Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 04.djvu/582

* CHARITIES. 502 ture they usually !ii>pear as three beautiful niaid- CDS hand iu hand. CHARITIES. The public ami private in- stitutions of society whose object is the relief of those sulVcring from poverty, sickness, and all forms of human disease, provided such relief is {liven without compensation, and i)roceeds solely from the motive of human sympathy. In ancient times few such institutions existed. The unfortunate individual wlio was miuble to care for himself had to look to the immediate circle of his nearest of kin, or, more fr<'(pu>ntly, was allowed to perish, or actually i)ut to death because lie was rc^iarded as a burden by the com- munity which had to struggle for existence with- out being able to accumulate any social surplus of wealth. This is peculiarly the case in a no- madic society. The historical growth of the spirit of charity is briefly and admirably describ- ed in Ix'cky's llistor;/ of Eiiroiicati Morals. The first efforts at institutional relief were those of the early. Cliristian Churcli. They were car- ried out in response to the teaching of the C'hurdi that it is more blessed to give than to receive; that* there is merit in the very act of giving, and that the future welfare of the giver is in a measure dejiendcnt on his generosity. Such a doctrine gave little thought to the ef- fect of the gift on the recipient, or, indeed, to the welfare of the recipient after the gift was once bestowed. Naturally a reckless system of charity developed, which in some cases luid to be suppressed, and in other eases where the Churcli, especially in Northern Europe during the Ref- ormation period, lost most of its property and was miabie to continue the support of large inimbers of undeserving poor, something had to be done as a substitute by public authorities. In this way a system of public charity grew up in England, though in the beginning it was a part of the criminal law, providing not meas- ures of relief, but regulations and institutions for the repression of 'vagabonds' and 'sturdy beg- gars.' The earliest and most popular really chari- table institutions were hospitals. Private char- ities, supported entirely by voluntary contribii- tions, had their beginning, usually, iu institutions for the relief of foundlings and abandoned chil- dren. By the end of the Eighteenth Century in Euiope many such institutions existed, and the public almshouse or workhouse. su]>ported from puljlic funds, had been established in most coun- tries especially for the relief of the aged poor. At the beginning of the Nineteenth Century a great movement for the reform and extension of these institutions began. In America the almshouse was then practically the only public institution provided for the needy and helpless; although private societies for the relief of peculiar kinds of distress soon began to nuiltiply. A history of the philanthropy and charities of the Nineteenth Century, some volumes of which have already appeared, was prepared for the In- ternational Exposition in 1000. and lias been clas- sified as follows, the classification l)eing a fairly comprehensive one of modern cliarities: (1) Institutional care of destitute adults; (2) De- fectives, insane, feeble-minded, epileptic; (3) The treatment of criminals: f4) Ilnsjiitals, dis- pei;saries, nursing; (.5) Destitute. ncgU'cted and >l<lin(|U('nt childnn; (0) Care and relief of needy families; (7) Supervisory and educational move- CHARITIES AND CORRECTION. ments; (8) Preventive and constructive phi- lanthropy. The jiublic authorities have, in most modern countries, assumed responsibility for 1, 2, and .3; 4 and 5 are divided between public ami private agencies; 6, 7, and S are still largely iu private hands. The line cannot be clearly drawn between pub- lic and private charities. Public charities are those supported entirely, or in part, from funds raised by taxation, wliile private eharitii's are those sup])orted by voluntary contributions, ad- ministered by societies especially organized for the purpose. Private charitable societies are fre- quently placed under some public supervision. A general principle giving the sphere of activity of public and jirivate charities has been stated as follows: Public charities should provide for those well-defined and more or less jicrmanent needs of the community for the relief of which experience has been sulficient to enable us to formulate very definite rules ami reguhilions which can be carried out more or less meehaiii- cally by ])ublic ollicials who must interpret laws more often literally than in the spirit in which they were framed, while private charities shovild deal with those forms of relief still in the ex- perimental stage, with a view of demonstiating what can be done by the public authorities on a larger scale. Priate philanthropy centres about the home and the family. It views the home as the im- portant element which must be protected and preserved. Public charity has followed private initiative, gradually taking up those inslitutions shown to be necessary. To protect the home, the tenements are brought under regulation. ( See HorsiXG Problkm.) To enable the bread-winner to sii])Mort the family, dangerous employments are regulated. (See Factory Ix.spECTiON.) Sana- toria are built for consumptives. Children are properly cared for. (See Dependent Children; .TrvENiLE Offenders; Crielty to Ciuluhen, Pre-ention or.) Foundling hospitals and chil- dren's aid societies rescue the abandoned. It is sought to get at the causes of distress and to remove them rather tlian to minimize results of bad conditions. (See Pauperism; Charity ORftVNiZATioN Society; Social Setti.ement.s.) Visiting nurses attend the sick poor, and diet kitchens furnish suitable food. I'laygronnds are established for the cliildren. Wherever a need is manifest, some attempt is made to sup- ply it. Charity is becoming less sentimental and more methodical and scientific. Its admin- istrators are trained experts. All civilized na- tions are pursuing similar courses, and while many problems are not yet solved, great prog- ress is being made. See, also, Poor L.ws; So- cial Dehtor Classes. CHARITIES AND CORRECTION, The Na- tional C'oni-i:rkn(E of. An association of some 1400 members in the United .States. Canada, and Mexico, who are interested in ])hilanthropic ef- forts. Many of the members are actively con- nected with charitable activities in various cities. There are no tests of membership. All shades of thought are represented. The confer- ence has no platform and adopts, usually, only resolutions of thanks. All persons are privileged to participate in the discussions. It is simply an exeliange for the comparison of views and experiences, not a Imdy organized to iiccoinjilisli anv underlaking. Oni' resnll nf i(.^ deliberations