o 2: o HN 80 UC-NRLF SB 2 tt O L of Mortal Social Service Series Bulletin Number 20 Knowing One's Own Community Suggestions for Social Surveys of Small Cities and Towns SECOND EDITION REVISED AND ENLARGED By Carol Aronovici, Ph. D, Director of the National Bureau of Municipal and Social Service Published for free distribution merican Unitarian Association 25 Beacon Street, Boston SOCIAL SERVICE BULLETIN The purpose of the Bulletin is to offer suggestions for the conduct of work for the common good in our churches, and also to give circulation to articles of value on different phases of the social question, some original contributions, and others reprints from the magazines and the reports of various societies. They are primarily intended for free distribution and are gladly sent wherever they can do good. Owing, however, to the expense at which they are prepared, the right is reserved to make a nominal charge of two cents each (except No. 20, which is five cents) in cases where Bulletins are desired for use as text books or for distribution in quantity. Any orders of this sort will be cheerfully filled at the prices named, which include delivery. No. 1. The Social Welfare Work of Unitarian Churches. The report of an investigation. No. 2. Working with Boys. By Rev. Elmer S. Forbes. Hints on the organization and conduct of Boys' Clubs. No. 3. The Individual and the Social Order in Religion. By Rev. Frederic A. Hinckley. Individualism and socialism reconciled by religion. No. 4. A Remedy for Industrial Warfare. By Charles W. Eliot. The Canadian Act for maintenance of industrial peace. No. 5. Discontinued. No. 6. The Social Conscience and the Reli- gious Life. By Francis G. Peabody. The awakening of the churches to social problems. No. 7. Friendly Visiting. By Mary E. Richmond. A direct and personal method of philanthropic activity. No. 8. Rural Economy as a Factor in the Suc- cess of the Church. By Thomas N. Carver. Prosperous members essential to a successful church. No. 9. The Relation of the Church to the Sbcial Worker. By Herbert Welch. The spiritualization of charity and social reform. No. 10. Discontinued. No. 1 1 . The Wise Direction of Church Activ- ities Toward Social Welfare. By Charles W. Eliot. Points out effective social work which churches can do. (For addition.al titles in this series see inside back cover oj this Bulletin.} Order by number only, not by title. AMERICAN UNITARIAN ASSOCIATION 25 Beacon Street, Boston. Social Service Series Bulletin Number 20 Knowing One's Own Community Suggestions for Social Surveys of Small Cities or Towns SECOND EDITION fcEVISED AND ENLARGED By Carol Aronovici, Ph. D. Director of the National Bureau of Municipal and Social Service Boston American Unitarian Association 25 Beacon Street ' FOREWORD The intelligent public in the United States is slowly awakening to the dangers of the wasteful and cruel leakage in our human resources. Busi- ness men and social workers, church-workers and statesmen, university professors and labor leaders all agree that the mistakes and sins of our indus- trial life, the neglect and blind self-interest in the business world, and our ignorance and indifference towards the machinery that has to do with the po- litical and administrative affairs of the country, are placing a heavy burden upon human life and human achievement, and are wasting invaluable human re- sources. This is quite as true of the small town and village community as it is of the vast territory of the United States. The American mind is emi- nently practical and measures values in terms of concrete returns, but while this characteristic has led to momentous advance in the business world and in the fields of science and politics, the achieve- ment has been individual rather than social, and progress has been largely confined to certain classes but has not materially affected the masses of the people. What is needed is a realization of the principle that the welfare of all is the ultimate goal of the 3638 Foreword community, that our present waste of resources whether they be human or material is a direct handi- cap upon civilization and progress, and that our present industrial and business prosperity is far from yielding its full return either to the individual or to society. The conservation of natural resources has be- come an established principle in our national econ- omy, the possibilities for increased industrial ef- ficiency and productivity without increase in the use of labor are engaging the attention of the busi- ness world. On the other hand the conservation of human resources, the increased efficiency of community life, community production and com- munity development are still in the background of our national achievement. The point of view is not one of improvement of resources but of use in- crease, not one of co-ordinate development but in- dividual use efficiency. The advocates of conservation of national re- sources and the practical managers who are test- ing the efficiency limits of our labor and machinery are rendering valuable national service, but their work is of the present, is largely material, and aims at human achievement with the human element left out. We believe that human nature under proper con- ditions is capable of vastly greater efficiency, serv- ice and happiness than present conditions have ever made possible of attainment. Each locality prc- Foreword sents its own special problems of human conserva- tion and community efficiency, and it is the purpose of this bulletin to guide public spirited citizens in the work of ascertaining the conditions that prevail in their own community, particularly small cities and towns. When the facts are known and the good is balanced against the bad, a consciousness of pub- lic responsibility is bound to result which will blast the way towards improvements of a constructive, far reaching and permanent character. This will re- sult in a standard of human efficiency that will af- fect both production and its rewards in a manner that will create a community patriotism worthy of its brother, the national love of country and nation. KNOWING ONE'S OWN COMMUNITY GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS NEED FOR A SURVEY The extremely rapid growth of our cities and towns, the vast influx of foreign elements and the recent migration of industrial establishments from the larger to the smaller populational cen- ters, as well as the progress and development of local industries, have conibined to produce in our smaller cities and towns social and economic condi- tions which demand our undivided and immediate attention. The startling revelations of the Pitts- burg Survey, the political conditions revealed in San Francisco and the inefficiency of some of the municipal departments of New York as shown by careful and impartial investigations, have thrown a shadow over the three greatest commercial and in- dustrial centers of America about which it is wiser to be silent than proud. Similar conditions have come into existence in other communities and the small city is coming to Knowing One's Own Community feel the lack of social foresight whose poison is on the increase. The remedy is close at hand, namely a careful, impartial, intelligent survey of the diffi- culties and problems in the way of a proper, health- ful, progressive and nationally constructive de- velopment of the community, and when the facts \ are known, prompt action for the removal of such I obstacles and problems. In other words a survey I must be made before action can be determined upon and before sufficient community interest and pride I can be aroused to stand back of a concerted effort toward social and industrial improvement, STARTING A SURVEY A survey like any other civic activity involving a conscious effort on the part of a group of citizens must be started by some particular civic or philan- thropic agency, some body of men or women in- terested in the welfare of the people whose inten- tions can not be questioned and whose integrity, good judgment, moral and political standing are beyond reproach. Most small cities and towns have a Charity Organization Society, a Young Men's Christian Association, a Board of Trade, a Busi- ness Men's Association, a Grange, a large Women's Club, a University Club or some other similar organization or agency which is backed by promi- nent men or women or both. The person or per- sons interested in making a survey should select the most prominent, the most respected and if [3] Suggestions for Social Surveys possible the best financed organization in the com- munity to back the work. The main conditions to be observed in selecting the organization should be as far as possible a complete absence of sectarian affiliations, political color or special industrial or public service interests. When the organization has been decided upon a carefully selected special committee of persons from various walks of life should be appointed with instructions to plan and organize the survey under the auspices of that organization. This committee should not be so large as to be unwieldy, nor so small as to be in danger of being one-sided or not representative of the best elements in the organiza- tion. A committee of ten persons in localities under ten thousand population and of fifteen to twenty in localities over ten thousand with special sub-com- mittees would probably prove most efficient. THE POINT OF VIEW The committee being chosen and ready to work it is important to decide upon the point of view from which to approach the task, and in deciding upon such point of view several steps must be taken be- fore a final decision is reached. The advice of some outside expert familiar with the method of in- vestigating conditions and acquainted with the prob- lems of small communities will be found valuable, and will prove the .easiest and surest way of decid- ing upon the point of view from which the survey [3] Knowing One's Own Community is to be approached. If such an expert is not avail- able the local social workers connected with various philanthropic agencies should be consulted as a group and their suggestions considered as coming from persons with first hand information concerning existing conditions. In deciding upon the point of view from which to approach a survey it is important to recognize in general several conditions : 1. Is the community suffering from questionable political conditions ? 2. Is the (city) local government inefficient owing to anti- quated methods? 3. Is the population made up of a large number of foreign immigrants ? 4. Is there any particular local social problem of especial interest to the people when the survey is started? 5. Can you count on the co-operation of your official;? 6. Is there in the community a set of men a. I women who are ready to take up the work of the survey and do it devotedly and intelligently? 7. Can you count on the press for support? These are questions that the commiUee must ask itself before deciding upon the point of view from which to approach their work, and any intelligent person or body of persons sufficiently interested in the community to act as a curvey committee should be able to answer these questions. If the com- munity is suffering from undue and pernicious po- litical activity and there is reason to believe that the result of a study of the administration of public [4] Suggestions for Social Surveys affairs would lead to immediate and radical changes for the better, it is well to begin the work from that end and work up towards the general social prob- lems as outlined in this bulletin. If the social prob- lems of your community are more promising of results and the press is ready to help you bring the facts before the public and stand back of recom- mendations that might logically be made after the facts have been ascertained it is best to begin from the social end. If the community is aroused to some particular evil which has not yet been remedied and which depends for its solution upon a thorough and impartial investigation, by all means the survey should begin with that particular problem. In all of the work, however, whether it is under- taken in order to bring about a complete change in the community life, or whether it is to deal only with specific problems, the committee must approach its task with a definite understanding that the work is to be done for the benefit of the locality without sensationalism that would be injurious to its reputa- tion as a center of population. The work is not to be given up until definite results are accomplished and above all every available social force in the com- munity should be made a part of the working team of the survey so that no particular body of men or women may take the full credit for the results ac- complished. Knowing One's Own Community SCOPE OF SURVEY A survey should cover as far as possible every phase of community life, advantageous and disad- vantageous, that time and available energy can secure, but if selection of specific problems is made either for the purpose of beginning the work or because of limitations of time and working force, the lines of investigation selected should be prac- tical, should have in view improvements affecting as many people as possible, should be easily under- stood by the masses and should be measurable in commonly accepted quantities. If the supply of milk is bad an investigation into the source of milk and the passage of proper regulations for the con- trol of the milk supply will soon show results that can be measured in terms of a material reduction in the infant mortality and morbidity. If the schools are spending large amounts of money with meager results, an investigation into the accounting system of the school department, a study of the physical conditions of the children and visits to the homes of backward and truant pupils will soon re- veal the cause of the inefficiency in terms which can be easily understood and almost as easily remedied. Stated in brief, a survey must follow lines which are of a practical character and must have in view tangible improvements which are easily understood and most generally desired. [6] Suggestions for Social Surveys SURVEYING FORCES With a committee appointed and the general scope of the work decided upon it is important to secure the co-operation of intelligent persons in the community who would be willing to give their time and energy to the work and whose professional or intellectual interest lies in the particular phases of the work to be undertaken. The following are some of the classes of people most likely to respond to a demand for assistance in the work : Social workers. Physicians. Lawyers. Superintendents of schools and teachers. Clergymen. Business men and mill owners. Superintendents of mills. Editors. University professors and students. Officers of civic and philanthropic agencies. It must be borne in mind that the inclination and mental make-up of each person must be considered in assigning a worker to any particular field and that only persons with high standing in the com- munity should be chosen. This latter condition is so important that a single mistake in choosing workers may impair the effectiveness of the whole enter- prise. Knowing One's Own Community As in many towns and cities colleges and universi- ties furnish an opportunity for increasing the field of the survey through the assistance of students, it is important to sound a warning against indiscrimi- nate use of student work. Three years of experi- ence have demonstrated to the writer that ,only the most mature students are capable of doing accu- rate and reliable work and that .even with this class of help the greatest care and the largest possible amount of supervision is necessary. The newspaper editor, while, owing to his prob- able knowledge of conditions, familiarity with public opinion and the methods of stimulating it, one of the most valuable members of an investigating body either as worker or as a member of the survey committee, should be very carefully selected, or else the temptation to publish news may get the better of the interest in the welfare of the commu- nity, and in survey work an ounce of discretion is frequently worth a ton of publicity. With the workers selected and the problems to be handled decided upon, the machinery for investi- gation is ready and while it is difficult to discuss in the brief space of this publication the problems and aspects to be considered as part of a survey, certain definite lines of inquiry may be safely outlined leav- ing the more intricate problems and investigations to the expert " social engineer " whenever his as- sistance can be secured. [8] Suggestions for Social Surveys CHARACTER OF THE COMMUNITY In practically every survey a general knowledge of the character of the community, its development, its industries, its population and its geographic lo- cation must be definitely ascertained and made the foundation for further study. In the study of the character of the community the following questions might be asked: 1. Is the community a chartered city, town or village? .9. Is it part of a larger incorporated community or is it independent? 3. Is it a farming or manufacturing community, and to what extent is each prevalent? 4. Has the community developed slowly, or has some recent change brought about a sudden growth or decrease? 5. Are the old settlers and their descendants holding control over the industries, or have recent arrivals obtained control? When the general character of the community has been ascertained a study of the population is then in order. This can best be done by consulting the United States Census or the State Census of the par- ticular State in which the community is located. 1 Population Questions. 1. What is the total population of the community? 2. How many persons are foreign born, how many of for- eign parents were born in the United States and how many are of mixed parents, one parent being born in the United States and the other in some foreign country? 1 The United States Census is taken every ten years on the ten year period while the state censuses are taken every ten years on the five year period. In consulting the Census it is well to consult the one nearest the date of the investigation. [91 Knowing One's Own Community 3. What is the age distribution of the population, by five year periods? (Keep the native born, the foreign born, and the natives of foreign parents separately.) 4. In what numbers are the various races and nationalities represented ? 5. What is the total number of married persons by sex, age periods and nationality ? 2 6. What is the total number of persons unmarried over twenty years of age? (Give the sexes, the place of birth and when possible the place of birth of parents). 7. What is the total number of children under five and under one year of age of the different nationalities and parentage? 8. Compare all of the answers to the above seven questions for the last census year with similar answers for the ten years previous, and if possible the twenty years previous and find what the increase or decrease has been during the periods mentioned.s The information gathered in answer to the above questions will be useful as a guide in further work. It gives the foundation for a study of the human element of the community and in a manner is a con- crete expression of the growth and change in the population during a reasonable period of time. The rapid change in the size and in the national or racial make-up of our cities and towns and the problems that a large immigrant element create make the study of the population vastly more im- portant in America than in any other country of the world and the survey should not slight this aspect 2 Use five and ten year periods as follows: under 5, 5 to 9, 10 to 14, 15 to 19, 20 to 24, 25 to 34, 35 to 44, 45 to 54, 55 to 64, 65 and over. 3 Use the United States Census as your source when you make comparisons if you have used that census for your first figures and the state census throughout if you begin with the state census. [10'] Suggestions for Social Surveys of its work, even though much prejudice and misun- derstanding of statistics may place small value upon the figures. They will be a most valuable and in- dispensable asset in shaping the work of the survey and in deriving conclusions from the facts. GEOGRAPHIC SITUATION The facts relating to geographic situation may seem superfluous and obvious, but many a problem depends for its solution upon a proper knowledge of location, environment and proximity to other communities and resources. The following geo- graphic questions might be answered with profit to the survey. 1. Is the town or city located upon upland or lowland or both and to what extent? 2. Is there any water front available and what is its extent? 3. Is the water front navigable and if not, why? 4. Has the water front ever been used for navigation and how long ago? 5. What is the total area of the community and how much is unoccupied land? 6. How much of the unoccupied land is fit for use and how much is capable of being rendered useful and in what way? 7. How far from any large populational center is the com- munity? 8. Is the surrounding land, within a radius of ten miles, agricultural, manufacturing, wooded or fallow land, and how much of each? 9. What is the general climatic condition and what are its known effects upon health? ^3 All the above problems are capable of being an- swered by consultation with engineers of the local- cm I Knowing One's Own Community ity, the United States Geodetic Survey Department, the Weather Bureau and such books and pamphlets as may be found in the publications of the state and federal offices. The problem of providing sanitary, accessible homes, the interchange of population between com- munities, due to irregularity of employment, the cost of living as related to accessible market facilities, are largely determined by the amount of land avail- able for housing purposes, the transportation sys- tem, etc. A careful examination of the facts related to the above questions will form the foundation for a comprehensive study of these problems which are considered at length in the following pages. LOCAL GOVERNMENT GENERAL CONDITIONS It is a generally accepted fact, demonstrated by repeated study that the type of government of a community not only reflects the citizenship of that community, but determines to a very considerable extent the number and solution of many of its so- cial problems. The understanding of the organiza- tion and work of the local government is therefore a prerequisite of efficient work in remedying ex- isting conditions, and often in explaining civic apathy that is so dangerous to American democracy. Some of the facts to be ascertained concerning local government are as follows: [12] Suggestions for Social Surveys 1. Is the community an independent governmental unit or is it part of some other city or town? 2. Is the government based upon a special charter or is there a general charter that applies to all localities of the same class in the State? 3. What changes have taken place in the charter during the last fifty years? 4. What are the requirements for voting? (Is there any property qualification?) 5. How often are the local elections held and what officers are elected? 6. How large is the city council and board of aldermen, or whatever the local legislative body may be? 7. Are the councilmen elected at large or by wards? 8. What powers does the mayor have? 9. What power does the council have? 10. Are the schools administered by elective officers or by an appointive committee? How are the appointments made? 11. What are the departments which constitute the work of the local government? 12. To whom are the heads of each department responsible and what is the extent of this responsibility? 13. What is the appropriating body which decides upon the distribution of the public funds? 14. Are budgetary estimates published in advance or are requests made privately by department heads to the appro- priating body? 15. What legislation affecting the health and morals of the community as a whole has the council enacted within the last five years? 16. What local problems have arisen within the last ten years which have not been solved on account of the limited powers of the local government? 17. What laws intended to benefit the community have been submitted to the State Legislature within the last ten years, and have failed of passage? 18. What means of publicity do the city departments use to inform the public of their work, are published reports re- quired by law and if so, is the form determined or is it left to the discretion of the reporting department? 19. What method of checking accounts is in use? [is] Knowing One's Own Community It is clear from the above questions that the points emphasized relate to the machinery of the local government in its relation to the individual voter as a part of the whole community or of a par- ticular neighborhood or ward. The distribution and use of the city's or town's financial resources have long been the subjects around which have cen- tered most of our existing or suspected graft. In- adequacy and inefficiency of service have frequently been attributed to insufficient financial resources when fundamentally a lack of understanding of the community's needs has caused an unintelligent and unreasonable budgetary distribution. The relation between existing home rule, its ef- ficacy and the handicap resulting from its limita- tions are also emphasised in the above questions so that some judgment regarding needed charter changes may be formulated. TAXATION The above general questions have to do par- ticularly with the organization of the government and to a certain extent with the legislative powers of the community. The taxing powers and the financial condition of the locality may be ascertained by endeavoring to answer the following questions : 1. What is the tax rate and how is it determined? 2. What is the number of taxpayers upon real estate as compared with the number of taxpayers upon personal property? [14] Suggestions for Social Surveys 3. What are the laws concerning assessments? 4. Is land assessed separately from improvements? 5. What share of the taxes is being derived from public service corporations? 6. What other revenue is derived from public service cor- porations? 7. What other revenues does the city derive from sources such as renting of property, fines, licenses, etc., and what proportion of the total revenue do they form? 8. Do the taxes meet the needs of the present budget or is money being borrowed to pay current expenses? 9. What is the borrowing limit and how much is the in- debtedness of the community? 10. What have been the large improvements accomplished with borrowed money in the last ten years? 11. What improvement work is going on at the present time, paid for with borrowed money? 12. Is there a special tax for school purposes and what is the rate? 13. What is the distribution of the money between the various local departments? 14. What has been the increase in the appropriation of each department in the last ten years? 15. What effect have increased appropriations had upon the different departments? These are only a few of the numerous questions that should be asked in connection with a study of the local government, and it is hoped that in the process of securing the data relating to them other questions will suggest themselves which are more distinctly of a local nature and which will lead to a better understanding of conditions than we can hope to suggest. The lack of uniformity in the town and city government of this country and the specific phases of administrative work inherent in particular localities make a fuller outline of inquiry inadvis- [15] Knowing One's Own Community able, but the writer hopes that in choosing the work- ers in this field tax payers, lawyers, real estate dealers, bankers, employers of labor, labor leaders and other men familiar with public affairs will be found willing to take the work into their hands. Within the last twenty years little progress has been made in taxation methods. With the rapid increase in population due to foreign immigration, the growing congestion in our cities and the shift- ing of wage earners from one industrial center to another; the increasing tax rates caused by neces- sary school facilities, health, police and fire protec- tion to be provided for a non tax paying population are becoming more and more burdensome and in- equitous. A clearer vision of the tax problems is greatly needed so that a more just and adequate sys- tem of taxation may be devised and applied. West- ern and Canadian cities are experimenting with new methods and are securing the desired results. The fundamental philosophy of all new systems of tax- ation is based upon the principle of returning to society the values created by it and infusing into the tax burden a promotive rather than a prohibi- tory element. [16] Suggestions for Social Surveys SUFFRAGE The condition of the local government, its effi- ciency and capacity for development and service depends to a considerable extent upon the pre- vailing suffrage laws as well as upon the character of those enjoying the right and taking advantage of their privilege to vote. A knowledge of the suffrage conditions in a community may be gained by inquiries such as these : 1. What are the local suffrage laws? 2. What is the race and nationality of the probable voters? 3. Within the last twenty years what has been the change in the national and racial composition of the persons entitled to vote? 4. What was the difference between the total number of voters at the last local election and the total number of persons entitled to vote? (Indicate these figures by national- ity and place of birth of father if possible.) 5. Are there ward leaders; what is their character, business interests, connection with public work and public service cor- porations, public offices? What is their political and religious affiliations and nationality? 6. Have the various nationalities and races come to be organized into political clubs and if so to what extent and for what purpose? 7. Is buying and selling of votes a general practice, and if so what parties and what interests practice this method? 8. What is the usual political affiliation of the various nationalities ? 9. What agencies are interested in the development of citizenship among the natives and foreign born and what results have been accomplished through their effort? The question concerning the reasonableness of the general fear lest the foreigner may, from the point [17] Knowing One's Own Community of view of citizenship, prove injurious to American democracy, American institutions and traditions, can be answered more intelligently by an impartial in- quiry into the above nine questions than by any other means. The results of such inquiry may bring about either greater ease of mind for the natives or a more patriotic activity for the civic education of the foreigners, stimulated by a knowl- edge of the facts. [18] INDUSTRY Industry, or that combination of opportunities and conditions which makes up the chances for la- bor, the sources of maintenance and the assurance of the workers against the dangers of over work, un- sanitary and dangerous labor conditions and idle- ness is the most vital force in the community: it is the power that determines its growth and character. This broad point of view of industry should be so studied as to show their relationship and influence upon the workers and upon the industries. For a clear understanding of the local industrial problems and a more logical plan of inquiry it is advisable to classify the whole subject as follows: 1. Types of Industries 2. Character of Workers and Compensation 3. Steadiness of Employment 4. Chances for Temporary and Side Employment 5. Protection against Unemployment 6. Safety in Employment 7. Welfare Work. The above classification covers in a general way the main aspects of the study of industry and upon their intelligent treatment and a careful scrutiny of the facts depend the answers to many of the im- portant industrial problems of the day. [19] Knowing One's Own Community TYPES OF INDUSTRY By types of industry is to be understood not only the production of the mill and the factory, but all larger productive activities which use labor in con- siderable quantities, particularly those pursuits which give character to the community and which have determined the growth of the population and the development of manufacture and trade. A reasonably comprehensive idea of the types of industries prevalent in the community can be ob- tained by consulting the last census report on occu- pations and selecting the pursuits which employ the largest number of laborers or workers. A standard of such study may be found by placing the limit of workers at one hundred persons or more for each industry studied. This is, however, not the figure which should always be accepted as the best, but should rather be a point from which to determine a standard by taking into account the extent of the investigation to be made, the amount of time avail- able, the size of the community and the number of workers available for the survey. The industries to be considered, once agreed upon, the following questions should be answered: 1. What is the character of each industry and how many establishments are in operation? 2. What is the number of workers employed in each in- dustry and in each establishment? 3. Is there a financial or legal connection between any of the industrial establishments? [20] Suggestions for Social Surveys 4. What has been the growth of each industry in the last ten years? 5. Have any establishments been abandoned or bought out by others in the same locality? 6. Have any outside competing interests bought out local establishments which were later abandoned? 7. Are most of the industries in the hands of local people or are they in the hands of outsiders who have come to seek a labor market? 8. How are industrial establishments taxed and how does it affect the establishment of new industries? 9. Are the industries so co-ordinated as to be dependent upon each other's products or not? 10. Do industries find a satisfactory labor supply in the community or is labor imported from other localities? 11. Are extensive means of advertising for labor used and what responsibilities do the employers assume towards their imported employees. 12. Is the importation of labor due to an actual industrial demand for extra help or to a desire to reduce wages by over- stocking the labor market and hindering the unions? CHARACTER OF WORKERS AND COMPENSATION The above inquiries having been completed and the facts stated clearly and comprehensively the character of the workers and wages may next be considered and the inquiry should follow somewhat along the following lines : 1. What is the total number of workers in each industry and if possible in each establishment? 2. How many of the workers are men, women or children? 1 3. What is the proportion of skilled and unskilled workers of each sex? 4. What are the nationalities and races mainly represented in each occupation? 5. What is the maximum and minimum wage in each for men, women and children in skilled and unskilled trades? 1 Before investigation see labor laws concerning children. [21] Knowing One's Own Community 6. Are men or women more commonly idle in particular industries and why? 7. Are married women and women with small children employed and to what extent? 8. Is there a large group of workers without family con- nections in the community? 9. Do many workers live in other localities and come to work in your community or vice versa? 10. Are skilled workers available in the community or must they be brought from outside? 11. Are the schools endeavoring to train workers along the lines required by local industries and if so are the products of these schools finding employment in the locality? That some difficulties will be found in ascertain- ing the facts relating to the above questions must be granted, but through the assistance of the census, the manufacturers and superintendents, the charity society, the school authorities, the ministers and the voting lists satisfactory results will be obtained. STEADINESS OF EMPLOYMENT One of the most serious difficulties in modern in- dustry is the fluctuation in the demand for labor, during various periods of the year. The commu- nity life of a city or town is often rendered unstable and thriftless by the constant changes in the op- portunities for regular and well-paid employment. This is particularly true of small populational cen- ters where only a limited number of industrial establishments of the same kind, which are often controlled by the same company or corporation, are [22] Suggestions for Social Surveys to be found. An inquiry along this line might be based upon the following questions : 1. Do your industries employ steadily through the year the same number of workers and what industries have variations in the number of their employees? 2. When and how long are the rush and slack seasons in each industry and what classes of workers are affected most seriously by them? 3. Is the work of the industries with slack seasons such as to make it possible for workers to go from one industry to another and to what extent is this the practice? 4. Does the rush season bring many out of town workers? 5. Are men or women most commonly affected by the rush and slack seasons? 6. Has work been suspended because of strikes or lockouts within the last two years and if so in what industries and what has been the number of workers affected? 7. What has been the result of the most important strikes and lockouts that have taken place within the last two years? (Increased wages, shortening of hours or replacement of striking workers with non-union labor?) Enforced idleness due to irregularity of employ- ment is one of the most serious social problems to be dealt with. Not only is the economic life of the individual and the family affected, but the moral and social life of the workers is endangered. The saloon, the vice resort and the cheapest types of amusements thrive upon irregular employment, while the rush season endangers the health of the workers and attracts a nomad population of wage earners who are soon thrown upon the community for care and support. Rush and slack industrial seasons are due to a lack of intelligent adjustment between supply and demand which scientific management can and should abolish. [23] Knowing One's Own Community TEMPORARY AND SIDE EMPLOYMENT Many of the workers abroad and some of the recently arrived immigrants in this country with their love for the out-of-doors and an appreciation of the opportunity to use the bounties of the land, are adding to their daily income derived from work in the mills or mines by cultivating a small tract of land which constitutes a considerable source of pleasure and self-education besides the financial gain. This practice is not to be found either among the native born mill-workers or among the immigrants who are crowded into the tenement dis- tricts of our cities and towns. There are, how- ever, certain sources of income resulting from sup- plementary occupations which are carried on in the homes during evening hours which may justly be considered and which are the outcome of unsteady employment and in many instances of insufficient wages. In some instances desire to accumulate wealth or secure economic independence induces families to take up work in the homes so that all members of the family may assist. Child labor of the most objectionable type has developed in con- nection with home industries. There are also many occupations in which workers engage during times of unemployment and which are beneficial in so far as they do not interfere with the integrity of the family and the home, such as [24] Suggestions for Social Surveys the taking of work from the factories into the home, the taking of the entire family into berry picking camps and similar occupations which en- gage the attention of the entire household. There are, however, conditions under which work in the home and in the fields is done which is extremely dangerous and should be carefully guarded. In ascertaining the possibilities and character of side and temporary employment the following questions may be used as a partial guide: 1. How many of the working people's homes present op- portunities for small scale farming? 2. What is the character and extent of these local indus- tries, and what legal restrictions are placed upon such in- dustries? (Sweatshop laws, tenement house restrictions, etc.) 3. Are small children used in the home industries and to what extent? 4. What are the lines of extra work that laboring people can undertake aside from their regular daily tasks? 5. What is the extent of the practice of keeping roomers and boarders in private families? Aside from these questions the problem of the local industrial balance should be considered in terms of the possibilities for finding employments in nearby communities in times of industrial de- pression in the home city or town. This problem of migration for purposes of finding work in other communities rather than in the home town or city [25] Knowing One's Own Community has its advantages and disadvantages and should be carefully considered. In the communities where nearby population centers carry on industries sim- ilar to those of the home community it is often possible to shift workers from one to the other without impairing the family ties and with con- siderable advantage both to employer and employee. When the migration for the purpose of finding work takes the members, and particularly the head of the family to distant places it is often done at great risk to the home. Many cases of desertion and the numerous instances of broken up families due to the departure of the head should be attrib- uted in no small degree to this type of labor migration. As far as possible a survey should concern it- self with the possibilities for shifting labor from one industry to another, and within reasonable limits investigations of the opportunities presented by the labor markets of nearby communities with a view to labor migration and exchange should be carefully carried on. PROTECTION AGAINST UNEMPLOYMENT Protection against unemployment has developed slowly in American industries and has depended largely upon private initiative and such foresight as has been customary with labor organizations in the nature of insurance against illness and accident. [26] Suggestions for Social Surveys But generally speaking nothing has been done in the way of providing compulsory insurance against unemployment. Some questions in connection with the problems of unemployment may help to show what the problems are : 1. What is the usual number of unemployed at certain periods of the year? 2. What organizations and societies provide for mutual insurance against enforced idleness? 3. What is the number of working people who have de- posits in various banks? 4. What is the average deposit per worker in savings banks? 5. What is the number of property owning workers and what is the average valuation of property per worker? 6. Is there an organization which lends money to workers upon notes or surety on a reasonable interest without intent of gain? 7. Does the commmunity ever borrow money for public works which are purposely rushed during times of depression? 8. Does the City or State maintain a free employment agency? 9. Is a city yard or city laundry maintained for the pur- pose of giving work to temporarily unemployed? 10. Do any philanthropic agencies maintain such establish- ments? 11. What is the full employment capacity of all work-giv- ing agencies and what is the maximum and minimum number of unemployed during the year? 12. What proportion of the families and individuals handled by the charitable agencies, private and public, were cases due to unemployment caused by labor conditions. It will be found that many of the answers to these questions will indicate a shortage of community responsibility and a lack of adjustment that com- mands attention. [27] Knowing One's Own Community SAFETY IN EMPLOYMENT The most wasteful and most criminal negligence in the protection of our human resources is to be found in the flagrant absence of proper protection of the workers in the pursuit of their daily labor in mill and mine, and in many of the walks of life in which millions of workers are daily taking their risks. This protection against and prevention of industrial accidents have recently awakened public interest. The failure to secure proper legislation and volunteer action for the protection of the workers against industrial accidents has been due not only to employers but also to the workers who fear the extra burden of insurance. The public mind, however, is coming rapidly to realize the impor- tance not only of insurance against accidents and death, but that the prevention of accidents is of the most momentous importance to modern indus- try. Current discussion of the subject found in the public press, the frequent references to it from the pulpit and the professor's chair and the agita- tions carried on in this direction by leaders in social and political life, clearly show that public senti- ment is in favor of insuring protection and safety to the workers. In connection with this topic questions such as these might be asked with profit : 1. Is there any compulsory insurance law providing for compensation in case of industrial accidents resulting in disability or death and if so what are the provisions? [28] Suggestions for Social Surveys 2. What is the status of legislation providing for proper protection of machinery? 3. Under whose jurisdiction is the enforcement of these laws placed? 4. What is the number and nature of industrial accidents that have occurred during the last year or two? 5. Are the laws concerning the protection of machinery enforced properly? 6. What amounts have been paid to industrial accident victims by manufacturers, insurance companies, charity so- cieties, lodges and mutual aid societies within the last year or two? 7. In what industries have most of the accidents occurred and what has been the age and nationality of the persons injured or killed? 8. How many persons wholly dependent upon injured workers have been affected? What are their ages and social condition ? 9. What have been the causes of the different accidents and to whom have they been attributed? 10. How many of the industrial establishments maintain an emergency department? Many other parallel questions are sure to appear in different localities which might be followed up with profit, but the general lines are above suggested. WELFARE WORK A keen appreciation of welfare work done under the auspices of particular establishments for the benefit of the employees has been realized among many of the leading captains of industry and the results have shown gains not only in improved rela- tions between employer and employee but also in terms of increased efficiency among workers. An inventory of welfare work done by various local [29] Knowing One's Own Community establishments may be secured by gathering facts concerning the following: 1. How many of the industrial establishments maintain for the use of their employees a lunch room, rest room, baths, meeting rooms, club rooms, playgrounds, settlement houses, a social secretary for individual work particularly with girls, etc., and what is the character of each? 2. What establishments have an apprentice system for the training of skilled workers and what class of persons are usually selected as apprentices? 3. Is there a pension fund connected with any of the in- dustrial establishments and what are its conditions? 4i. What establishments maintain a system of volunteer insurance or free medical aid in case of sickness? 5. Are there any special funds provided by industrial establishments for social service work to be carried on for the benefit of the community at large? The above outline of an industrial survey is far from being complete, but the questions were formu- lated with the aim in view of suggesting in the mind of the reader the vital industrial problems which have an immediate effect upon the community and the working people. Welfare work carried on by industrial establish- ments has frequently created antagonism and resent- ment among employees. Lack of proper manage- ment and a narrow point of view may defeat the best efforts of an employer. The effect that such service has upon the workers should be carefully studied. [SO] HEALTH The last century has been a period of human achievement, the present century promises to be one of human improvement. We have been hoarding knowledge and wealth and boasting of what the human mind is capable of knowing and doing, we are now ready to use this wealth and knowledge and experience for the general improvement of the race by increasing its capacity for work, service and happiness. In a word, we are turning from the ob- jective to the subjective of human society. The study of health may be divided into three important factors, namely, the conditions of health that exist, the factors that determine the condition of health and the laws intended to promote health. The first relates to mortality and morbidity, the sec- ond to the various causes of sickness and death and the last to the legislative control of health. MORTALITY The first prerequisite of an intelligent health survey is the ascertaining of the health conditions in terms of measurable quantities expressed in sta- tistical formy' Such questions as these should be answered in the preparation of a survey of health conditions : [31], Knowing One's Own Community 1. What is the death rate* from all causes in the com- munity according to ages, sex and nationality of those who died within a period of one or two years? 2. What is the death rate by nationality, age and sex in other communities of the same size? 3. What are the causes of deaths by nationality or race, by age and sex and which of them are preventable? 2 4. What is the death rate among infants under one and under five years of age, by nationality and sex? 5. Which sections of the community show the highest death rates and which the lowest? 6. Are deaths reported accurately to the authorities and are the facts published regularly and intelligently? 7. Are the reports discussed in the daily press and do they attract attention? MORBIDITY The evils and suffering caused by disease when seen from the point of view of the family, the danger to the community due to contagion, the burden upon the city and state entailed by hospital care and upon charitable societies dealing with the conditions resulting from sickness among the poor, are more serious even than the sad and often un- necessary deaths. At least the following should be known concern- ing the morbidity in the community: 1. What is the number of persons ill with contagious diseases and what is the character of these diseases? 2. What epidemics have occurred in the last five years in the community and have causes attributed to them been removed? 1 A death rate is the number of deaths in a 1000 population. 2 In statistical tables relation to deaths from the preventable dis- eases should be considered separately. [32] Suggestions for Social Surveys 3. What has been the number of victims of the epidemic and how many recovered? 4. How many persons have received free treatment in hos- pitals and dispensaries in the last year and for what diseases? 5. Do any particular industries show a larger number of cases of sickness than others, what is the character of the diseases, and are they contagious or not? 6. How many children have absented themselves from school during the year on account of illness? 7. Have the schools been closed during the year on account of epidemics and for how long? 8. In what trades have women shown the largest amount of illness and irregularity of work? With the material accumulated in the investiga- tion of the questions above indicated the survey has reached the point when the consideration of the more specific causes of ill-health and mortality may be considered. HOUSING The housing of the people is so vital a factor in determining 1 the health of the community and its influence is so closely connected with the moral and social atmosphere that it deserves special attention. This applies equally to those who are interested in the welfare of the community for its own sake, and to those who calculate their social service in terms of increased efficiency in the daily tasks of the workers, and savings in financial responsibility both towards the city and the philanthropic agencies of the community. The work of ascertaining hous- ing conditions of the people should therefore be [33] Knowing One's Own Community done with the utmost care and the results weighed in terms of health as well as in terms of moral stand- ards and industrial efficiency. These are some of the aspects of housing to be considered : CONDITIONS OF TENEMENTS 1. Is the locality a community of homes or of three and four or more family houses and what is the number of each type? 2. Are the families crowded in small tenements and what is the extent of the crowding? (Number of persons per room, crowding in the bedrooms, etc.) 3. What is the average proportion between rental and family income? (If this cannot be ascertained, the rental per tenement by number of rooms in some characteristic sec- tions should be considered.) 4. How frequently are roomers taken in to piece out rents? 5. Is the water supply in the homes of good quality and sufficient for the use of the families? 6. Is there a sewer system and is it connected with the tenements in all parts of the city; if not what is the number of tenements not connected and the number of families and individuals aifected? 7. What is the character of the toilets; are they located in apartments, cellars, halls, basements or yards and are they connected with the sewer? (Secure facts concerning each.) 8. Are toilets used by one or more families each and to what extent is overcrowding in toilet use prevalent? 9. What types of toilet ventilation are prevalent? 10. To what extent are bathrooms provided in tenements? 11. Is household refuse removed by the city and what is the method and frequency of removal? 12. How frequent are windowless rooms in tenements? 13. How frequently are tenement rooms dark because of 184] Suggestions for Social Surveys proximity of buildings, lighting through airshafts or narrow courts ? 14. Are yards provided in tenements and what are the prevailing sizes? CONDITIONS SURROUNDING TENEMENTS 1. What is the average width of the tenement streets and how wide are the sidewalks? 2. Are the streets paved and what is the type of pavement in tenement districts? 3. Are streets swept, watered, flushed or oiled in the tenement districts and if so how often and by what methods? 4. Are there playgrounds in the tenement districts? 5. Are street car lines common in the tenement districts and is the use of the streets by children dangerous? 6. Are saloons common in the tenement districts and to what extent are they found in tenement buildings? 7. Are houses of prostitution or prostitutes permitted in the neighborhood of or within tenements? 8. Are the tenements in the proximity of the factories and are they affected by smoke, gases or other by-products which might be injurious to health? 9. Are there in the proximity of tenements swamps or lowlands which breed mosquitoes or produce offensive odors? 10. Are noises prevalent in the tenement districts that could be reduced or avoided? 11. Are abandoned buildings common in the neighborhood and are they protected against improper use by tramps and persons of questionable character? ROOMING HOUSES With the growth of industries and the migration of labor from one center to another has come a problem of housing persons living away from their families, which in many cities has assumed large proportions. The rooming houses and the hotel are [35] Knowing One's Own Community the places which largely provide homes for this class of population and the consideration of these hotels and rooming houses should receive attention in the body of a housing survey. The problems connected with this type of housing can be stated in this man- ner. 1. What is the total population by sex living away from home? 2. What is the number of rooming houses connected with private homes? 3. What is the number of hotels and public rooming houses and what is the method used in conducting them? 4. Are they controlled by local or state legislation, what is the character of this legislation and what authority en- forces it? 5. Are there any special rooming houses provided by philan- thropic agencies and what is their capacity? 6. Are there houses or tenements in which men keep house without women and what is their number and condition? 7. What is the sanitary condition of the rooming houses and hotels? (Use as a basis for study the questions on conditions of tenement houses.) OWNERSHIP OF HOMES Closely connected with housing conditions is the rate of home ownership existing in the community. Ownership determines not alone the condition of the homes, but the stability of the population, the standard of citizenship and self-respect. The main questions in connection with this subject to be asked are as follows: 1. How many families own their own homes? .[36] Suggestions for Social Surveys 2. Is the tendency to own homes on the increase or on the decrease? 3. Are the individually owned homes on the average better than the homes owned by other persons or corporations? 4. What is the general character, size, building material, and architecture of individually owned homes? 5. What is the average assessed valuation of the individ- ually owned workingmen's homes? 6. What is the per cent of individually owned homes free from mortgages? 7. Are mortgages on homes taxed separately from the property itself? 8. What are the building associations that promote indi- vidual home building? 9. What are the practices of the local banks with regard to loaning money on mortgages or for building purposes? 10. To what extent do the mills provide houses for their employees ? As may be seen from the above general consid- eration of the subject the problems of housing may be segregated into three groups, namely : a. Sanitation which determines to a considerable extent the health and efficiency of the workers. b. Congestion which has to do with sanitation as well as the morals of the tenants. c. Ownership which largely influences the sta- bility, thrift and citizenship of the population. When facts concerning the housing conditions have been collected and so arranged as to give a clear conception of the problem, a thorough study of the laws relating to housing, sanitation and house building should be made. This can best be done by persons familiar with handling legislation [37] Knowing' One's Own Community and with the building trade. Whenever it seems apparent that the building laws are insufficient to meet the needs of the community an examination of the aspects left without legal provision should be included in the survey. When the laws in existence do not seem to be enforced much profit may be de- rived from an examination of the aspects of hous- ing legislation unenforced and a consideration of the machinery provided for its enforcement should be made from the following points of view: 1. Is the machinery and appropriation provided for the enforcement of the law sufficient to meet the local needs? 2. Is the law clear and definite enough to empower the officials to enforce it? 3. Are the officers efficient and honest in the performance of their duty? These three questions should be applied as a test to all legislation dealing with social conditions and whenever possible the officials concerned should be consulted and their work examined with a view to se- curing facts and whenever possible, co-operation. RELATION OF HOMES TO THE COMMUNITY In the foregoing sections dealing with housing the individual building is considered as an inde- pendent entity, without any close relationship to other buildings or the neighborhood. Strictly speaking this has been the prevailing point of view in most housing reform movements which have found their most concrete expression in legislation and in- [38] Suggestions for Social Surveys spection. Accessibility to place of employment, educational, cultural and amusement centers, mar- keting facilities to insure a cheap food supply have not received the attention they deserve in a broad treatment of the housing problem. " The City Beautiful " as expressed by the " town planning " movements have found little favor with the housing reformers and still less with the local governments and real estate interests. The cost of land and con- struction of houses has not been studied with a view to developing constructive policies whereby houses may be built cheaply and rental rates maintained on a scale which would make possible good houses for all, yielding a reasonable return upon invest- ments without placing an unreasonable burden upon the tenants. These are important problems to solve and studies along these may be started by answering the following questions : 1. What transportation facilities are the street car and railway systems providing to facilitate the transportation of employees ? 2. Are reduced fares for working people provided? 3. Are the outlying districts provided with adequate trans- portation facilities so as to make access to amusement and cultural centers easy and cheap? 4. What are the differences in the average cost of staple foods between the congested sections and the outlying dis- tricts? 5. Is the city following a carefully worked out plan in its development of streets, parks, playgrounds, etc., or are the real estate interests the main factor in the development of the community? [39] Knowing One's Own Community 6. Are large tracts of land being opened up for residential purposes and what steps are being taken by the community to insure symmetry, open spaces, etc.? 7. Can individual homes be built at a sufficiently low cost to make possible reasonable rents and a fair return upon the investment? If not, why? INDUSTRIAL SANITATION In the earlier part of this bulletin the problems of protection against industrial accidents which re- sult in injury and death were discussed. Industrial sanitation deals with the broader aspects of health as related to employment, namely the physical in- jury that results from the conditions under which the work is being done. The human waste which results from the lack of scientific methods in the protection of the health and life of American wage earners has been variously estimated in dollars and cents. The mortality rate due to causes directly connected with employment place the United States among the most careless nations of the civilized world. It is about time, therefore, that a far-reaching constructive policy be adopted by the individual states or the Federal Government whereby a higher value would be placed upon human life and the usefulness of the individual worker in the field of industry be prolonged in time and increased in efficiency. The lesson of Europe is before us and we have only to learn. Movements in this direction have been started already, but each community must contribute its share of interest and enthusiasm. [40] Suggestions for Social Surveys The larger share of the worker's time is spent in the home and in the factory, and it may safely be estimated that on the average as much time is spent in the place of employment as is spent in the home. It is reasonable, therefore, to place the sanitary conditions of the industrial establishment as next in importance to housing sanitation. The important sanitary aspects of the industrial establishments may be ascertained by investigations intended to answer the following questions : 1. What proportion of the workers in each of the prin- cipal industries are employed in-doors and what proportion are employed out of doors? 2. What are the sanitary regulations provided by state laws affecting industrial establishments? 3. What local legislation regulates the sanitation in in- dustrial establishments, and what are the legislative powers of the locality in matters of health? 4. What officers are charged with the enforcement of the laws? (Give title and number of state and local officers, sal- aries, method and' term of appointment, etc.) 5. Are the laws enforced and if not who is responsible for the failure to enforce them? 6. How do the industrial sanitary laws of your locality compare with similar laws in other communities of the same size but in different states, particularly in New York and Massachusetts? 7. What is the extent of manufacture carried on in tene- ment buildings or other structures not intended as industrial establishments ? 8. What are the hours during which women and children are permitted to work in industrial establishments? 9. Are workers crowded in factory buildings? 10. At what age are children permitted to begin work? 11. Are sweatshops common and what are the products manufactured in them? [41] Knowing One's Own Community A study of the laws relating to sanitary regula- tions in factories and shops will bring the various aspects of the subject to the attention of anyone making a survey. The enumeration of the ques- tions involved in a study of this kind in full would render this section wholly out of proportion with the rest of this publication. The reader should be guided in the consideration of this subject by the laws of New York and Massachusetts, which, al- though not ideal, are among the best so far avail- able in the United States. SCHOOL SANITATION While the industrial workers are spending a large share of their time in the shops, factories and mines, the children over a certain age (generally seven years) are at school and although the school hours are not quite as long as the hours of labor, a con- siderable amount of time in the child's life is spent upon the seats of the class room, in contact with other children and subject to the influence of the sanitary conditions of the school building. That the public schools are not always provided with the best sanitary devices and are not beyond reproach in matters of possibility for contagion and phys- ical injury to the child, is a fact so very generally accepted that even a superficial survey of commu- nity health is not complete without a consideration of the subject of school sanitation. [42] Suggestions for Social Surveys Some of the questions to be asked in connection with the sanitary conditions of public schools are as follows: (X 1. Is medical inspection in schools provided by the local government ? 2. Is the inspection done only for children that are pointed out by the teachers, or for every pupil in the schools? 3. What proportion of all the children in the schools were examined last year? What was the number of cases of ill- ness discovered and what was the character of the diseases? 4. Do the school teachers see to it that the children re- ceive the medical care prescribed by the medical examiner? 5. Are school nurses or school visitors who look after the medical care of the children after medical examination maintained? If so, are they paid or volunteer workers, and what is the number of each? 6. Is there dental examination in schools and what is the method of examination pursued? 7. Are examinations for eye strain and other defects of the eyes made by the general medical examiner or an oculist? 8. Is the number of seats provided in the school rooms sufficient to accommodate all the children and what type of extra seats are used? 9. Are the seats adjustable in the school rooms and are they properly adjusted? 10. Are the systems of ventilation in use adequate and understood by the caretakers? (Consult medical inspectors, teachers, builders and janitors.) 11. What is the size of play space connected with each school? 12. Do the schools have baths? 13. Do the schools furnish free or cheap lunches for under- fed children? 14. Are open air schools for tuberculous and physically subnormal children maintained, and if so what is the number of classes, the number of children, and the location of these schools ? [43] Knowing One's Own Community 15. Are the open air schools sufficient to accommodate all the children in need of such treatment? 16. Are the toilets sewer connected and properly venti- lated? 17. Have the common drinking cup and towel been abolished? In formulating the above questions an attempt has been made to emphasize the conditions which are most obvious and which could be ascertained by any interested citizen. The newer movements in the direction of school hygiene, such as the examina- tion of the eyes and teeth, open air schools, etc., have been called to mind in order to indicate the work that is being done in some of the more pro- gressive cities and towns of this country. SANITARY CONTROL A survey of the general sanitary conditions of a locality as distinct from the facts relating to mor- tality and morbidity which were discussed in the section dealing with the general subject of com- munity health, if exhaustive should be undertaken by a sanitary engineer or someone acquainted with the technical problems of health. It is possible, however, to suggest some of the important condi- tions of community health which may be studied by any member of a survey committee with satisfactory results. These problems are: General questions. 1. Is the locality sewer connected throughout and, if not, which parts are not sewer connected? [44] Suggestions for Social Surveys 2. Is the water supply of good quality, and are tests of the condition of the water made regularly by the local or state health authorities, and if so how often and in what manner? 3. Is the house refuse removed by the local authorities, and if so, how often and in what manner? 4. Are the streets regularly cleaned, and what is the au- thority in charge of the work? 5. Are the smoke, dust and gases emanating from the manufacturing establishments controlled by legislation, and is the legislation enforced? Contagious Diseases. 1. Are tuberculous cases reported to the health authorities, and what agencies are engaged in following them up? 2. Are advanced cases of tuberculosis cared for in hos- pitals especially provided for that purpose or in wards set aside in general hospitals, and are accommodations sufficient to meet the local needs? 3. Are sanitaria available for incipient tuberculous patients and have they sufficient capacity to accommodate all those in need of such care? 4. Can the health authorities compel the removal of a tuberculous patient to a hospital when dangerous to the health of the members of the family? 5. What other contagious diseases besides tuberculosis are reported to the health authorities; how and where, in cases of isolation, are these cases cared for? 6. Is fumigation or other method of disinfection practiced after the removal, recovery or death of the patient in the home? The Food Supply. 1. Is there any inspection of milk in your community, what are the laws concerning milk, and under whose jurisdiction is the work done? 2. Is the inspection done without licensing the dealer, or by a system of license which is based upon inspection of the sources of milk? 3. Is there meat inspection in the State, and in what man- ner is the inspection done in your locality? [45] Knowing One's Own Community 4. Are bread stuffs, candy, fruit, ice cream, etc., under inspection and what is the law concerning such inspection? 5. What other classes of food are inspected by local or State authorities? 6. Is there a pure food and drug law in your State, and how is it enforced in your locality? 7. By whom and in what manner is the federal Pure Food Law enforced? In dealing with health problems the simplest and most vital questions have been considered. The more technical problems, however, have been indi- rectly suggested with a view to enlarging the scope of the inquiry through experts when conditions war- rant such action. RECREATION AND AMUSEMENTS Recreation is the safety valve of civilization, it is the nightmare and ideal of modern society, it is the balancing medium between the strain of daily toil and the normal, physical, and mental functions, it is the protector of human society and the train- ing ground for the criminal and degenerate. A community that tolerates prostitution without con- trol, allows the saloon to take the place of the play- ground and the home, closes the doors of its schools for more than half the time, and compels the chil- dren to find their amusements upon the streets and back alleys is producing its own criminals, is de- stroying the integrity of the family and injuring the industrial efficiency of its workers. That recrea- tion is needed is a truism that has become a gospel [46] Suggestions for Social Surveys in modern social reform; the quality of the recrea- tion must be determined by the community itself. The main aspects of the recreation facilities of a community may be ascertained through the follow- ing inquiries: 1. Is the locality license or no license? 2. If license, what are the conditions for obtaining a li- cense? "What is the number of saloons, and are they located in the residential, tenement or factory districts? 3. How common is the practice of renting rooming in con- nection with the saloons? 4. Are women and children allowed to go into the saloons and under what restrictions? 5. If the locality is no license, is liquor sold in any par- ticular establishments and in what manner? 6. Are houses of prostitution or assignation permitted or tolerated? 7. Is street soliciting by prostitutes tolerated by the police ? 8. Are rooming houses under police supervision, and if not what is the consensus of opinion concerning the moral con- dition of the rooming houses? 9. Are the dance halls under police supervision, and what is the moral condition that prevails in such dance halls? 10. Are dance halls connected with saloons or rooming facilities or both and what is the condition of these saloons and rooming facilities? 11. What is the age limit for men and women permitted to use the dance halls? 12. By whom and how are the regulations concerning the saloons, rooming houses and dance halls enforced? 13. What legal restrictions are placed upon theaters and moving picture shows and what department enforces those legal restrictions? The saloon, the dance hall and the rooming house, combined with the dangers of prostitution, [47] Knowing One's Own Community present the most important problems of recreation and amusement that exist in a community. In con- junction with these problems the cheap theater, the summer amusement resort, and the opportunities af- forded by the indiscriminate running of steamer ex- cursions upon which the liquor traffic is not con- trolled, the careless renting of state rooms, and lack of supervision in the conduct of excursionists, may also form part of the survey of the amusement and recreation facilities. The objectionable conditions in the latter types of amusement are so obvious as to require no outline of investigation. With the most important amusement facilities of a public nature considered, we may proceed to the consideration of another class of amusement which is generally provided by the community or some private agency for the purpose of counter- acting the evil effects of the saloon, the dance hall and the cheap theater. The public assets and lia- bilities in providing recreation and amusements may be ascertained by a study of the following: 1. What park facilities are provided by the community? What are the distances from the residence and tenement dis- tricts and what is the fare to these parks? 2. Are grounds for ball and other games for adults fur- nished by the community? 3. Are playgrounds for children provided by the com- munity or by private agencies or both; how are they super- vised, what is the cost of their maintenance per year, what is the attendance during various seasons of the year, what is the equipment and are they located where they are most needed? [48] Suggestions for Social Surveys 4. Are the school buildings provided with playgrounds; if so are the children permitted to use them in the summer and are they supervised? 5. Are free concerts in parks, playgrounds and schools provided by the community? 6. Have moving picture shows, theatrical performances and other amusements been introduced into the public schools? 7. Have games been introduced into the work of the public schools ? 8. What is the total amount of money spent by the city or town for public recreation as compared with the expenditures for fire protection, courts, jails, etc.? 9. Are the public recreation facilities available to the public on Sunday and if not, what is the main reason for the closing on Sunday? 10. What private agencies provide free recreation and amusement facilities, and what is the character of the facili- ties provided? What is the yearly expense, attendance, etc.? The study of public recreation and amusements should lead the survey committee not only to ascer- tain the existing facilities, but also to inquire into the possibilities and resources available which could be used in extending the service of the local gov- ernment and of such volunteer agencies as may be available. The finding of such possibilities and resources must, however, be left entirely to the dis- cretion and intelligence of the committee and its workers. [49] EDUCATION The subject of education in a community is one so generally of common concern and touches so many aspects of community life that little need be said in favor of including a study of the educational facil- ities in the body of a social survey. Education is the most powerful agency in mod- ern democracy. It is the only means of social progress that has remained unquestioned and the public school still stands as the purest example of a democratic institution which is ready to rise to heights that so far have not been fully appreciated and upon the organization and efficiency of which depends " the harmonizing of individual effort with the effort of all," as Michelet puts it. A study of the educational facilities of a com- munity, to be exhaustive, would necessitate the ad- vice of an educator and the experience of a person familiar with the details of modern school adminis- tration. Such aid, however, is beyond the reach of a small community, and the work must be done by laymen whose opinion concerning the fitness and ef- ficiency of educational work must be based upon concrete simple facts, clearly and closely related to the problems of education. [50] Suggestions for Social Surveys The whole subject of education may be divided into three main parts, namely, Schools and Col- leges, Libraries and Reading Rooms, and other educational agencies. SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES In the consideration of schools and colleges there are four important questions to be considered: 1. Administration, dealing with methods of han- dling the affairs of the schools. 2. School Service and Community Needs, deal- ing with the educational needs of the community from the point of view of the number and charac- ter of the people to be trained, and the relations be- tween the existing educational facilities and the training needed to meet the social and industrial demands. 3. Efficiency, dealing with the type of work done by the schools, the returns for money invested in education, etc. With these three lines of inquiry in view, let us consider some of the most important questions bear- ing on each. ADMINISTRATION. 1. How are the members of the school committee or school board elected or appointed? What is their number, how long do they serve, how are they paid? What active committees and sub-committees have been appointed, what are their duties, how long have they served, what have they accom- plished? [51] Knowing One's Own Community 2. What is the total expense for public education, is the money derived from a special tax or from the general public funds, is the county or state assisting in the expenses and for what purposes is this assistance given? 3. In what proportion are the expenditures on public schools distributed between teachers' salaries, maintenance, repairs, construction, etc.? 4. Is the system of accounting connected with the public schools department up to date and efficient? 5. Are school books furnished by the school department, and what is the system of buying and distributing books in use? 6. Is a truant department maintained, and what is its organization, relation to the school department, method of work and legal backing, number of truant officers, salaries, etc.? SCHOOL SERVICE AND COMMUNITY NEEDS 1. What is the total capacity of the different grades in the public schools, what is the number of children in each grade, are children in the higher grades or higher schools ever rejected because of lack of room? 2. What is the average number of pupils per teacher in each grade, and are cases of overcrowded classes common? 3. Are schools for feeble minded, backward, defective and crippled children maintained, are they sufficiently large to meet the needs of the community? How are children com- mitted to these schools? 4. What schools for industrial or professional education are maintained, what is their character, capacity, cost of maintenance ? 5. What institutions for higher learning are found in the community which have official recognition and are intended to meet the educational needs of the community, what is their capacity, organization and cost of maintenance? 6. Are kindergartens maintained in the public schools of the poorer sections of the community, and if so what is their number and capacity? 7. Are evening schools for foreigners, ignorant of the [52] Suggestions for Social Surveys English language, maintained, what is the attendance, cost of maintenance, organization, etc.? 8. Are evening schools and public lectures for adults main- tained, what was their character, number and attendance during the last school year? 9. Is industrial education part of the school curriculum, is it compulsory or optional, what are the trades taught and how long are the courses? 10. What industrial schools are maintained by the com- munity and by private agencies for the purposes of meeting the industrial needs of the community, what is their capacity and what number of their pupils have gone into the local industries as skilled workers within the last five or ten years? 11. Is any effort being made to adjust the common school to the obvious needs of the local industries? 12. Are scholarships and apprenticeships for industrial education in schools and shops available to the pupils of the public schools, what is their purpose and character? EFFICIENCY. 1. What are the requirements for teachers' certificates in each grade? 2. What are the salary schedules for teachers and prin- cipals ? 3. What has been the training and experience of the superintendent and the principals of the various schools. 4. What was the number of repeaters last year in the various graded schools and what, in the opinion of the Superintendent of Schools and the school committee, are the main causes that produce repeaters? 5. What is the cost to the community of the repeaters in proportion to total expense upon school maintenance? 6. Are defective and backward children sent to special schools or are they retained in the regular classes? 7. Are special classes for foreign children unacquainted with the English language maintained? 8. Are school reports published regularly, and do the reports deal with the distribution of expenditures, school population, number of pupils dropped from the rolls, re- [53] Knowing One's Own Community peaters, absences and truancy, appointments and changes of teachers in various grades and needs of the department with comprehensive evidence as to such needs? 9. Are facilities and rules for reporting class room con- ditions provided and what is the system followed? In connection with the general consideration of the public school system a study of the colleges and universities in the locality may be undertaken with a view to ascertaining whether the facilities offered by these institutions may be of service to the public schools and in what manner this service can be se- cured. In some instances special courses for the purpose of assisting the teachers in service to keep in touch with the newer movements and ideas on edu- cation may be introduced into Universities and Col- leges, if the needs are properly ascertained and clearly presented. LIBRARIES An agency for public education which is coming more and more to be a guiding force in the life of the community is the public library and within re^ cent years it has fully justified its prominence as a social factor. A few questions relating to libraries may be asked with profit: 1. What is the number of libraries in the community, what is the size of their book collections, what is the number of readers, the hours of service, etc.? 2. Are the congested sections provided with proper library facilities and what are the most distant points in the com- munity from any library? [54] Suggestions for Social Surveys 3. Under what conditions are books loaned to readers? 4. Are home libraries or some other methods of depositing small collections of books in private homes, settlements, etc., provided? 5. What is the number of private book collections at the disposal of the public? 6. Are the schools provided with small deposits of books for the use of teachers and pupils, and are similar deposits available in factories and stores? 7. Are books on subjects related to special industries car- ried on in the locality reserved in the libraries for the special use of workers and students? 8. Are notices of new books and other library facilities published often in the press for the purpose of attracting readers ? 9. Are exhibits held and public lectures given in the libraries? 10. Do any of the local libraries provide facilities for se- curing information for readers not expert in the use of books and libraries and what is the nature of these facil- ities? PRIVATE EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES Aside from the public school, the College, Uni- versity and the library almost any community of- fers certain educational opportunities which are worthy of note and which can often be made more efficient and broadened in service by a more gen- eral knowledge of their existence and co-operation with other private or public agencies. The nature of some of these agencies is suggested in the follow- ing questions : 1. What is the number of social settlements in the com- munity, what is the nature of their work, how are they [55] Knowing One's Own Community maintained, are they located where they are most needed, etc.? 2. Are there historical, botanical and zoological collections, industrial and art museums or any other facilities for the exhibition of objects of educational and artistic value? 3. Are public lectures offered by any agencies and what is the character of these lectures? 4. Are the churches doing any educational work aside from their religious services and if so what is the nature and extent of work done? 5. What are the special private educational institutions maintained in the community, what is their scope, capacity and extent of work? 6. Are any of the private educational agencies assisted by the local government, county or State, and if so to what extent and for what purpose? Particular communities will probably present spe- cial facilities and problems, and, although consider- able ground can be covered by following the out- line above suggested, much valuable information will be secured in the course of the inquiry which will have a direct bearing upon the subjects herein considered but which cannot be dealt with fully here. EDUCATIONAL STATUS The educational facilities of a community and the racial and industrial make up of the popula- tion determine the educational status which should be ascertained for the purpose of comparing the efficiency of the school system, its service to the community and the educational problem presented by the foreign elements. The facts relating to the educational status are of statistical nature and can [56] Suggestions for Social Surveys easily be ascertained from the local school depart- ment and the State or Federal Census. The follow- ing are the facts to be ascertained: 1. What is the number of adult illiterate in the community, by age, sex and place of birth? 2. What is the number of foreign born persons who can- not read or speak the English language, by sex and age? 3. What is the number of pupils in the public schools who finished the grammar schools course and the number of pupils who finished the first, the second, the third and the fourth years of the high school? 4. What is the number of pupils who finish the special schools courses provided for industrial education as com- pared with the total who begin such training? The above four questions will serve as a measure of the work of the public schools and also indicate the task that is still to be performed in order to make illiteracy impossible and the privileges of the public schools of the most general service. [57] WELFARE AGENCIES In every locality there are certain agencies and organizations which through continuous and self- sacrificing efforts are endeavoring to counteract and remedy social ills, to remove conditions pro- ducing social waste and as far as possible to promote the development of the community along perma- nent, constructive lines. The number and character of the philanthropic agencies in a community should be an index of the social problem in such a community if private phi- lanthropy, the city and State are meeting their ob- ligations properly, and are determined to avoid undue social leakage. On the other hand the effi- ciency of philanthropic agencies in meeting the social problems before them is the only sure cri- terion of the type of service rendered and is the only means of insuring sufficient and efficient serv- ice without waste to the public or loss to those who are directly or indirectly affected by local problems. Social science is still in its infancy and practical sociology so far has not clearly pointed the way to- wards constructive and scientific social service; therefore, the origin of each kind of welfare agency can not always be traced to the beginning of the [58] Suggestions for Social Surveys problem, but rather to a spasmodic and sometimes temporary awakening of the public, the church or the state, to effects rather than to causes of evils. Many of the social remedies applied are makeshifts and palliatives which are intended as a temporary relief to the evils already created, rather than the prevention of the conditions which produce them. This misconception has resulted in many communi- ties in a considerable number of ill conceived and poorly organized societies and organizations which have for their aim the relief or cure of social evils without regard to the relation of these evils to the whole of the social system, and much of the work done is unscientific and wasteful. As philanthropic work through the various wel- fare agencies is the foundation upon which the remedial work of the community rests and as upon its methods and results depend not only the welfare of the poor, but the peace and happiness of the whole community, it is important to consider these agencies as minutely as possible. A classification of charitable and philanthropic agencies must of necessity be arbitrary, and hard and fast lines are as difficult to draw between the activities of such agencies as between the functions of human society. The classification which we sug- gest in this bulletin and which should be used as a guide in grouping various welfare agencies is based upon the most important functions of such agencies and in the course of a survey, only the main line [59] " Knowing One's Own Community of service should be considered. The following grouping should be used 1. Charitable relief, including all agencies, State, municipal or private, whose work consists in aiding the poor through material relief. 2. Charitable relief with religious aim, including relief agencies which are carrying on religious propaganda in connection with their work. 3. The group " homes " should include all institu- tions which provide shelter for persons of various ages who are wholly or partially dependent for their support on these institutions. This group should include homes for the defectives, for the aged and the homeless feeble minded, crippled, conva- lescents, as well as such institutions as provide shel- ter for which they receive part payment, such as the Y. M. C. A. and the various workingmen's and working girls' homes. 4. Sanitary relief and education should include the agencies which deal with health, such as various health organizations, hospitals, anti-tdbreretilosis and district nurses associations, milk stations and other agencies of similar character. 5. Educational and social centers should include settlements, playgrounds, special schools, museums and lecture service, etc. 6. Protective agencies should include such organ- izations as interest themselves in the protection of minors, young girls and animals. 7. Industrial aid includes employment agencies, [60] Suggestions for Social Surveys special means of providing temporary employment, day nurseries, etc. 8. Civic agencies should include such activities as deal with the improvement of local conditions, ac- tivities for securing legislation involving the wel- fare of the community and other militant agencies whose effort is of a social character. In some communities it is probable that other types of agencies will be found and the discretion of the committee on the survey should be resorted to in formulating a classification. It is quite cer- tain, however, that a very large majority of the agencies found will be amenable to the classification above suggested. In considering the efficiency of these various agencies, the following questions should be asked in connection with their work : 1. What are the sources of revenue? 2. Are they managed by the Board of Directors, or Trustees, or some other governing body appointed or elected? 3. Are they affiliated with some other organization outside of the locality and, if so, in what way and how closely are they connected? 4. What is the total expense of each organization and how is the expense distributed? 5. Are accounts properly kept and audited and are finan- cial reports published periodically? 6. Is the work of any agency duplicated by other agencies and, if so what is the reason for this duplication? 7. Are annual reports published stating the extent of the work, methods employed and future needs in the com- munity from the point of view of the particular agency con- sidered? [61] Knowing One's Own Community 8. Are paid workers employed and, if so, what are their salaries and what proportion of their time do they give to the agency's work? 9. V/hat is the number and character of volunteer workers used by various agencies? 10. In what way does the State or the city exercise control over the agencies which they assist financially and what are the laws concerning such control? 11. Are funds raised by paid agents and, if so, what was the compensation received by them last year? 12. What is the extent of co-operation between various agencies ? With these facts ascertained, it would be quite easy to judge of the efficiency and extent of the field covered by the agencies acting in a particular lo- cality. The study of the welfare agencies will also iacilitate the investigation of the problem of pov- erty and dependency which is treated in the next chapter. [62] POVERTY AND DEPENDENCY In the chapter on Industries and Wages we have dealt extensively with the industrial problems to be considered in a survey. Logically speaking, the present chapter should be entitled Economic Con- ditions, but the treatment of this subject from the standpoint of the community entails so many lines of inquiry and the facts are so scattered and diffi- cult to obtain that it seems advisable to consider the more limited aspects of economic conditions, namely, poverty and dependency, which are the most concrete and simplest expressions of " community economics." Poverty and dependency are the syn- thesis of the conditions which cause our social mal- adjustment, particularly industrial inefficiency and impotency. They are the fruits of our social lack of foresight and of the wastefulness of our human resources. Owing to the absence of a definite line of de- marcation between self support and poverty, and also because of the decided difference of opinion be- tween experts as to the necessary wage needed for a normal standard of living, all consideration of the subject of poverty and dependency will have to be based upon the facts relating to persons [63] Knowing One's Own Community and families aided by charitable agencies, rather than upon the number of persons and families in need of aid. The investigation dealing with actual aid given has the advantage of being based upon conditions easily ascertainable and concerning which there can be no difference of opinion, except as to degree. The subject of poverty is clearly distinct from that of dependency, the former implying financial conditions which require aid in the form of means of subsistence, while the latter is a condition of poverty which involves not only lack of means of subsistence, but such other physical, moral and edu- cational care as is generally required by persons who are physically, mentally or morally defective or feeble, and whose care, owing to their economic conditions, is entrusted to special institutions and organizations maintained for that purpose. POVERTY To discuss the cause of poverty would be to enter upon an extensive study of our whole social system, but to make a study of the poor of a community and the direct causes of their poverty is much more within the scope of a survey such as is here sug- gested. The facts concerning the number of poor families and individuals under the care of charitable agencies can be easily ascertained from the records of the local charitable societies, church relief or- ganizations and other relief agencies. [64] Suggestions for Social Surveys In the study of poverty and its causes the fol- lowing facts should be ascertained: 1. What is the number of families and individuals receiving aid in the community and in the case of the families, how many persons are affected by such aid? (Inquire into the nationality and age, sex and occupation of heads of families and individuals aided.) 2. What are the relief agencies in the community giving aid, how are they supported, what is the value of their prop- erty, what is their annual expenditure, how are their expendi- tures distributed between relief, salaries, etc., how many paid workers does each employ, what are the conditions for receiv- ing aid? 3. Can evidence be secured which would show duplication of effort and expenditures through the treatment of the same case by more than one agency? 4. Does the local government maintain a poor department and, if so, what is its total annual expenditure? What are the requirements for aid, what is the number of individuals and families aided during the last fiscal year and what was the character of the aid given? 5. Is there any state control of charitable agencies" and how is this control exercised? 6. What is the total expenditure on relief per year by all known agencies active in the community? 7. What relief agencies publish annual reports and clo these reports deal with the causes of poverty, the necessary improvements in social conditions needed for the prevention of poverty, etc.? 8. How are the facts concerning the necessity and kind of aid needed ascertained by the various relief agencies? 9. Do charitable relief agencies co-operate with each other and, if so, to what extent is co-operation practiced? With the facts relating to the above questions at hand and the experience gained in securing the information, the value of the records upon which [65] Knowing One's Own Community they are based will be more accurately estimated. A classification of causes of poverty may be pre- pared along the following lines : 1. Cases of poverty due to the death of the chief wage earners. 2. Illness or old age of the chief wage earner. 3. Lack of employment of chief wage earners or other members of family contributing largely to- wards family support. 4. Irregularity of employment, strikes, lockouts, etc. 5. Insufficiency of earnings for family needs. 6. Low wages. 7. Absence of head of family through desertion or imprisonment. 8. Drunkenness or other vices of chief wage earner or housekeeper. 9. Poor management due to ignorance. The results obtained will differ in different com- munities and in order to add value to the classifi- cation of cases, additional information concerning the nationality, place of birth, age and occupation of the beneficiaries of charitable agencies should be added to the general classification of the causes of poverty. This additional classification will add considerable weight to the mass of evidence collected and may assist in determining the policy of chari- table societies in such cases as the necessity for piecing out of wages where the chief wage earner is able bodied and capable of doing a good day's [66] Suggestions for Social Surveys work, but is underpaid ; or in a case where the chief wage earner is in prison working for the State and the family is without support. Throughout the investigations of poverty it must constantly be borne in mind that the work is of little value without a consideration of the industrial conditions which have been outlined elsewhere. DEPENDENCY As was stated at the beginning of this chapter, dependency means a condition of poverty which, aside from the lack of means of subsistence, is caused by physical, mental or moral defects or de- ficiencies such as require special care on the part of some organization or agency to which the care of such persons is entrusted. The facts concerning such persons can be easily ascertained from the records of local and state institutions entrusted with their care. The facts concerning dependency may be ascer- tained through the following inquiry : 1. What institutions, private and public, care for the insane, crippled, aged, abandoned or orphan children? What are the conditions for admission to each institution, what is the cost of maintenance, under whose auspices are they con- ducted, how are funds obtained? 2. What is the total number of inmates in each institution and if a State or county institution, what is the number of local inmates? 3. What efforts are being made in each institution to make the inmates self supporting? [67] Knowing One's Own Community 4. How many have been discharged within the last five years from each institution who have become self supporting? 5. How are discharged dependents followed up after their discharge? 6. Are dependents placed in private families and, if so, how are the families chosen and what control does the placing agency have over the families with whom dependents are placed? 7. Does the state exercise control over institutions for dependents and in what manner is the control exercised? 8. Is there a child placing agency in the community and, if so, what is the scope of its work? The main facts concerning the number of de- pendents and the institutions caring for them may be ascertained through the office of the State Chari- ties Department or through the United States Cen- sus Office which keeps a record and publishes facts concerning such institutions. Details concerning the inmates should be secured from the institutions themselves. Poverty and Dependency are products of social maladjustment and their consideration is only sec^ ondary in a general study of social conditions* The industrial problems, the efficiency of the edu- cational system, the proper health and housing con- trol, the amusement facilities and their character and the many aspects of social life are the deter- mining factors in the production of poverty and to them the main attention of a survey should be given. The existence of poverty and misery should be considered only an index of the intensity and extent of social maladjustment. [68] CRIME Within the last two decades a broad and scientific point of view concerning the causes and prevention of crime has affected both the law and public opin- ion. Anti-social acts are not looked upon in the light of injury done to the community or to in- dividuals, but from the point of view of the causes such as heredity, environment, ignorance and other conditions that conspire to produce crime. Peda- gogy and mental science, economic efficiency and hereditary tendencies are called into co-operation in determining, not punishment, but a method of treat- ment of the criminal that would make of him a use- ful member of society and as far as possible remove the causes for future anti-social acts. In other words, crime has become a matter of social responsi- bility in the same degree in which illiteracy, indus- trial accidents and poverty are matters of social responsibility. The line of distinction between the degenerate, the socially inefficient and the criminal is not found in the character of one's action, but in the treat- ment necessitated to meet the needs of such indi- viduals, in order to protect society against them [69] Knowing One's Own Community and remove the obstacles in the way of their useful service to society and to themselves. Criminal law and the machinery provided for its enforcement is turning its face from punishment and revenge to prevention and reform. Legal pro- visions with hard and fast lines are becoming hu- manized and their application is becoming a prob- lem of expert knowledge of human nature, and social conditions rather than a matter of learning in the laws. With these tendencies apparent in many of the modern methods of dealing with crime it is important to consider the amount of criminal- ity existing in a particular community from this constructive, economical and human point of view, with more regard to the application than the con- tents of the law. JUVENILE DELINQUENCY ENVIRONMENT Juvenile delinquents are offenders under eighteen years of age and modern practice has evolved a new and distinct system of dealing with this type of delinquent. As a large share of juvenile de- linquency is the result of immediate environmental conditions and as the offences are usually of a minor character it is advisable to deal with condi- tions surrounding children, which have been shown by experience to be influential in producing juvenile crime. [70] Suggestions for Social Surveys The conditions to be considered are generally as follows : 1. Are children employed in street trades, what is the character of the trades, what is the number of children so employed, their ages, sex and parentage? 2. What legal restrictions are placed upon children em- ployed in trades and how are these legal restrictions en- forced ? 3. Are children under fifteen years of age permitted to work in shops and factories with adults of the opposite sex and if so what supervision is used in such places? 4. Is the sale of liquor and cigarettes to minors under police control and how are the regulations enforced? 5. Are children permitted to work at night in factories and street trades and if so what are the hours and conditions of labor? 6. Is obscene literature circulated in the city and sold to minors and if so how and where is the literature obtained, does the police attempt to control such sales, etc.? 7. At what age are minors permitted to enter theaters and other amusement places without guardians? 8. Is sex hygiene taught in the public schools and what is the system in use? 9. What are the public and private agencies providing free amusements for juveniles and are they so distributed throughout the community as to be accessible to all children in need of such amusements? 10. Are the services of a child protecting agency available in the community and if so what is the legal status, the method of work and field of activity of such agency? Although throughout the above list of questions only problems of environment are considered, the problems of heredity and the physical condition of juveniles should constantly be kept in mind in deal- ing with individual cases, both before and after of- fence has been committed. [71] Knowing One's Own Community JUVENILE DELINQUENCY AND COURT PROCE- DURE The offences committed by juvenile delinquents, the number of offenders in institutions, number of repeaters and much of the crime committed in adult life depend upon the methods employed in dealing with young offenders. It is for this reason that considerable attention should be given to the prob- lems of preventing juvenile crime and redeeming through proper care those who, owing to various causes, have come under the care of the courts. Some of the questions to be considered in this connection are as follows : 1. Number of juvenile delinquents handled in the com- munity during the year classified by sex, age, parentage, offence committed and disposition of the case by the court. 2. Are juvenile cases treated by the court in special ses- sions or together with other cases? 3. Is a particular judge appointed or selected to deal with juvenile cases or not? 4. Is the probation system in use and, if so, who is in charge of the probation work, how many probationers has he in charge and how many paid and volunteer assistants are available and do the paid probation officers give all their time to the work? 5. What is the proportion of probationers for the year preceding the survey who have not been rearrested for new offences and what were the offences for which they were placed on probation? 6. Do the courts work in co-operation with any private agencies in the care of the children brought before them and if so what is the legal status and work of such agencies? 7. Is privacy a feature in the juvenile court proceedings? 8. Is parental responsibility for crimes of juveniles pro- [72] Suggestions for Social Surveys vided for by law and if not does the court take account of parental neglect in treating cases? 9. What institutions are provided for the confinement of juvenile delinquents; what is the number of local inmates in such institutions, what are their offences and penalties? 10. Is the system of indetermined sentence and parole in use in juvenile courts and institutions and what proportion of juveniles so treated have been returned to institutions? 11. What trades are taught in the juvenile institutions and are they related to industries carried on in the community? 12. Do the institutions for delinquents whenever practical place their discharged inmates in paying positions and what have been the results obtained and the difficulties encoun- tered in this work? (Information from Superintendent of Institution and Board of Charities.) 13. Are truants cared for in institutions for delinquents or in some separate truant or parental school? 14. Are juveniles detained by the court before sentence is pronounced held in penal institutions, or in some private or public detention home? ADULT CRIME Unlike the conditions prevailing in the case of the juvenile offenders, adult crime is extremely dif- ficult to trace to its causes and for this reason the study of causes of adult crime will not be consid- ered. It must be borne in mind, however, that not all offences treated by the courts are crimes al- though they may be punishable by law. For the purposes of such a survey as is here suggested only offences against the person and against property should be considered, while petty offences against city ordinances, drunkenness, etc., should as far as possible be disregarded. [73] Knowing One's Own Community The facts concerning crime and its treatment may be ascertained in a general way by inquiring into the following: 1. What is the total number of persons in various prisons and jails committed in the locality, what are their offences, ages, sex, parentage in proportion to the population of the locality and what are the terms they are serving? 2. How many persons are confined because of failure to pay fines imposed upon them by the court and at what rate are fines paid up through confinement? 3. Are probation, indetermined sentence and the parole systems in use in the courts and prisons and if so under what conditions are they applied? 4. What officials are in charge of the probation work, what amount of time are they required to give to their duties, how many probationers are being cared for by each probation officer? 5. Do prisoners, such as drunkards and prostitutes, re- ceive the special medical care they need while in confinement? 6. Are professional bondsmen permitted to operate in the courts and what are their methods? 7. Are the prisoners in the various institutions taught a trade and if so is it suited to the needs in the community, and the prisoner? 8. Is contract labor carried on in the prisons and if so what is the character of the goods manufactured, what is the pay derived from the labor of each prisoner, what does the community pay for the support of the institution and how much is derived from the contractor, is the industry a profitable one for a worker in the free market? 9. Do the prisoners share in the profits derived from the contracts and to what extent, if not what amount of money do they receive at the time of their discharge? 10. Do dependent families of prisoners receive any aid from the state during the prisoner's confinement? 11. What is the total annual expense for the maintenance of police, courts, prisons, as well as the total annual loss of property through crime? [74] Suggestions for Social Surveys These are practical questions which can be easily answered. Problems, such as feeding of inmates, the sanitary conditions of the prison, the isolation of contagious diseases such as tuberculosis education of prisoners, etc., may also be considered. A thorough inspection of the prison and an exam- ination of the daily routine will be found profitable in ascertaining the merits and demerits of a prison system. This ends the task of the survey, and as poverty and crime are the greatest elements of human and social waste, it is most fitting that the work of study- ing the community should end here and the facts be squarely faced. [75] CONCLUSION In the foregoing pages little has been suggested that cannot easily and accurately be ascertained if sufficient time and active workers are available. The aim throughout has been not to burden the work with technical problems, but rather to aid in the formation of a clear general conception of existing social conditions and their causes, while indirectly suggestions have been made here and there as to possible improvements based upon the facts collected. If the survey succeeds in doing nothing beyond creating a community conscious- ness, based upon facts gathered by a reliable body of representative citizens, it will have laid the foun- dation for future public action which is bound to bear the fruits of this knowledge of conditions. It is important, however, that the work of the surveying committee should not end with the knowl- edge of facts, but that a definite constructive pro- gram of public action be formulated which should include every phase of community life studied and affect every important aspect of the social, politi- cal and industrial life of the people. [76] APPENDIX SOURCES OF INFORMATION A large share of the labor connected with the gathering and organizing of the material of a social survey depends upon the ability of the workers to find the most reliable, the most comprehensive and the most accessible sources of information. The main types of information aside from the direct individual investigation of specific conditions, may be divided into five groups as follows: Sta- tistical Data, Legal Provisions, Application of the Law by enforcing bodies, Finances and Specific Methods employed in other communities in making surveys. A. Statistical Data. Statistical data may be se- cured from official and unofficial sources. The main official sources are as follows: a. State and Federal Census, taken every ten years and alternating each other by five years. Many States take a census. b. For records concerning births, marriages, deaths, etc., the reports of the Health Department should furnish information. The Bureau of the Census also publishes the figures concerning the deaths and causes of deaths in the United States [77] Knowing One's Own Community at least for the States in which the registration of deaths is required. These figures are valuable for purposes of comparing local conditions with condi- tions elsewhere. c. The court records, the records and reports of prisons, the reports of the State Board of Charities, and the reports of special commissions dealing with crime are the best sources for statistics on crime. The Federal Census publishes the statistics on crime every ten years and they are particularly valuable for purposes of comparison. The last report cov- ers the conditions for the year 1904. d. For industrial statistics use the Federal Cen- sus, the report of the Factory Inspector, the Com- missioner of Labor, the State Census and reports of various bodies dealing officially with industrial conditions such as employment bureaus, boards of trade, etc. e. Statistics on education may be found in the Federal Census, School Censuses, reports on School Attendance, Illiteracy, etc., and also in the local school reports, the reports of the United States Commissioner of Education, the State Commis- sioner of Education, and the publications of special commission on education or subjects having a rela- tionship to education. Aside from the official reports considerable valu- able information can often be obtained by letter. Officials are generally very glad to give information concerning their department and are eager to re- [78] Suggestions for Social Surveys spond to public interest in their work. If the let- ters are clear and the questions to the point, few officials would refuse to answer them promptly and accurately. The Federal and State reports may be obtained either directly through the departments or through the local representative who can see personally that the documents are sent to the proper destination. Before other steps are taken in most matters re- lating to the securing of statistics it is well to con- sult the State and Federal Censuses. A. Unofficial statistics on social problems may be derived from the following sources: a. Reports and records of philanthropic agen- cies. b. Pay-rolls and reports of various industrial establishments. c. Reports of private commissions and other pri- vate investigating agencies. d. Reports of Banks and Insurance Companies. e. Reports of Business Agencies. B. Legal information based upon Federal, State and local legislation may be obtained by consulting the following: a. The Statutes of the Federal Government. b. General Laws of the State. c. Special State Laws relating to the locality or to all localities of the same class. d. City Charter. e. City Council Ordinances, Board of Aldermen [79] Knowing One's Own Community and Health Board and Police Department Rules and Regulations. f. Regulations formulated by various depart- ments in accordance with powers vested in these departments by law. In case persons with legal training are not, avail- able for this work, it is advisable to communicate with the Secretary of State, City Solicitor, City or Town Clerk, Heads of Departments for the pur- pose of obtaining the exact wording of the laws, and if the laws have been secured by the committee it is advisable to submit them to the above officials for purposes of verification. In many States the State Library has a Legislative Reference Bureau which can furnish accurate information on legis- lative and administrative matters concerning the State or the municipalities of the State. c. The methods of organization and administra- tion of various public departments, although pro- vided for by law, are often complicated and the law so interpreted as to make an understanding of the functions and methods of the departments difficult to understand. It is well, therefore, to consult heads of departments, commissioners, executive sec- retaries of various boards and other officials as to the actual workings of the departments. The an- nual reports of such department should always be secured and examined for the purpose of formu- lating definite questions to be asked before consult- ing the officials. [80] Suggestions for Social Surveys D. Cost of maintenance and the use of funds is so important a factor in a survey that the examina- tion of receipts and expenditures should be made whenever possible, by a person familiar with the handling of accounts. For the expenditures of the State, county and city, the budgets which are al- most always published should be studied with a view to discovering whether the records are kept up to date, in a scientific and accurate manner, whether funds provided for one type of work are used for other and unauthorized purposes, whether proper evidence of legitimacy of the various expenditures is required, etc. In all this work the reports of the department and examination of the accounts kept in the office should form an integral part of a cost survey. In the case of private agencies most of the in- formation desired in connection with the best organ- ized work, will be found in the annual reports. The methods applied to the public offices should be ap- plied to the private agencies whenever possible. E. General information not to be found in re- ports or from consultation with officers and work- ers will in all probability have to be derived from investigations of actual conditions. Before under- taking such investigations, it is most desirable that all the public officials, social workers and officers connected with the various agencies in the com- munity, and the persons, who, through their occu- pation or interest have had occasion to come into [81] Knowing One's Own Community contact with the conditions to be examined, should be consulted. Such consultation will reduce the work by securing the interest of a large circle of informed persons who may also point out ways and means of getting at the facts without difficulty or delay. [82] SOCIAL SERVICE BULLETIN (For the first eleven titles in this series see inside front cover oj this Bulletin.) No. 12. The Democracy of the Kingdom. By Rl. Rev. Charles D. WUliams, D.D. The church must stand for men simply as men. No. 13. Bad Housing and What it Means to the Community. By Albion Fellows Bacon, The effect of slum life on physical and moral health. No. 14. City Building in Germany. By Frederic C. Howe. Art, foresight, and common-sense in city development. No. 15. Religious Work and Opportunity in Country Towns. The Report of a Committee of Investigation. No. 16. Comprehensive Planning for Small Towns and Villages. By John Nolen. How to prevent mistakes in the growth of towns. No. 17. The Inter-relation of Social Move- ments. By Mary E. Richmond. Shows how different social movements are connected. No. 18. Vocational Guidance. By Meyer Bloomfield. An effort to fit youth for their life work. No. 19. The Improvement of the Rural School. By Harlan Updegratf. The benefit to country life of the socialized school. No. 20. Knowing One's Own Community. By Carol Aronovici. Suggestions for social surveys of small cities and towns. No. 21. Social Service for Young People in the Church School. By Clara Bancroft Beatley. The social interest of young people developed by service. No. 22. The Church at Work. By Elmer S. Forbes. Discusses parish organization for social work. No. 23. Social and Civic Centers. By Edward J. Ward. Concerned with the larger use of public school buildings No. 24. A Rural Experiment. By Ernest Bradley. A study of the recreation of a country community. (For the remaining i -i see outside back cover oj this Bulletin.) Order by number only, not by title. AMERICAN UNITARIAN ASSOCIATION 25 Beacon Street, Boston. THIS BOOK IS DUE ON THE LAST DATE STAMPED BELOW AN INITIAL FINE OF 25 CENTS WILL BE ASSESSED FOR FAILURE TO RETURN THIS BOOK ON THE DATE DUE. THE PENALTY WILL INCREASE TO SO CENTS ON THE FOURTH DAY AND TO $1.OO ON THE SEVENTH DAY OVERDUE. NOV 26 1937