North Carolina Newspapers

The news in this publi cation is released for the press on receipt. THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA NEWS LETTER 4Published|Weekly by the University of North Caro lina for its University Ex tension Division. august 17, 1921 CHAPEL HHJL, N. C. VOL. VII, NO. 39 Editorial Board » E. C. Branson, S. H. Hobbs, Jr., L. R, Wilson, E. W. Kniffht, D. D. Carroll, J. B. Bullitt, H. W. Odum. Entered as second-class matter November 14,1914, at the Postofflce at Chapel Hill, N. C., under the act of August 24, 1912. INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC WELFARE Chapel Hill, July 11-22,1921 Under the Joint Direction of the School of Public Welfare of the Univer sity of North Carolina and the North Carolina State Department of Public Welfare. GENERAL REPORT The 1921 special institutes of Public Welfare were the second to be held under the joint direction of the Univer sity and the State Department of Pub lic Welfare. The purpose of the insti tutes was fourfold: to bring together in helpful conferences officials and workers; to discuss common problems and programs of public welfare; to raise standards of work and to stabilize public welfare in North Carolina; and to give momentum to the North Caro lina Plan through cooperation with the State Department and county systems. A fifth or special purpose was found in the special day devoted to North Ca rolina child-helping institutions. In en thusiasm, intense interest, and thought ful discussions and contributions, the institutes maintained a high standard throughout, due largely to the continu ous application and attendance of those present. It is believed that the contri butions of this group will be of interest to all others in the field of public wel fare in North Carolina. County Superintendents The following County Superintend ents of Public Welfare were present: Miss Fay Davenport, Gaston Mr. C. E. Heffner, Catawba Mr. R. D. Jenkins, Halifax Rev. G. B. Hanrahan, Lenoir Mr. Lucius Ranson, Mecklenburg Ml. K. T. Futrelle, Pitt Mr. S. E. Leonard, Wilson Mr. A. E. Howell, Wayne ■ Mr. W. M. Seaford, Davie Mr. E. W. Christesen, Sampson Mr. J. A. Martin, Cumberland Mr. J. R. Rodwell, Forsyth Mrs. J. L. Rodwell, Forsyth Mr. W. W. Holland, Iredell Mrs. Anna Lewis, Pasquotank Rev. J. A. Beam, Person Departments Represented In addition to the County Superintend ents and University Departments, the following representatives of State De partments and institutions and other institutions were in attendance: Mrs. Clarence A. Johnson, Commis sioner of Public Welfare Mr. Roy M. Brown, Field Agent State Department of Public Welfare Mr. Wiley B. Sanders, Special Rep resentative State Department of Public Welfare Mr. E. F. Carter, Executive Officer North Carolina State Child Welfare Commission Hon. E. C. Brooks, State Superin tendent of Public Instruction Miss Katherine Farmer, Public Health Nurse, State Department of Health Mr. T. E. Browne, Director Division of Vocational Education, State Depart ment of Education Dr. C. Banks McNairy, Caswell Train ing School, Kinston Professor E. McK. Goodwin, North Carolina School for the Deaf, Morgan- ton Rev. G. E. Lineberry, North Caro lina School of Blind and Deaf, Raleigh Mr. J. J. Phoenix, Superintendent Children’s Home Society of North Car olina, Greensboro Rev. M. L. Kesler, Superintendent Baptist Orphanage and Kennedy Home Thomasville Mr. W. D. Pender, Pythian Home, Clayton Rev. A. S. Barnes, Methodist Or phanage, Raleigh sioner of Public Welfare Hon. E. C. Brooks, State Superin tendent of Public Instruction or North Carolina Dr. C. C. Carstens, Director of Child Welfare League of America Hon. C. Croft Williams, Secretary State Board Public Welfare, South Ca rolina Professor T. E. Browne, Mr. Charles Baird, Odd Fellows’ Or phan Home, Goldsboro Mr. A. E. Robinson, Falcon Orphan age, Falcon Mrs. G. M. Sitterson, Chairman So cial Service, State Federation of Wo men’s Clubs. Lectures and Addresses In addition to the round-table discus sions by the County Superintendents and representatives, constituting in many ways the most valuable parts of the institutes, special addresses and lec tures were made by the following: President H. W. Chase, of the Uni versity of North Carolina Mrs. Clarence A. Johnson, Commis- Director Vocational Education, State Depart ment of Education Mr. E. F. Carter, Executive Officer State Commission of Child Welfare Mr. E. C. Stanton, State Supervisor Industrial Rehabilitation Work Miss Georgia Ralph, New York School of Social Work Miss Grace Reeder, National Child Welfare League Dr. Beverley R. Tucker, Richmond, Va. Miss Katherine Farmer, Public Health Nurse, Chapel Hill Professor N. W. Walker, Director University Summer School Dr. H. W. Odum, Director School of Public Welfare, University of North Carolina Dr. J. F. Steiner, Professor of Social Technology, University of North Caro lina Miss Henrietta Masseling, in charge of Story-telling, University Summer School Topics Discussed Not all of the topics discussed can be recorded, but a sufficient number to in dicate the nature of the conferences and the sort of contributions made will be included in this report. The subjects may be divided into three classes: Those having to do with general problems and policies in relation to public welfare; those having to do with state and county policy and public welfare administration; and those having to do with specific prob lems and methods of work. Among the general problems were: North Carolina’s human wealth; state programs of education and welfare; public welfare and democracy; child welfare; community development; pa thological conditions; trained leadership; social work; stabilizing public welfare in North Carolina; rural North Carolina; and the application of Christianity to social problems. Among the problems pertaining to state and county policies of public welfare administration were: raising the stand ards of welfare work; county and dis trict conferences; promotion and pub licity; county homes; outdoor relief; detention and boarding homes for de pendent children; economic values in public welfare; juvenile courts; record keeping and reports; cooperation with other agencies; cooperation with the State Department; association of county superintendents of public welfare; out look for public welfare in North Caro lina; and resolutions and plans. Among the special problems discussed were: Child welfare; child-caring insti tutions; child placing; detention and boarding homes; juvenile courts; insti tutions and problems; the feeble-mind ed and other defectives; family welfare and the preservation of the home; the unmarried mother and the illegitimate child; poverty, its causes, extent, and remedies; dependents; county homes and district hospitals; outdoor relief, delinquents; the administration of pris ons; vice and immorality; relation of public and private agencies; community organization and work - community councils, principles of social change in the community. Main Street, methods of community development; administra tive problems; publicity and the promo tion of public welfare; records and re ports. General Problems Throughout the conferences the key note was the development of the human wealth of North Carolina and devotion to the public welfare in its allied de partments. From the opening address of President Chase in which he ex pressed the hope that full opportunity might be given every individual in North assurance from Mrs. Johnson that the State Department of Public Welfare would extend itself in making good these ideals; the emphasis of State Superin tendent Brooks upon the unusual oppor tunity of the County Superintendent of Public Welfare to develop high tone and service in the community; to the end of the conference when it was af firmed that public welfare as the best means of serving the public good would be the big contribution of the first half of this century—the whole series main tained a high level of thought and feel ing. Obligations and opportunities were never so clearly marked in North Carolina as now. The state has led in many aspects of this work; it may con tinue to lead or it may not. The de partments of Education, Health,’and Welfare stand ready to join in bringing to pass in North Carolina prosperity, economic success, and happiness. The giving to each individual the rights and opportunities of complete development constitutes the basic principle of North Carolina democracy. Successful work in the organization and administration of public welfare must be depended up-, on for much. Public Education now considered an essential and standard service of democracy to the people was for long years considered charity. Pub lic Welfare is not only a standard ser vice of democracy to the people, but is essential to the complete development of public education as well. The insti tutes of public welfare register a chal lenge to all citizens of the state to join heartily in these higher programs, and express the confident belief that the state is entering upon a new era. PROGRESS IN TOWN AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATION A New Type of National-Regional Conference, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, September 19j 20, 21, 1921 Special State Problems Carolina for complete development; the The special problems of state and county administration were so many, offering such varied opportunities for successful work and service, that the sessions proved all too short for com plete discussions. There were, however, many definite conclusions reached, some of which may be reported. In the mat ter of maintaining and raising stand ards of public welfare in North Caro lina, for instance, the conference easily came to conclusions concerning the standardization of the work of county superintendents. As a tentative basis to begin with, the folloWing standard for County Superintendents was pro posed: The Zero point represents a sort of minimum for carrying on the work with satisfaction to the cause, the county, and the state. Above and below the minimum or norm are standards to be reached on the one hand, and from I which we want to depart on the other. ABOVE ' 4. Continued experience, participa tion in cooperative efforts, and outstand ing service to county and state. 3., Continued experience, participation in cooperative efforts, and outstanding service to county. 2. Continued experience with at least one year of special training. 1. Continued experience with at least two summer sessions of special train ing. MINIMUM 0. Full time; unqualified belief in the work; some special training and exper ience for the work. BELOW 1. Part time; unqualified belief in the work; some training and experience. 2. Full time, political appointment, no experience or training. 3. Part time, expediency appointment; no experience or training. 4. No officer whatsoever. In the matter of promotion and public ity certain general definite conclusions were reached. One of these was that county and district conferences held jointly by the State Department of Public Welfare, the University, and the counties involved would be helpful under the following conditions: 1. Such conferences to be held with out expense to the county or counties particip^ing. 2. When a county conference is held, neighboring counties are to be invited. 3. When district conferences are held, at least one session to be devoted to lo cal problems and workers. 4. That the following general program be adopted: (aj A morning session devoted to general educational inspirational ad dresses; all the people invited. Under the joint Auspices of The University of North Carolina and the National Municipal League, with the Informal Cooperation of The North Carolina Municipal Association and the North Carolina Commercial Secretaries To make concrete, definite, and substantial contributions to present-day critical problems in the development of American Democracy and to make usable to the people the important facts of local government: Five Chief Points of Emphasis: FINANCES : 1. Can the problems of finance be simplified and made more workable? 2. What is the financial status of North Carolina towns and cities now? 3. What is the status of towns and small cities in other commonwealths? 4. What constitutes a standard, workable municipal finance act? 5. Can budgets and budget-making be popularly interpreted and effectively in troduced ? 6. The way out! GOVERNMENT: 1. How make government and community function together more effectively? 2. How develop active citizenship regardless of the form of government? 3. What are the types of town government in North Carolina? 4. What are outstanding examples of each type? 6. What are outstanding examples in other commonwealths? 6. What is the standard charter? 7. The way out for the small town or city? TOWN AND COTNTRY PLANNING: 1. What are minimum essentials in the elementary consideration of formal plans? 2. What are the workable, attainable standards for immediate beginnings? !. What are types of town pflans in North Carolina? 1. What are types of town and county planning from other states? ). How summarize and make usable to the public the town-planning exhibit at the Conference? ). Is a state program practical? GENERAL SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC PROBLEMS: .. What are the minimum standards of health, housing, education, safety, recreation, conveniences—and the other social services? !. What are the workable, attainable standards available to every town at this time? 3. What is a workable mode of community organization and cooperation of all agencies to bring about success in all the desired ends? 1. How can commercial secretaries become community leaders in the larger sense of the word? ;. How can commercial organizations and chambers of commerce correlate economic growth with progressive social development? 3. What constitutes a standard community plan for public welfare? THE COUNTY: L. How work out a better relation between the county and all the above prob lems of town and city? 2. How bring to the consciousness of the people the importance of county gov ernment, county officials, county affairs? 3. What are the outstanding efforts in North Carolina and elsewhere toward im provement in county government? 4. Can the county physician be substituted ' for the county coroner? county home? the county police? 6. Can the county manager plan be made workable? 6.. How can town, county, and state finances and administration be better cor related? A detailed program, giving exact titles of papers and names of speakers will be prepared before the conference. For further particulars, write MR. H. W. DODDS, , HOWARD W. ODUM, 261 Broadway, University of North Carolina, New York City. Chapel Hill, N. C. (b) A noon conference, preferably a luncheon, devoted entirely to local work and local workers. (c) An afternoon conference devoted, to special problems and special methods of professional work. 6. Local, state, and outside speakers CO be used to the best advantage. 6. Each conference to continue through one day only, and the organi zation of the conference to be worked out with care and effectiveness. Continuing in the matter of promo tion' and publicity, it was agreed that community fairs, of which there will be more than one hundred in North Caro lina, offer an excellent opportunity for coming in contact with people and for promoting an understanding of public welfare. In working out plans for publicity, the superintendents will util ize charts, demonstrations, and such other practical methods as they deem best. They will call upon the State Department, the University, and cer tain national agencies for assistance, and upon Mr. Crosby of the Extension Service of the Department of Education for. moving pictures whenever available. They will utilize local talent aad elicit the interest of as many individuals as possible. It was agreed also that the newspapers, constituting as they do an eager insti tution for the public good, should be given every opportunity possible, and should be assisted by the County Sup erintendents in the promotion of public welfare. County Superintendents should contribute news stories, special features, editorials, and if practicable should con duct a department of public welfare from time to time. They should at the same time appreciate the diffculties of the local newspapers and make their con tributions in such a way as to be of as sistance to editors and publishers. In all aspects of promotion and publicity County Superintendents will work con structively with other individuals and organizations. Another important aspect of the right sort of publicity will be found in carefully prepared stories of work well done. Superintendents are urged to send to the State Department of Pub lic Welfare outstanding cases which have been carefully’worked up and de scribed. In this wayjthey will contribute to an important and growing body of much needed information. The importance of record keeping and reporting was emphasized in a rather unanimous sentiment that adequate re cords and reports would both contri bute to the effectiveness, convenience, and labor-saving of the local office and would greatly facilitate the work of the State Department, as well as guar antee the department a large body of information for the promotion of strong er sentiment in the state. ■(Continued in next issue.)