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A STÏÏDY OF SURVEY MAGAZINE AND NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF SOCIAL WORK MATERIAL ON WAR RELATED PROBLEMS DURING THE FIRST YEAR OF WORLD WAR I AND WORLD WAR II A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF ATLANTA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SOCIAL WORK BY FRANCES MARIE JORDAN SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK ATLANTA, GEORGIA MAY 1944 ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page I. INTRODUCTION . 1 The Purpose of the Study ..... 5 The Scope of the Study ................. 5 The Method of the Study . ...... 5 II. THE ORIGIN AND EARLY DEVELOPMENT OF THE TWO PUBLICATIONS ... 5 The Survey Magazine 5 The National Conference of Social Work ......... 7 III. THE PROBLEMS OF WAR AS SEEN IN THE SURVEY MAGAZINE. APRIL 1917 TO APRIL 1918 9 Organization of the Surrey ... 9 Articles on War Related Problems ............ 9 IV. THE PROBLEMS OF WAR AS SEEN IN THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF SOCIAL WORK FOR 1917 25 Organization of the Conference 25 Articles on War Related Problems ............ 26 V. THE PROBLEMS OF WAR AS SEEN IN THE -SURVEY MAGAZINE DECEMBER 1941 TO DECEMBER 1942 55 Organization of the Survey * 55 Articles on War Related Problems 55 VI. THE PROBLEMS OF WAR AS SEEN IN THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF SOCIAL WORK FOR 1942 46 Organization of the Conference ...... 46 Articles on War Related Problems ............ 46 VII. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 55 BIBLIOGRAPHY 58 Coy, l CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION At all times, and among all peoples there are large numbers of in¬ dividuals who are not able - alone - to meet the difficulties and stresses which somehow are a part of life, or to satisfy the variety of needs which they may consciously or unconsciously fael. Under the added impact of war and its accompanying distresses many of these needs are intensified, new ones are added, and persons who in normal times were able to carry on their lives satisfactorily find themselves searching for help and guidance through unaccustomed experiences. Every social institution is strained and changed by war—the family, the church, the school, and the community. The family probaoly more than any other institution feels the sharp edge of war: men and women join the armed forces; women, many of whom never worked before, enter industry and new jobs necessary to the national defense; chiLdren feel insecure and fearful, or at least question and do not understand the new turn of events. This upheaval in family life may be largely the basis of change in other social institutions. Vvith family ties broken and family controls thus weakened, even the church may lose some of its influence on old and young alike. Standards of morality are relaxed and promiscuity and prostitution increase. Schools may have to accept new responsibilities for children at the same time that personnel is drained off into joos that sound more patriotic or seem to promise, for a time at least, greater economic se¬ curity. There is great community disorganization at a time when solidari¬ ty of purpose is necessary for keeping up morale at home, for obtaining adequate support for social work efforts in the country, and for securing 1 2 the support of groups and individuals for various phases of the war pro¬ gram. "Social work concerns itself with human beings where there is any¬ thing that hinders or thwarts their growth, their expanding consciousness, their increasing cooperation. It is concerned with dependencies, anxie¬ ties, aggressions in their practical and intimate personal expressions.” The many changes in the social and economic life of individuals and groups during war time provide new opportunities for social workers to render service. Social workers must curtail fears that arise among the people because of disturbed family life, unaccustomed taxation, increased cost of living and threatened shortages of all kinas; they must interpret the purposes behind these sudden changes which war brings. During the crises of war social workers must work, and think, and plan, in such a way that the social gains already achieved may not be lost; and that the ill effects of war shall be as brief and as little felt by all human beings as possible. They must inspire the hope of a new social order.^ Slightly more than twenty-five years after the first World war, when many families have barely recovered from the effects of the economic depression which followed it, the world finds itself in the throes of another vast conflict with all the changes and disadvantages that have been mentioned. It seems then that a study of social work thinking on problems related to the war during 1917 and those problems growing out ^"Bertha C. Reynolds, "Social Case work," Readings in Social Case Work, ed. Fern Lowry (new York, 1940), p. 156; Gordon Hamilton, Theory and Practice of Social Case V.'ork (New York, 1940), p. 5. 3 of or intensified by the present conflict is timely and also likely to produce information which is significant for the present. Purpose of the Study The purpose of this study is to discover what problems growing out of, or intensified by World Wer I and World War II were of concern to social workers, as indicated by papers and articles printed in the Proceed¬ ings of the National Conference of Social Work, and the Survey magazine during the first year of our country's participation in each of these con¬ flicts. Any difference in problems or the approach of social workers to them will be noted; and evidences of post war planning on the part of social workers will be given special emphasis. Scope of the Study This study is limited to the periods of April 1917 to April 1918, and December 1942 to December 1943. It is further limited to papers and arti¬ cles published in the Proceedings of the National Conference of Social Work and the Survey during these one year periods. These publications were selected because they appear to be the most outstanding publications in the field of social work which are common to both of the periods being studied. It is recognized, however, that there are other publications today which are representative of social work thinking. Method of the Study The material used in this study has been selected from the two pub¬ lications according to title and subject matter. Where the title was not sufficiently indicative of the content, the article or paper was scanned to discover whether or not it came within the limits of this study. To facilitate the collection and recording of data with some degree of uni¬ formity, a simple work sheet was used for each article. After all material 4 had bean gathered these sheets were arranged according to the problems discussed, and according to various aspects of the pro oleins whenever this seemed to be indicated. The present Executive of the National Conference of Social Work and ■^3 Editor of the Survey were consulted on matters relating to the origin and organization of the Conference and of the Survey .* Current litera¬ ture on war was used as background material. *No reply has been received from the editor of the Survey. CHAPT ER II THE ORIGIN AND EARLY DEVELOPMENT OF THE T»0 PUBLICATIONS The Survey Magazine The Survey magazine had its beginning in the early days of organized charity in this country, as a small leaflet called "Charities Review", published by the Charity Organization Society of New York City for the purpose of keeping its members in touch 'with its work. "Its pages came gradually to represent the workers in all forms of charitable activity".'*' In the early years of the 20th century "Charities Review" had merged •with it"Ien<? a Hand", a publication for improved social legislation founded by Edward Everett Hale in 18E6, and another magazine called "Jewish Chari¬ ties". After these mergers the magazine became known as "Charities". Of greaber significance, however, than either of these was the merger in 1905 of "The Commons", puolished at the Chicago neighborhood house of that name, and edited by Graham Taylor. The name of the joint publication was "Chari¬ ties and the Commons". At the time of the merger, Edward T. Devine, editor of "Charities" wrote: To prevent is better than to relieve, if both are possible. To eliminate evil3 is better than to palliate their consequences. "Charities" has long since come to be identified with radically preventive movements, especially those which mean a protected childhood, the conquest of needless disease, and the security of a sound physical oasis for a rational domestic life, in other words, safe, decent, and sanitary homes. "Charities and the Com¬ mons" will be equally ready to examine and report upon the condi¬ tions which tend to cause or accompany dependence, and with greater enthusiasm will study and strive to encourage the indepen¬ dent influences which are at work in our communities for the com¬ mon good. It will bq a national medium which stands not severally 1 Editorial. Charities and the Commons (March 27, 1909), p. 1251. 5 6 but in combination, for the East and the V.est, for organized charity and the social settlements; for conservative strength and a radical spirit, for a conservative spirit and the full strength of democracy. Shortly before the merging of "Charities and the Commons", "Chari¬ ties had formed a national publication committee of thirteen persons, among whom were Jane Addams; Robert W. DeForest, Présidait of the New York C. 0. S.; Jacob A. Riis, of New York; D. C. Gilman, Présidait Emeritus of Johns Hopkins University; and S. W. Woodward of the Associated Charities of the District of Columoia.