You Are Viewing an Archived Copy from the New Jersey State Library PROCEEDINGS OF THE FIFTH ANNUAL MEETINfi OF THE New Jersey State Conference ,of Charities and Correction, HELD AT THE Public Library, Newark, N. J., February 15-17, 1906. TRENTON, N. ], llACCULI.ISH & QurGL:£Y, STAU PllINTtas. 1108 You Are Viewing an Archived Copy from the New Jersey State Library You Are Viewing an Archived Copy from the New Jersey State Library REGISTRATION At the Fifth Annual Meeting of the New Jersey State Conference of Charities and Correction, held in City of Newark, February 15th--17th, 1906. Total number of different persons who registered, ...................... 657 From Newark, . 353. From The Oranges, . 8g From Paterson, . 32 From Plainfield, . 24 From Elizabeth, . .. 21 From Jersey City, . .. 20 Fro1n Trenton, . I 5 From Montclair, . ... 12 From New York City, . IO From Rahway, . 7 From Hoboken, : . 6 From Bloomfield, . ..•. 6 From Arlington, . 5 From Morristown, . 4 Fro1n Nutley, .............. : . 4 From Brooklyn, N. Y., . 4 From Princeton, . 3 From Secaucus, . 3 From Jam es burg, . 3 From Harrison, . 3 From Scranton, Pa., . 2 From Middlebush, . 2 From Clarksboro, . 2 From Summit, . 2 Fron1 Ca111den, . 2 From Vineland, . 2 From Morris Plains, Madison, Keyport, Far Hills, Peapack, Englewood, Passaic, Cranford, Verona, Caldweli, Lake­ wood, Somerville, Skillman, Rutherford, Vv rightstown, Bridgeton, Cape May City, Grenloch, Long Branch, Raritan, New Lisbon, one each, . .. 2r - 657 Number registering from South Jersey, . IO Camden, Vineland, Grenloch, Cape May City, Bridgeton, Skillman, James burg, \V rightstown. Number of almshouse superintendents attending Conference, . 8 \V rightstown (Burlington county), Bergen county, Elizabeth, Rah­ way, Middlebush, Newark, Hudson county, Gloucester county. (3) You Are Viewing an Archived Copy from the New Jersey State Library 4 NEW JERSEY STATE CONFERENCE Number of overseers who attended the Conference, . 4 Plainfield, Hoboken, Bloomfield and Newark. Number of ministers attending Conference, . 33 Number of delegates who registered as representing churches, . 35 Number of delegates who were paid or professional workers, . 75 Number of charity organization societies' secretaries, . 6 Number of charity organization societies' presidents, . 4 Number of visiting J1Urses, . 5 Number of settlement workers, . 6 Number of teachers, principals, etc., . IO Number who registered as representing women's clubs, . 15 Librarians who registered, . 3 Officers-·1906, 1907. PRESIDENT. MR. HUGH F. FOX. °SECRETARY. MRS. F. C. JACOBSON. TREASURER. MR. JOHN A. CULLEN. VICE-PRESIDENTS. RT. REV. JAMES A. McFAUL, HoN. E. C. STOKES, RT. REV. EDWIN S. LINES, MRS. HENRY H. DAWSON. MRS. EMILY E. WILLIAMSON, DIRECTORS. FRANCIS B. LEE, Trenton. GHARLES F. CURRIE, Blackwood. REV. WALTER REID HUNT, Orange. MRS. ARCHIBALD ALEXANDER, Hoboken. ARTHUR W. McDOUGALL, Newark. ALBERT C. ABORN, East Orange. DECATUR M. SA WYER, Montclair. GEORGE 0. OSBORNE, Trenton. ALGERNON T. SWEENEY, Newark. E. R. JOHNSTONE, Vineland. REV. FRANCIS A. FOY, East Nutley. BLEECKER VAN W AGENEN, South Orange. W. H. CHEW, Salem. BENJAMIN ATHA, Newark. You Are Viewing an Archived Copy from the New Jersey State Library New Jersey State Conference of Charities and Correction. FIFTH ANNUAL MEETING-FEBRUARY 15-17, 1906. The fifth annual meeting of the New Jersey State Conference of Charities and Correction held a preliminary section meeting, at the Public Library, Newark, N. J., on Thursday afternoon, February 16, 1906. It was called to order at 2 :30 P. M. The subject for the afternoon session was "Medical Charities," Mr. Hugh F. Fox, of Plainfield, chairman. In opening, Mr. Fox spoke as follows : Medical Charities. HUGH F. FOX. The field of Medical Charities is so wide that it would be im­ possible to cover it, even if the entire three days of this Confer­ ence were placed at our disposal. I have selected "Visiting nursing" and the "Local treatment of consumptives" as the topics for our consideration in preference to all others, for definite reasons. The work of the visiting nurse is simply a development of outdoor relief, and is now recognized as one of the necessary divisions of organized philanthropy. In caring for the sick poor in their homes it brings into practical application principles for which we are contending in a number of the departments of our charitable activities. Besides the direct benefit to the sick, it teaches cleanlines1s and decency, and makes the members of a family appreciate their mutual obligations, instead of shifting their responsibility to an institution. (5) You Are Viewing an Archived Copy from the New Jersey State Library 6 NEW JERSEY STATE CONFERENCE With regard to the other topic, the treatment of consumptives, the reasons for its selection are still more obvious. It is the most deadly and needless scourge with which humanity is afflicted, and it is essentially a disease of the cities. There is hardly a subject which we could discuss in the whole field of charities and corrections, which is not in some way related to it, either as cause or effect. The States of New York, Massachusetts and Rhode Island are the only ones that have a larger urban popula­ tion than New Jersey, and yet New Jersey has so far done prac­ tically nothing to combat the ravages of this disease. There is no State that is more backward in this respect, and none in which it ought to be easier to apply methods of remedy and prevention. Dr. Osborne was then introduced. Visiting Nursing. BY THE REV. LOUIS SHREVE OSBORNE) PRESIDENT OF THE NEWARK VISITING NURSE ASSOCIATION. I am asked to open this session by speaking of those ministering angels, the visiting nurses. Such of us as have had occasion to employ trained nurses in our homes have often asked the ques­ tion, how we ever did without them. \!Ve older persons, whose memory goes back over the past half century, can remember the old-time nurse, who took snuff, wore a false front and smelled slightly of gin. When she was called we were confident that it was all up with the patient, and we then prepared for the worst. Things have improved a great deal in the last forty years, and the trained nurse has appeared on the scene as a necessary adjunct of the sick room, almost an adjunct of civilization. But we all know that trained nurses come high, and the average man who must employ one cuts off his humble diet of champagne and terrapin and puts a mortgage on his house. To suggest to the working man the possibility of a trained nurse seems like a refinement of sarcasm. It is like saying to the poor man without You Are Viewing an Archived Copy from the New Jersey State Library OF CHARITIES AND CORRECTION. 7 work and out of health, you must go to the south of France. That would hardly seem more difficult than to employ a trained nurse in his illness. But it is made possible now for the wage­ earner, and even for the person so poor or so low down that he cannot possibly earn a decent wage, to have the attention of a trained nurse. About three years ago a gracious lady, who was familiar with the work in some of the larger cities conceived the idea of start­ ing the work of visiting nursing in Newark. She gave of her time and means and thought and prayer. She spoke to a few friends, and a nurse was engaged on a salary being guaranteed. For nearly a year this cultured graduate of one of the best uni­ versities and medical schools went quietly on ministering to the sick poor. The work grew, and from this very small beginning an association was formed about two yearn ago, and the proudest honor of my life was conferred upon me when I was made presi­ dent of it. Two nurses were then put into the field, and, after a year, a third. I have no time to tell you the numberless little' daily acts and ministries of tenderness and love that these devoted women have shown; how homes in this city, where the people were in discomfort and despair, have been transformed into decent living places, and how localities that were altogether bad have been changed so that they are sanitary and cheerful. For three years the work has gone on, and all sorts of cases have been ministered to, cases that the hospitals would not take because they were contagious, or chronic, as well as others. The work has commended itself to the public. It has not depended on fairs or bazaars. The money has been contributed in sums from ten cents up to a hundred dollars, and there has not been a month in the three years when there has been a deficit. This is about the only charity of which such could be said. It seems to me that this is an object lesson to all the cities of New Jersey. What has been done by a little band of a dozen people in Newark could be done in every town. I do not know that I altogether approve of letting the municipalities take up this work, for then it gets into politics and the whole thing is ruined. Keep your philanthropies and charities out of politics, say I. You Are Viewing an Archived Copy from the New Jersey State Library 8 NEW JERSEY STATE CONFERENCE If ten or a dozen people in any place could be responsible for sup­ porting one, two or three trained nurses, the whole problem would be solved. It is house to house ministration. The trouble with charity has been that we have taken people in the mass, but here there is no chance of dealing with them in the lump.
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