the National Catholic and is therefore recognized as one o:= the surest safe- School of Social Service, the only institution of its guards against radical propaganda and social unrest...

...In view of this Social work provides a vast field of experimenta- there can be no question that the appeal of the Nation for men and women imbued w th Bolshevik or tional Catholic School of Social Service for an endowpaganistic ideas...

...need for trained social workers by the mere addition An event such as the recent Conference of Social of special courses in social science to the ordinary cur• Work furnishes an excellent opportunity to study, not riculum, and the inevitable result has been the estabonly the magnitude of the problem of social distress, lishment of special training schools for professional but likewise the growing influence of the social worker social work, offering a standardized two-year course and the methods by which modern science is seeking to in which theory is combined with practical field work, correct the social errors of past generations...

...a heavy sacrifice...

...There can be no doubt that conAn interesting feature of this institution is the fact tributions to endowment funds of this kind represent that it is a residence school...

...The Church, whose first law is charity, has, of dealing with his fellow man...

...July 21, 1926 THE COMMONWEAL 281 WOMAN IN THE SERVICE OF SOCIETY By ELISABETH RANDOLPH SHIRLEY T a season when education is one of the most im- point of view, it at once becomes evident that the portant subjects before the public mind, it is social worker must, of necessity, exercise a tremeninteresting to note the significant development in dous influence on legislation, since the various welfare the relationship of the college to the professional measures with which we have become so familiar of school...

...sion which is the centre of so many controversies...

...by the Laura Spelman Rockefeller Foundation, its afPropaganda, of every kind has assumed unprecedented filiation with the Catholic University and Georgetown proportions...

...The tration of this confidence in the changing attitude of worker who has been trained in ar...

...Social service is, relatively speaking, a newcomer The creation of professional schools of social work among the professions...

...But while the influence of the social worker in the The increase in the number of professional schools field of legislation is too obvious to require demonis the logical outcome of what has been called the stration, it is perhaps less well known that the social "age of specialization...

...this modern trend toward rigid academic standards and The fact that the relief of poverty and social dis- scientific training represents the very antithesis of tress should be raised to the rank of a profession charity...

...would be illogical, not to say criminal, to entrust the The peculiar requirements of social work have led the solution of the most complex socia, problems to the colleges to recognize the impossibility of meeting the inexperienced and the untrained...

...c rganized minori- Social Work, stamp it as an institution worthy of the ties are bending every effort to gain control of gov- interest of all who believe that present social evils ernment...

...and to a deliberate or unconscious disregard for the There may still be many persons who believe that human and divine laws governing social relationships...

...tary contributions...