THE SOCIAL SETTLEMENT
One should not leave the subject of one’s duty to organized philanthropy without a word concerning the work of the social settlement, the greatest philanthropic movement of the day. The idea at the bottom of settlement work, the idea that the rich or the comfortably situated must live with the poor, must know their lives by direct and continuous contact in order to exert any lasting influence for good, is a noble idea in itself and one that is singularly attractive to ardent spirits.
Unfortunately, fashion and the novelty of the life involved in the experiment has made social settlement work attractive to many people for somewhat selfish reasons. Such people should be discouraged from going into it—first, because they hurt the cause. They do not know how to get on with poor people, and often their ill-disguised curiosity amounts to insolence and hurts those whom it is intended the work should benefit. The second reason is that these people who, through excitement and love of novelty, leave their homes for settlement work are often needed at home. It is much the vogue just now for young women just out of college to do a year of social settlement work. If they have what Methodists name “the call,” and have no more urgent and intimate duties behind them, this is very well. But if it means deserting home tasks because they are dull and unexciting, it is well enough to think twice before the mother of the family is left to face all the disagreeable issues of home life. This is one of those cases where charity at home is of more importance than charity abroad. Of social settlement work, seriously and earnestly considered, it is impossible to say too much in commendation.
PRIVATE GIVING
The philanthropic impulse of a generous heart is not satisfied with giving to organizations or working for them. One must do in other and private ways in order to satisfy one’s heart and conscience. One should help many people through ties of service, of love or of friendship. In time of need, one should remember those people who have lived as domestics in one’s family, or who have been connected in some humble capacity with the business of the head of the house. These persons, if they have been faithful to one’s interests, one helps with a personal enthusiasm that is, of course, lacking in the case of strangers. Faithful or unfaithful, one knows something about them, and can figure out easily what is the wisest as well as the most grateful manner of doing for them.
THE POOR RELATION
Then there is the poor relation whom we have always with us and, in the helping of whom, all the tact of which one is possessed is not too much to use. The very fact that he or she, as the case may be, must accept favors from one of the same blood and, therefore, in every sense but the financial, of the same rank in life, makes the graceful bestowal of the gift a matter that is hard to compass. To pass on the gown one has laid aside so that there shall seem to be no condescension in the act; to explain successfully that one sends money at Christmas because one was uncertain what would be the proper gift to buy; in fine, to give with a broad sympathy that, for the minute, gives the donor an insight into the other’s disappointments and vexations—this is what is needed in dealing with the poor relative.