Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 2.djvu/697

 PUBLIC CHARITY AND PRIVA TE PHILANTHROPY 68 1

devoted themselves to the work in the most unselfish manner, and during this brief period learned more about poor-relief and philanthropy than long years of experience in connection with public relief or private philanthropic societies could teach. For the reform, the importance of this work lay in the fact that it convinced all classes of the necessity of relief work, and brought out and even distinguished a large number of persons hitherto entirely unknown in this work, to whom the directors of relief work could successfully appeal, when, a little later, the reformed system was in need of a force of auxiliaries. This circumstance, therefore, was very favorable to the success of the reform. True, the cholera did, on the other hand, create conditions which were far from normal, and which, at the outset, severely obstructed the work. The great increase in the number of dependents was brought about not by actual needs alone, and the loss to many of their supporters, but also by the fact that many, while all kinds of assistance were so freely given, learned to like such subsidies, and supposed they were now to continue indefinitely. The first step in the introduction of the reform was the working out of a plan which should at the same time take advantage of the most recent scientific and practical expe- rience, and be adapted to local conditions. The first of these requirements made the resulting system a modification, agreeing with the Elberfeld system principally in the entire independ- ence of the helpers, while in compliance with the second the independence of the districts was extended in many ways ; for instance, they were given the right of nomination for the offices of superintendent of a district and of new helpers and visitors ; the appointment to both these offices being usually the preroga- tive of the general management. The choice of a temporary superintendent or chairman was left entirely to the districts; moreover, they were given a considerable power to vote aid.

The quarter system, on the other hand, which is character- istic of the Elberfeld system, was dropped on principle; it was also found necessary to drop their system of granting aid for a very brief period only. The principal advantage of the