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 The report of a Pathflndcit 
 
 $unvev of living conditions which 
 point the need of a more intensive 
 local survey— made for The Ccn- 
 tutty Club of Scftanton 
 
 By the ^ 
 
 Dcpaptment of Sunveys and Exhibits 
 Russell $aac Foundation 
 
 Published by 
 
 Tbc Ccntutty Club of Scnanton 
 
 SCRANTON, PA, 
 19 13. 
 
GIFT OF 
 
 73 <J ^^ /c7 1>^7 r-yz? T^nr^ 
 

 LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. 
 
 Department of Surveys and Exhibits, 
 Russell Sage Foundation, 
 New York City. 
 
 Mrs. Ronald P. Gleason, President, 
 The Century Club of Scranton, 
 Scranton, Pennsylvania. 
 
 My dear Mrs. Gleason : 
 
 Early last autumn Miss Gertrude Lovell, Chair- 
 man of the City Improvement Department of the Century 
 Club of Scranton, called at our office for information on 
 city surveys. The method and subjects of inquiry in sev- 
 eral other surveys suggested a plan of procedure, and Miss 
 Lovell returned to interest representative citizens. The 
 proposed survey was discussed by this committee ; and the 
 committee was enlarged to include citizens who were not 
 members of the Club. On January 20th a preliminary 
 diagnosis or pathfinder survey — in other words, a brief 
 examination of general social conditions and the outlining 
 
 of the main lines of investigation to be followed — was 
 urged by a member of our staff as the next step t6 be 
 taken. This committee, we understand, made a report to 
 the Century Club endorsing the proposed pathfinder sur- 
 vey and asking the Club to make the necessary arrange- 
 ments to secure it. On February 1st your invitation, ex- 
 tended on behalf of the directors of the Century Club, was 
 received. 
 
 402927 
 
 rT> 
 
Mr. Zenas L. Potter nnd Mr. Franz Schneider, 
 Jr.. members of the >;taff of this Department, and I. spent 
 the week of Ahnvh 4th to lOth investigating eonchtinns in 
 Scranlon and pre})aring onr ])r('Hininary report. Ahitters 
 of ]>nl>He health and sanitation were related to so many 
 other |irol)l('ms that Mr. Schneider spent the major ]>art 
 of his lime studying the ])u])lic hcahh situation, wliile 
 Mr. Potter investigated the schools, betterment ageneies, 
 reereation, general work conditions and delinquency. 
 
 In addition to gathering sutheient local facts to show 
 the need of a further more intensive survev, it is believed 
 that enougli data was collected to warrant the few tentative 
 reeunnnendations included herein. 
 
 I take pleasure in submitting the report herewith. 
 
 Sincerely, 
 
 (Signed) Shelby M. Harrison, 
 March 10, PJ13. ^ Director. 
 
 A PATHFINDER SURVEY OFSCRANTON, 
 PENNSYLVANIA. 
 
 It would seem to be a necessary corollary to the theory 
 of democracy that a majority at least of the citizens in a 
 given community should know conditions that bear upon 
 or show their own community needs. Some of these con- 
 ditions and factors, however, are so complex, perhaps due 
 in some measure to the great changes that have taken place 
 in the last few decades, that special study — of a kind that 
 the average citizen has neither the time nor facilities for — 
 is rendered necessary. One of a number of interesting so- 
 cial inventions which have been fashioned in recent years 
 to meet this need is the social survey. In order to indicate 
 some of the conditions in Scranton calling for further 
 scrutiny and analysis — for a social survey — a quick exami- 
 nation of the city was made along the following lines: 
 
I Communitv assets, 
 
 II Education, 
 
 III Puhlic Health and Sanitation, 
 
 IV Civic liiiprovenient, 
 
 \' Bi'ttenni'nt Agencies, 
 
 \'\ Ivccreation, 
 
 \11 Taxation and Public Finance, 
 
 ^'III AVork Conditions and Relations, 
 
 IX Delinquency. 
 
 I COMMU.MTY ASSETS. 
 
 It is the business of a social survey to discover the 
 local social credits as well as to uncover social debits. 
 Otherwise the picture of the city is one-sided. No lengthy 
 visit was necessary to learn that Scranton's credit list in- 
 cludes a large number of connnunity assets. First of all, 
 it is a cosmopolitan city including representatives of many 
 nationalities. In 1910 nearly 30 per cent of the city's 
 population (over 85.000 out of the city's 130,000 people) 
 were foreign born : and the per cent of those of foreign born 
 parentage runs much higher. Too often this is considered 
 a liability. It very often h that : but no one who is at all 
 familiar with our immigrant peoples or who has read such 
 a book, for instance, as Prof. E. G. Balch's "Our Slavic 
 Fellow-citizens"' will find difficulty in seeing new and 
 valuable contributions that are being made to the future 
 American type of citizen by these newcomers. 
 
 The activities of the Century Club demonstrate it to 
 be a constructive force in the community, not only through 
 the opportunity it gives for united, and hence co-operative. 
 Avork by the women of the city, but also by the forceful 
 backing it has given and is giving to definite measures for 
 advance. Similarly, judging from its plan and scope of 
 work, the new City Planning Commission promises, in our 
 judgment, to be one of the soundest organizations for city 
 progress that has yet taken roots here. Scran ton has a 
 
liberal ^prinklino; of attractive public buildings, churches 
 and sdiool houses. It is almost entirely a city of de- 
 tached houses and it has done soniethino- at least in the 
 direction of ])layp;rounds and in stimulating work in home 
 gardens. The city may also claim credit for setting to 
 work in an attempt to solve its absorbing problems of sur- 
 face cave-ins, due to mining operations below. 
 
 It is neither possible nor important to discuss all these 
 assets at this time: but a few may be merely mentioned, 
 such for instance as the various hospitals, the Y. M. C. A., 
 the Y. W. C. A., the Boys' Industrial Association, the 
 Working Girls' Club of St. Luke's Parish, the District 
 iNurses' Association, various charity organizations and in- 
 stitutions both Protestant and Catholic, and so on. The 
 list to be completed requires longer acquaintance with the 
 city than Avas permitted us at this time. 
 
 It is important to get together in easy reference form 
 information that would acquaint the people of the city 
 with the special services that these institutions are equipp- 
 ed to render. In our short stay we found citizens, other- 
 wise well informed, who were not aware either of the 
 methods or purposes of some of the most important social 
 organizations in the city. 
 
 The study here suggested would also include a setting- 
 forth of the things that the city is proud of, whether in 
 the way of past accomplishments, current work for the 
 connnon welfare, or the attractiveness of the physical en- 
 vironment — in other words, the things which make Scran- 
 ton a more desirable place in which to live. 
 
 II EDUCATION. 
 
 In the past the Scranton schools have been much 
 criticized, both from Avithin and without, and apparently 
 were in the control of a political system which used them 
 to its own purposes. Recently, under a reorganized sys- 
 tem of control, they have taken a step forward; and the 
 
plans of the present board, as they have come to us, em- 
 brace further measures ft)r progress. Evidences of im- 
 provement have been noted ulono- tlie following lines: 
 
 First, whereas formei'ly the teachers were often ap- 
 jxiinlcd and held their places through politicid favor, 
 they are now securing their places by competitive exam- 
 ination. 
 
 Second, whereas the enforcement of attendance laws 
 formerly was controlled largely by political pressure, the 
 system is now largely free from it. Incidentally, from 
 what evidence we have been able to gather, we believe the 
 enforcement of the attendance laws might be further im- 
 proved. Among other things greater co-operation should 
 be secured of the jjarochial schools. Only 98 absentees 
 were reported by those institutions last year, a figure which 
 seems almost obviously inaccurate. 
 
 Third, a system of medical inspection in the schools 
 has been inaugurated; and it has been rendered especially 
 valuable through follow-up work of the school nurses by 
 which they have endeavored to secure treatment for de- 
 fective children. 
 
 Fourth, special attention is being paid to night 
 schools. The registration is at present 1,300, wdth an aver- 
 age attendance of 900. ,In a city with so great a foreign 
 population work of this character is important and should 
 be extended as rapidly as the demand for it is evident. 
 Moreover, the fact that classes aimed especially to fit for- 
 eigners for citizenship have been found to be useful and 
 well attended in some other cities may have a suggestion 
 for Scranton. 
 
 Fifth, in providing the Technical High ScIkjoI, grati- 
 fying emphasis is placed on the need for instruction in 
 the practical arts. The scope of this, or other work tend- 
 ing to make children industrially intelligent, needs, how- 
 ever, to be extended into the grades ; for most of the boys 
 who become mechanics and gp into the trades never reach 
 the high school. One of the greatest services of industrial 
 
trainin.a; Is in sho\vin.<>; ciiildicn and their })arcnts the 
 prac'lic-al u>c's of education, and thereby inducing as long 
 a stay in sciiool as possible. It is desirable therefore to 
 give to till' mass of children who are to become workers 
 some coiicei)tion of education as apjdied to life, before 
 they leave school. An excellent illustration of the use of 
 technical training in keei)ing cliildivn in school is found 
 in the Technical High School. When it was established 
 in 1!)0G there were 1,2<S1) childirn in the high .schools of 
 the city. Now there are 1,807, an increase of 518 pupils. 
 All ,but 22 of the.«e have come through increases in the 
 attendance at the Technical High School. During this 
 time the per cent of the total school enrollment formed by 
 high school i)upils has increased from (3.7 to 8.8, indicat- 
 ing that the effect of the establishment of this school has 
 been decidedly to increase the number of children who 
 have continued into high school from the grammar grades. 
 This would seem to be a forceful argument for extending 
 the work to the lower grades so as to interest the children 
 who now leave school in large numbers to go to work. 
 
 This much for the credit side of the school situation. 
 Turning the page, we find that in some respects Scran ton 
 schools are still behind the more advanced. 
 
 First, there are no special classes for defective or ex- 
 ceptional children. These children are now either out of 
 school rceiving no attention, or they are in the regular 
 classes hampering the work of other children and the 
 teachers. So long as they are at large they are a possible 
 danger both to themselves and to the community. The 
 children in school who are merely backward and in need 
 of special attention which they do not get find themselves 
 larger and older than their classmates. They grow restless 
 and desire to leave school. These children instead of need- 
 ing less attention and less of a chance to get an education 
 than the average child, need more, if they are not to be- 
 come incompetent and dependent on public charity. Thus, 
 whether mentally defective or otherwise backward, they 
 
need to be j^eparated and placed under teachers who can 
 give them special altciition. There are fully as great rea- 
 sons for special attention to the needs of exceptionally 
 liriulil cliildrcn also. 
 
 Second, tlici'c arc no open-aii" schools for cliildi'cii 
 suffering frt)iii oi' lliouglit (o he subject to tuberculosis. 
 True, but one lulicrctilous cliild was found in the school 
 medical ins[)ection ; but lliat is an arguiiient for more 
 thorough medical examinalion rather than against the 
 need of open-air schools. 
 
 Third, Scranton has no truant school — not even 
 classes for truants. The result is that out of 20 truants 
 brought before the courts last year 18 had to be sent to 
 reform schools. A truant is not necessarily a child with 
 criminal tendencies; and it is unfortunate that he should 
 have to be treated as if he were. Facilities for dealing 
 with these cases seem to be needeed. 
 
 Fourth, a great neglect in Scranton has been on the 
 side of physical care and education of children. The com- 
 mon drinking cup is still to be found in many schools. 
 Kot a single school in the city is provided with a gymna- 
 sium. Some schools are over-crowded. One is on a half- 
 time system. At another where operations beneath the 
 surface prevent immediate relief in the way of new build- 
 ings, clas.^es are being held in an annex that has been 
 condemned by the State Board of Health. These are con- 
 ditions known to the School Board, however, and plans for 
 their elimination are already on foot. The plans of the 
 Board will be furthered by strong backing from the com- 
 nmnity. 
 
 Fifth, unfortunately, when many of the schools were 
 built no adequate play space was secured. At least three 
 schools have no yard at all. The result is tliat in the short 
 recess allowed, and before and after school, the children are 
 forced to the streets. Where such conditions exist, play 
 yards should be secured at the earliest possible time. It 
 will not be economy to delay, for the cost will increase 
 
yearly. Where there are yards, ihey have not in any ease 
 been equipped with play apparatus and in no case has i)lay 
 on them been under direction out of school hours or dur- 
 ing the summer vacation. Fortunately the School Board 
 rcc(jjL>nizes the need here and jilans to equip lour of these 
 school yards this year and emj)loy playground directors. 
 It is to be hoped that this is only a heiiinning toward 
 general use of what yards there are. 
 
 All over the country school authorities and citizens 
 are beginning to realize that they have made uneconomical 
 use of their school properties in having them open only 
 a few hours five days in the week. Schools are being- 
 opened up afternoons and evenings for clubs, study classes, 
 mothers' organizations, lectures, public meetings and rec- 
 reation purposes; and the school is taking the place it 
 should as a common meeting ground for all the people. 
 In many cities it has resulted in a new spirit of civic pride 
 and new interest in community affairs on the part of many. 
 Several million dollars are invested by the people of Scran- 
 ton in school buildings and equipment. Why should this 
 money return only 50 per cent on the investment because 
 used only 50 per cent of the time, when it might return 
 100 per cent? Why should boys and girls be forced to 
 find their meeting places on the street corners or at places 
 where the influences may be even more unwholesome, when 
 they might find them in the favorable environment of the 
 school? Wliy should fraternal and labor organizations be 
 forced to hire halls for their meetings when the schools 
 stand dark and empty? Why should not mothers' clubs 
 be encouraged by a free and agreeable meeting place? 
 The Scranton authorities are awake to the matter, for plans 
 have been conceived for placing libraries in four schools 
 this year and opening the buildings for evening lectures. 
 It is to be hoped that these innovations will receive such 
 universal public support as to encourage a much more 
 extensive program. 
 
 On the wdiole, the citizens of Scranton have reason to 
 
take pride in the real pro^re^s ^vhit•h has been made in 
 school matters. Jiut alono; some lines there is still pressing 
 demand for improvement. Were a social survey of Scran- 
 ton undertaken, we helieve a thorough investigation of 
 some, or all. of the following sul)jeets wnuld he profitable: 
 
 1. School finance. 
 
 2. School adnunistration. 
 8. The school plant. 
 
 4. Teaching efficiency. 
 
 5. Extent to which schools reach school population. 
 
 6. Adaptation of instruction to pupils' needs. 
 
 7. Provision for physical care of children. 
 
 8. Social uses of schools. 
 
 9. Relation between the public and the school. 
 
 III. PUBLIC HEALTH AND SANITATION. 
 
 The health of a city will l)e determined by three fact- 
 ors: fii^t, the inherent strength or hardiness of its people ; 
 second, the efforts of the individuals, by prudent conduct, 
 to keep in good physical condition ; and third, the sanitary 
 condition of the environment in which its residents live. 
 With the first of these factors — the inherent hardiness of 
 the people — the municipality can have little to do, cer- 
 tainly little of an immediate nature. The science of eu- 
 genics, to be sure, is attempting to work out principles to 
 prevent breeding of the unfit, and in other ways to improve 
 the human stock ; but this science is in its infancy and 
 results at best will be deferred. The second factor — per- 
 sonal hygiene — offers a somewhat better field for com- 
 munity effort, giving opportunities for education in the 
 care of the body and of the mind. It depends to such a 
 degree on the individual himself, however, that it is ob- 
 viously a field in which it will be extremely difficult for 
 the city to exercise any organized control. 
 
'I'lio third factor — the sanitary condition of the envi- 
 ronment — docs, however, offer laruc and well defined op- 
 jHirtunities for oroanized nnniieipal (effort, nnd it is with 
 liiis hraiieli of hygiene that we have to do in a health sur- 
 vey, 'rile aceuiuulations of knowlidiie in this field have 
 heen so iarue and rajtid in the last few decades that the 
 terms sanitation. ]nihlic hy.uiene and public health science 
 have come into counnou u^e. It should l)e noted in ])ass- 
 \\\iX that sanitation is eoncci'ned with not only the inani- 
 mate portion of our environment hut with the aniiuate 
 l)art as well. Sanitarians are realizing; more and more 
 that in ])reventing the spread of disease attention nui~t he 
 centered on the aflflieted individuals. 
 
 In making the survey of a city's public health it is f 
 convenient to keep two main objects in view. The lirst is 
 an investigation of those big general sanitary prol^lems 
 which are common to all conmiunity life — such problems 
 as the ])rocnrement of safe water and milk, the prevention 
 of overcrowding in j)oor .sections, the conservation of infant 
 life; and the restriction of the ravages of tuberculosis. The 
 second part of such a survey is concerned with an examina- 
 tion of tlie city's organized health work. The object here 
 is to determine whether the work of the Bureau of Health 
 is adequate in scope and efficient in practice. 
 
 In' this report an endeavor will be made to give a 
 brief estimate of the status of Scranton in these two re- 
 spects, and to point out those problems Avhich call for the 
 detailed study afforded by a more thorough-going survey. 
 
 \' General Problems. 
 
 a. Water Supply and Sewage Disposal. 
 
 Following the typhoid fever epidemics of 1906 and 
 1907, the Scranton Gas and Water -Company made vigor- 
 ous efforts to improve the cjuality of its water. Disinfec- 
 tion apparatus was installed on the Elmhurst supply; 
 
 10 
 
water-^hed?- were improved : and ihe water \va.< placed un- 
 der the supervision of Mr. G. R. Taylor, a competent 
 chemist and sanitarian. It would appear that the supply 
 is being continually imiirovid as oppr)rtuiiily offers, and 
 that the sanitary p;ilicy and managemeiU of the company 
 is of a progressive and connnendable order. The Provi- 
 dence supply is now liUered: and bacteriological and 
 chemical analysis by b')th the city and company labora- 
 tories indicate that the entire city is receiving a safe water. 
 The sewerage situation seems to present no funda- 
 mentally serious problems beyond the possible need for a 
 well worked out sewerage plan for the city and adjacent 
 suburbs. As the city grows, its topography will doubtless 
 allow the increasing demands for sewerage to be met by 
 the construction of new systems ; and it would appear that 
 the old ones will not be burdened beyond relief. The in- 
 adequacy of the sewers in the Court House and Pine Brook 
 districts is now being remedied by the construction of relief 
 sewers. At present probably 50 per cent of the population 
 is connected with sewers, perhaps 75 per cent of the people 
 in the built-up districts, and improvements under way 
 will add another 5 per cent to the latter figure. Too many 
 objectionable privy vaults still exist, however, and while 
 the Bureau of Health de'-erves credit for its effective work 
 in doing away with many of these and in compelling 
 connections with the sewers, this policy needs to be con- 
 tinued and prosecuted vigorously. The sewage of the 
 city enters the Lackawanna river at some 39 points and 
 is apparently rendered inobjectionable by the strong acid 
 mine waters. 
 
 b. Milk Supply. 
 
 The data on file at the Bureau of Health is hardly 
 sufficient to allow the formulation of a fair estimate of the 
 sanitary quality of the city's milk supply. Some useful 
 work has been done in the instruction of farmers and 
 
 11 
 
handlers in the principles of clean milk production, but 
 in our judjiinent the work has been too restricted in scope 
 to allow of any safe generalization. 
 
 Such results as are availaljle indicate that most of the 
 milk is of fair sanitary (piality; but in the opinion of at 
 least one well-informed citizen the general condition of 
 the sui)ply is bad. An examination of the figures record- 
 ing the temperatures of milk in July, 1912, shows that out 
 of 21 tests made of milk being delivered in wagons, not 
 one met the legal standard of oO° F; in nine cases the 
 temperature recorded was 55° F, while in the other 12 
 the milk was at 6d° F or higher. In the face of these facts 
 and of the very real hygienic importance of clean milk, 
 it would appear to be but the part of wisdom to institute 
 a thorough-going examination of the entire supply. 
 
 c. Refuse Disposal and Street Cleaning. 
 
 The brief nature of this investigation has precluded 
 the formation of any judgment as to the value of the 
 city's system of refuse disposal. .V more extended survey 
 could go thoroughly into the sanitary and business eflici- 
 ency of this service, as well as into the efficiency of the 
 allied matter of street cleaning. 
 
 d. Infant Mortality. 
 
 Clearly one of the most pressing hygienic problems 
 of the day is the prevention of infant mortality. Taking 
 the country as a whole, nearly one-fifth of all deaths that 
 occur are among infants in their first year of life. Tuber- 
 culosis, the great white plague, claims only one-half as 
 many victims as the diseases which attack these infants. 
 The lieaviest mortality occurs, furthermore, in the first 
 month of life. While this problem is bound up with those 
 of housing, milk supply and excessive summer tempera- 
 ture, sanitarians are coming more and more to recognize 
 that the mortality figures mean, to a large degree, lack of 
 
 12 
 
proper c-nre and feeding, and they are agreed that here is 
 one of the most promising fu'l*!.- for preventive medicine. 
 ■It is regrettahle. therefore, that we lind in Scranton no 
 organized agency carrying (in a campaign against this 
 evil: and ihi- in face of the lad tiiat in li»ll alone 4()<) 
 Scranton infants ilicd in th<'ir lirst year of Hfe. There is 
 hardly room for doubt tliat a good proportion of these lives 
 might have been saved by properly directed effort. Pre- 
 natal care should be introduced: prompt birth reporting 
 should be required: midwives should be examined, regis- 
 tered and supervised : and nurses should \)g sent to instruct 
 mothei-s in infant feeding, and to improve the sanitary 
 condition of the home. 
 
 A disposition is discernablc in some quarters of the 
 city to refuse nursing aid at births attended by midwives. 
 It should be remembered in this connection that the mid- 
 wife is believed by many social and public health leaders 
 to. be with us to stay, and that a good mid-wife has a place 
 in our present social strvicture. Incompetent ones should, 
 of course, be eliminated and the others should be held 
 strictly to a high standard: but it seems unwise to try to 
 eliminate them by refusing to aid the patient. The im- 
 portant thing is to conserve the lives involved. In passing, 
 it may be mentioned that Scranton infants under two years 
 of age suffer undulv from diarrhoea and enteritis — diseases 
 especially associated with improper care and feeding; and 
 that the death rate from puerperal causes also seems higher 
 than should be expected, another indication of the need for 
 a division of infant hygiene. 
 
 e. Medical Inspection of Schools. 
 
 Turning now to another of the more -important health 
 problems, we find Scranton much more happily situated. 
 A beginning has been made on medical inspection of 
 schools, and already encouraging results are reported. The 
 present plan provides for an inspection of all school chil- 
 is 
 
dren, the wmk hciiig done by 20 medical in.-poctor,< undLT 
 the siiinTx i.-idii of a chief inspector, who is Dr. W. E. 
 Keller, Superintendent of Health. Ninres are hired from 
 the District Niir^^inu- Association to follow up cases in the 
 home and to see that the (loct<ir"s directions are carri('(l 
 out. This most useful line of activity, inilialcc] hy the 
 Board of SclKKtl Dii-cctors and vi.L;(ii'(aisly directed hy Dr. 
 Keller, sliould he encoui'aucd and extended. 
 
 /. Hoiifiing. 
 
 The large question of housing can l>e hut touched on 
 in a rapid survey of this kind. The most cur.sory investi- 
 gation, however, discloses a very large nundjer of alley 
 dwellings, dark rooms, overcrowded houses, and insanitary 
 yards and premises. Some of the worst offenders in these 
 respects are buildings owned and rented by the city. There 
 is ample need of a comprehensive investigation of this 
 problem. 
 
 g. Hospifal fdcilities. 
 
 The city seems to be well equipped with general hos- 
 pital facilities. The most striking deficiency is the lack of 
 a contagious disease hospital, or of contagious wards in the 
 general hospitals. As a result all cases of contagious di- 
 seases must be isolated in the home — a procedure which, 
 especially in poor and crowded districts, often results in 
 hardship to the family and danger to the patient and the 
 public. Moreover, as in many connnunities, the hospitals 
 have been established to meet what seemed the most i)ress- 
 ing needs of the time, but with little reference to possible 
 overlapping or gaps in the service. It is, therefore, im- 
 portant to go over the whole field and ascertain the need 
 for both general and special hospital service, such for in- 
 stance as hospitals for maternity cases, for children, for 
 ear and eye troubles, and for others. 
 
 14 
 
A rapid huiuiry into tlu' activities of the District 
 Nurses' Association indicattv that it is doiiit; a vahiahle 
 work, one deservin<> Hl)eral sui)i)()rt and encouragement. 
 I'iXcellrnt opportuiiilics arc (iircrc<I here for cD-dpci'atidU 
 with the I5urcan of 1 Icahli. 
 
 /(. Tab' rcn/d.^is. 
 
 AUhough the niortahly figures for Scranton indicate 
 rather less than the average amount of tuherculosis, Dr. 
 Reifsnyder, Director of the local Dispensary for Tubercu- 
 losis of the State Board of Health, believes the disease is 
 much more prevalent than the figures indicate; and that 
 the city represents in this respect an average bad condi- 
 tion. The State dispensary has two nurses who visit cases 
 in the home, and is adequately financed; Dr. Reifsnyder 
 states that his difficulty is to get people to come for treat- 
 ment. Here again are splendid opportunities for co-oper- 
 ation between social workers, visiting nurses, the local 
 Bureau of Health, and the Tuberculosis Dispensary; and 
 as this is one of the more fruitful branches of sanitary 
 endeavor, the importance of careful study of the situation 
 should need only to be indicated. 
 
 ?. Acciflenfs. 
 
 Before leaving the big general problems, accidents 
 should claim at least a moment's notice. In 1910, accord- 
 ing to the Mortality Statistics of the Census Office, there 
 occured in Scranton from violent causes, other than sui- 
 cide, 218 deaths. While not as bad a record as those of 
 some other Pennsylvania cities, this gives Scranton a death 
 rate from this cause of 167.1 per 100,000 population, a 
 tigure considerably higher than Pittsburgh's (134.3) and 
 nearly double that in the country at large (90.3). A 
 large proportion of these deaths are due of course to mine 
 accidents, and some are doubtless unavoidable ; the prob- 
 lem, morever, is being worked on by the Federal authori- 
 
 15 
 
ties. A ratlu-r surprising number of the deaths are due, 
 however, to raih-oad and otlier avoidable accidents. I^urns 
 (conliagrations excepted) alone were responsible in 1911 
 for 23 deaths, Scranton's death rate from burns being 
 over twice that of the country at large. A brief scanning 
 of a number of death certificates selected at random indi- 
 cated that these deaths from burns are largely among 
 young children, and result from ]>laying with matches and 
 from scalding. It might be very well worth while to 
 study this matter thoroughly. It is also suggestive that 
 in going no further than the first two months of 1912 it 
 appeared that two persons were killed at grade crossings. 
 
 2. The Work of the Bureau of Health. 
 
 a. Appropriation. 
 
 Turning now to the- question of the efficiency of 
 Scranton's Bureau of Health work, due notice must be 
 given to the absurdly small amount of money appropria- 
 ted. The city appropriates-for the Bureau's work, roughly 
 1 per cent of its total expenditures — about $12,500 a year. 
 For each man, woman and child in Scranton this means 
 nine cents a year for health. .If we are liberal in our cal- 
 culation and include the money spent by the Board of 
 School Directors for medical inspection, the total sum will 
 be around $20,000, and the per capita figure about 15 
 cents. When these figures are compared with the average 
 of about 35 cents for American cities and the iNew York 
 City Department's expenditure of 60 cents, we see that 
 Scranton is here indeed a laggard. 
 
 The result of this small expenditure is exactly what 
 might be expected. The Bureau of Health is under- 
 manned and overworked; and there are certain most im- 
 portant fields of activity, such as infant hygiene, which it 
 has not entered at all. As the different branches of the 
 Bureau's work are discussed, it will appear just how much 
 
 16 
 
it IS hampered by siieli a sliort-siglited policy. 'To enable 
 the Bureau (<> i)ert'()nn its full service to the community, 
 and to brin^ it abreast the progressive cities of the country, 
 will i)robably require the doubling or trebling of its present 
 ai)propriation. 
 
 .In |)assing it may be remarked that the Bureau's form 
 of organization as a part of tlie Department of Public 
 Safety represents a system in which grave defects are in- 
 herent. As a general proposition, the Superintendent of 
 Health should occupy an independent position, as he is 
 the specialist in public health work, and his administration 
 should not be endangered by the possibility of interference 
 or veto by a Director of Public Safety who is neither a 
 jjhysician nor sanitarian. The present form of organiza- 
 tion was tried and rejected in Pittsburgh. 
 
 b. Vital Statistics. 
 
 The work of the Bureau of Vital Statistics should be 
 commended in that there has been a disposition to bind 
 and keep records carefully and to tabulate past records 
 where possible. Birth reporting, which is very important 
 in studying infant mortality, has been very poor; and the 
 Bureau should co-operate with the State Board of Health 
 in its efforts to improve the situation. 
 
 c. Communicable Diseases. 
 
 The first requisite for proper control of communica- 
 ble diseases and the prevention of death from these causes 
 is prompt and complete reporting to the Bureau of Health 
 by doctors of all cases visited. It is unfortunate, there- 
 fore, that in Scranton reporting seems to be poor. Typhoid 
 fever, scarlet fever, and diphtheria are now fairly well re- 
 ported, but measles, mumps, whooping cough, chicken pox 
 (important because of its confusion iu some cases with 
 smallpox), and tuberculosis are very poorly reported in- 
 deed. For example, no cases of whooping cough, a disease 
 
 17 
 
I»r;K'ti(-'ally as (lan<2;en)us as scarlet fever and measles, were 
 reported at all in 1011, althongh five deaths from it were 
 reported dnring the same year. Adequate reporting of 
 coiiiiiiuiiicalile diseases is of vilal iinporlanco and calls for 
 active and close c()-()j»crati(iii Ix'lwccn llic doclors and llu; 
 lUn'cau (if Ilcallli — which does not now exist. 
 
 Isolation of the ])alicn( in Scranton must be alwaj^ 
 in the home, because of the lack of contagious disease 
 hos})ital facilities. This is another serious handicap to tlie 
 public health work. The house is placarded by a sani- 
 tary officer, after which the supervision of quarantine is 
 turned over to the fumigating officer. The latter must see 
 that quarantine is maintained and must terminate the 
 ease and disinfect; as he must handle the situation alone, 
 it is not surprising to hear reports of lax quarantine. If 
 the published figures for 1911 are to be trusted, there ap- 
 parently is justification for these reports. In that year 
 547 cases were placarded and 231 visits made to houses 
 quarantined, an average of about one visit to every two 
 cases. To maintain effective quarantine, especially among 
 foreigners, frequent re-inspections are necessary; but in- 
 stead of that, there is not sufficient provision for the first 
 inspection. It is perfectly clear of course that men and 
 money are necessary to maintain efficient quarantine; and 
 that the Bureau of Healtli, no matter how faithful its 
 employees, can not provide adequate service if the city will 
 not pay the price. 
 
 (/. Food (til (I Milk Inspection. 
 
 The duties of food and milk inspection are delegated 
 in Scranton to one man. The task is relatively enormous. 
 The inspector in question deserves all credit for the amount 
 of work he has accomplished, but a mere recital of his 
 duties shows plainly the impossibility of their complete 
 performance. To this one man falls the oversight of all 
 meat, fish, vegetables, fruit, ice cream, milk and other 
 
 18 
 
foods coiisuiiied in the eiiy; ihv iii>pec'liuii of all freight 
 houses, cold storage houses, slaughter houses, restaurants, 
 markets, dining rooms, and the hke; the condemnation 
 and seizure of all illegal foods and the handling of the re- 
 sulting prosecutions; and llic inspection of all milk 
 hrouglit into the city and of its places of sale. In addi- 
 tion, there are some 1,000 head of cattle, hogs and poultry 
 slaughtered weekly in the city which receive neither State 
 nor Federal inspection, for the examination of which the 
 city in.^pector is therefor responsihle. At a conservative 
 estimate, this man is confronted with work sufficient to oc- 
 cupy five inspectors. 
 
 In view of this state of affairs it is not surprising to 
 find that the -work of milk inspection is not well adjusted. 
 In 1912 for example, out of 105 samples bacteriologically 
 examined, only one was taken during the hot months — 
 June, July and August — when milk is most likely to 
 spoil; as against 104 taken during the comparatively cooler 
 nine months. The report for 1911 also shows an unfor- 
 tunate preponderance of chemical samples, 522, to deter- 
 mine richness, as against 63 .bacteriological examinations 
 to determine sanitary quality. 
 
 The inspector of dairies and water-sheds is not so 
 badly overworked as the food inspector, but his labors could 
 be made more valuable by the use of a standard dairy 
 score card. 
 
 e. Plumbing Inspection. 
 
 Judging by the number of master plumbers in the 
 city, by the building operations, and by the report of the 
 plumbing inspector, it appears that the inspection as car- 
 ried on is not thorough, and that a very considerable part 
 of the work installed escapes any inspection whatever. 
 There is probably enough work in the city to require an- 
 other inspector; but the present effort is not, in our opin- 
 ion, as vigorous as might reasonably be expected. Reor- 
 
 19 
 
,c;nnizati()ii <>f tliis service is indicated, in which event it 
 will be well to consider the advisability of aligning the 
 work with that of the l)uilding de])artni('nt. 
 
 /, Scut ltd rij I iispccfioii. 
 
 Sanitary inspection is delegated to two sanitary of- 
 ficers. Their efforts are augmented in the spring by three 
 or four others who aid in a general spring and summer 
 clean-up. The latter is a commendable plan ; but con- 
 sidering the housing ])roblems at hand and the existence of 
 so many objectionable privy vaults, it is fair to say that 
 there is opportunity for permanent employment of several 
 more inspectors. 
 
 g. The Laboratory. 
 
 The bacteriological and chemical laboratory is under 
 the direction of Dr. J. M. Wainwright, a competent man. 
 The value of the work would be much increased by the 
 installation of a reliable room temperature incubator. 
 
 SuTYimary Regarding the Bureau of Health. 
 
 To summarize, the Bureau of Health may be com- 
 mended for: 
 
 (1) Preserving and binding old death records and 
 ado})ting the international classification of the causes of 
 death; (2) extending sewer connections; (3) its share in 
 the medical inspection of schools; (4) maintaining a la- 
 boratory; (5) printing an annual report; (6) annual 
 spring clean-up ; (7) efforts at food and milk inspection; 
 (8) doing the best it can with an entirely inadequate ap- 
 proi:)riation. 
 
 On the other hand the work of the Bureau may be 
 criticized for: 
 
 (1) Its form of organization; (2) undermanning; 
 (3) lack of educational and publicity features; (4) lack 
 
 20 
 
of |)riiited codes fur (li.<ti'ibutit)ii; (5) jioor reporting of 
 contagious diseases: (6) weak isolation of contagions di- 
 seases; (7) lack of contagious disease hospital; (S) lack 
 of work against infant mortality, including poor hirtli 
 reporting: (i:*) inadequate milk and food inspection; (10) 
 ineffective plumbing inspection; (11) inadequate sanitary 
 inspection; (12) lack of housing inspection. 
 
 It should bo borne in mind that the fundamental 
 causes of many of these criticisms is the Bureau's lack of 
 proper financial support. 
 
 3. Conclusions. 
 
 Scranton is fortunate in having an active, hardy, and 
 young population — such as is generally productive of a 
 relatively low death rate. Its existing average rate, there- 
 fore, may be due largely to its population assets, and so 
 offer no testimonial of satisfactorv sanitarv conditions. 
 Uncorrected death rates are extremely misleading and (if 
 little comparative value. On the other hand, it seems 
 fairly evident that the city suffers unduly from certain 
 causes of death, such as accidents and infant diarrhoea ; 
 that there are many manifestly insanitary conditions. — 
 as typified by the numerous objectionable privy vaults 
 and by the housing .■situation ; that the Bureau of Health 
 is handicapped by an entirely inadequate appropriation, 
 and that its value to the community can be greatly in- 
 creased. The logical improvements in these matters — 
 such as could be carefully planned as a result of a more 
 comprehensive survey, should have a very real effect upon 
 the health and comfort of the citizens. The opportunity 
 to add to Scranton's material prosperity by surrounding 
 her robust people with a thorough sanitary oiivironiiient 
 now exists, and we can only hope that it will not be ne- 
 glected. 
 
 A list of subjects for a full investigation follows: 
 (a) Survey of city for insanitary conditions — in- 
 
 21 
 
eluding studies of housing, privy vaults, well^. etc. 
 (1)) Investigation of the causes of death. 
 
 (c) A plan for the reorganization of the I>ureau 
 of Health. 
 
 (d) Outlining, in .<oiiic detail, of new work for tiie 
 Bureau of Health. 
 
 (e) Investigation of milk sui)[)ly. 
 
 (f ) Jnvestigation of efficiency of refuse disposal and 
 street cleaning. 
 
 (g) Study of hospital situation and visiting nursing, 
 (h) Investigation of questions of industrial hygiene, 
 (i) Plan of campaign for infant hygiene. 
 
 (j) Tuberculosis. 
 
 IV. CniC IMPROVEMENT. 
 
 "We have delhied this term to mean more .^pecilically 
 such improvement as will affect the physical arrangement 
 and appearance of the city. Cities yield to direction in 
 their growth in many ways, just as individuals, institu- 
 tions or Inisiness concerns do. It is therefore important 
 for the city to have a plan of development. It is gratify- 
 ing to note that ]Mr. John Nolan has already been brought 
 to the city to work out plans of this kind. Our point is 
 not that this work should in any way be duplicated but 
 that it be carried ahead to a point of fruition and that 
 further facts, if necessary, be gathered to show the im- 
 portance of adopting some plan of city growth. Such a 
 plan does not necessarily involve a large expenditure in 
 any one year ; it is merely the adoption of a program which 
 will provide for a systematic and unified city development 
 in future years. New additions to the city and new^ streets 
 will be opened up; shall they have a haphazard relation 
 to the whole or shall they fit into a settled plan? Manu- 
 facturing, retail and residential sections need to be kept 
 in mind as the city spreads; and future recreation needs 
 may not with impunit}'- be neglected. 
 
 22 
 
Scraiiton already lias a serious grade crossing i)r()h- 
 leiii on its hands. ,Tt is also cut up into sections by the 
 several streams that nm (lirdugh the main sections of the 
 city, 'i'hese streams are not only inadequately bridged 
 but notliiiig (if imi>!trtanee has yet been done to improve 
 their river fronts or to deter corporations or individuals 
 from encroaching on the river beds and thereby, among 
 other things, increasing the danger from tloods. Simi- 
 larly, the bill-board nuisance, the lack of paving in much 
 of the citv and the problems of allev dwellings, already 
 referrt>d to. will need to be tackled sooner or later. IIow 
 far these needs have been covered in Mr. Nolan's report was 
 impossible to determine, since his report has not been pid)- 
 lished and a manuscript coi)y was not available. The 
 least that could be done would be to make the most of that 
 investigation and i)lan of improvement. In so far as it 
 does not cover matters mentioned here, the study should 
 be extended. 
 
 To summarize, this inquiry would give latitude for 
 the study of some or all of the following: 
 
 (a) Grade crossings. 
 
 (b) Civic centers. 
 
 (c) Park, playground and boulevard j)lanning. 
 
 (d) Expansion of various districts — manufacturing, 
 retail, residential, etc., and the accommodation of street 
 traffic. 
 
 (e) . Street obstructions, bill-boards, etc. 
 
 (f ) River fronts, bridges, etc. 
 
 (g) Culm banks and refuse dumps, 
 (h) New additions to the city. 
 
 V BETTERMENT AGENCIES. 
 
 Conditions in the charitable field of Scran ton are 
 chaotic. A large numljer of churches and charitable agen- 
 cies give relief, but much of it is given without any co- 
 operation whatever. ]Many investigate their own cases 
 
 23 
 
more or less adequately and many keep records, but there 
 is no general reporting to any central bureau or confiden- 
 tial exchange nor ])lan of united ed'ort. The Associated 
 Charities maintains a registration bureau, but many relief 
 agencies neither report to it nor consult it. An illustra- 
 tive instance is the fact that considerable sums of money, 
 granted to families by the Public Poor Board, are not re- 
 corded at the Associated Charities. Some of the most suc- 
 cessful Associated Charities do investigating for all relief 
 agencies and maintain a central confidential exchange 
 Avhere all cases are reported and recorded. In Scranton 
 an Associated Charities exists almost in name only ; and 
 thus there is much opportunity for unorganized and du- 
 plicated efforts. 
 
 It is not our purpose to attempt to fix responsibility 
 for this condition. Probably it does not rest upon any 
 one agency. The head of one relief organization who cri- 
 ticized the Associated Charities because it "didn't a.ssoci- 
 ate'' stated to one of the investigators that his organiza- 
 tion did not consult the Assocated Charities registration 
 bureau or report cases because they themselves had "an 
 intelligent visitor" and did "their own investigating." 
 Yet the Associated Charities, in its last published report, 
 (unfortunately five years old) invited co-operation and 
 consultation of its records "from all churches and societies 
 of any kind which give relief." But wherever the fault 
 lies, it is clear that the relief work in the city needs a 
 thorough overhauling. The present system must neces- 
 sarily lead to duplication of effort, waste of funds on un- 
 worthy cases and, what is more important, the failure of 
 real constructive and co-operative work toward family re- 
 habilitation. What Scranton need is a big broad gauged 
 movement for a real Associated Charities representing no 
 single interest or set of interests but serving all people 
 and institutions as a clearing house for much of the social 
 work of the city. Institutions are of less importance than 
 self-supporting people and, if necessary, institutions or 
 
 24 
 
conflicting interests may need to be sacrificed, so that all 
 betterment agencies may do coordinated and effective 
 work for the common welfare. 
 
 Several Scrantoii churches conduct missions in differ- 
 ent parts (if the city, but tlici-c is no social settlement. A 
 boys' club is doing a very interesting work and one of 
 the churches has clubs for working girls. The opportvmi- 
 ties for other work that would be distinctly helpful to 
 the foreign population of the city would be worth careful 
 study. 
 
 Many relief agencies exist in Scranton, but few, if 
 any, save only the Playgrounds Association, devote their 
 efforts chiefly to stopping poverty, crime and miseiy at 
 their beginning places. There is no Consumers' League 
 or other organization of similar intent, working against 
 such poverty, disease and crime as have their source in 
 unsanitary shops, long hours of work, uncompensated in- 
 dustrial accidents, child labor and so on. 
 
 A study of the needs for agencies working for general 
 betterment and embodying the spirit of the modern pre- 
 ventive philanthropy would embrace some or all of these: 
 
 (a) Charitable institutions of the citv. 
 
 (.b) Public charity work. 
 
 (c) Opportunities for co-operation between agencies. 
 
 (d) Local bearing's of the pension questions. 
 
 (e) Need of work for immigrants. 
 
 (f) Opportunities for relating social work to the 
 churches and the churches to it. 
 
 VI RECREATION— USE OF LEISURE TIME. ' 
 
 iln the field of recreation one organization is actively 
 at work in the city — the Playground A.-sociation. Last 
 year seven play places were secured by this organization 
 and trained play directoi^s were placed in charge. Un- 
 fortunately, however, the Association's funds have been 
 exhausted and an appropriation by the City Council to 
 
continue work [\n< year was vetoed hy the mayor, for le-' 
 gal reasons. It is to be hoi)ed that the citizens of the city 
 will meet the need temporarily and that as soon as possible 
 tlie city will take over \\\o play-urouiids as a public enter- 
 prise. Some play-grounds in use last summer, while the 
 best obtainable by the Association, were inadequate. A 
 city of Scranton's size and poi>ulalion-distribution, it 
 would seem, sli(»uld oi)erate at least seven well equipped 
 play-grounds of good size. A study of the location of 
 children in the city, which would not only indicate the 
 need for such play-grounds but which would point out 
 the places where they are most needed, would doubtless 
 assist in enlisting public interest in this matter. 
 
 A second part of the recreation study would relate 
 to commercial recreations, the laws regulating them and 
 their general character. Visits to several moving picture 
 shows of the city showed them to be of high class; and 
 save in one instance, where the emergency exits were 
 nailed shut, the public safety seemed well guarded. We 
 are informed, however, that some of the dance halls, con- 
 trary to the legal provisions, are in direct connection with 
 saloons. 
 
 A fundamental part of an adequate recreational pro- 
 gram for any city is the social use of the schools, a matter 
 which has been discussed in the section on schools. 
 
 This investigation would give opportunity for scruti- 
 ny of some or all of the following: 
 
 (a) Laws regulating commercial amusements. 
 
 (b) Parks. 
 
 (c) Playground needs. 
 
 (d) Recreation uses of schools. 
 
 (e) Theatres. 
 
 (f) Motion picture shows. 
 
 (g) Dance halls. 
 
 (h) Amusement parks. 
 
 (i) Opportunities for adult recreation. 
 
 26 
 
VII TAXATION AND PUBLIC FINANCE. 
 
 The tendency in the last decade or two has heen for 
 the government, whether local, state or federal, to take 
 a large part in supplying service to the citizens. This i~ 
 well illustrated in the growing range of service of ihe 
 various boards uf heallh. The increase in these functions 
 has meant great increase in the size of public funds; and 
 in turn that has meant, in many cases, an increased in- 
 terest by the average citizen in governmental matters. The 
 tax paying pnblic wishes to know how nearly 100 cents 
 in service it is getting for every dollar it pays in taxes. 
 "With the increasing emphasis on this demand for infor- 
 mation and with improved facilities for reaching the ear 
 of every citizen, full pnblicity of government finances is 
 not difficult and does not seem far off. 
 
 But these are arguments for greater publicity on the 
 outgo side of public finances; and although general, they 
 have specific application to Scranton since local public 
 reports are very inadequate. On the other hand the ar- 
 guments for greater knowledge of the income side are 
 fully as urgent. With four separate taxing boards Avorking 
 in the city, with duplication in assessing, notifying, col- 
 lecting and handling taxes, the importance of a thorough- 
 going study of the tax situation can not be minimized. One 
 public official who is close to the local tax situation esti- 
 mated conservatively that a re-organization and unifica- 
 tion of the tax system would save the city at least $25,000 
 annually — an amount that would be of tremendous value 
 if spent in i)lay-gTounds, for instance, or for any of a 
 number of other needed social forces in the connnunity. 
 This investigation would include : 
 
 (a) An examination of accounting methods. 
 
 (b) Budget making. 
 
 (c) Taxation. 
 
 (d) City debt. 
 
 (e) Purchasing methods 
 
 27 
 
(f) Sources of revenue 
 
 (g) Publishing of reports. 
 
 VIII .INDUSTRIAL CONDITIONS. 
 
 Scranton is essentially an industrial city. By far the 
 majority of its people are wage earners in mills or mines, 
 or members, of wage earners' families. It would seem 
 therefore, that probably no factors have more to do with 
 shaping the life of the jjeople than industrial conditions — 
 hours of work, condition of labor, industrial accidents and 
 wages. And yet it is most difficult to find any individual 
 who has definite knowledge of general industrial conditions 
 in the city. 
 
 So far as we were able to get data, they showed a 
 popular belief that the wages of girls in both factories and 
 stores are very low. Many girls get $3.50 per Aveek or 
 less, we are told; and those in a position to know informed 
 us that this condition is one of the contributory causes of 
 immorality. But quite aside from that question, the 
 figure is too low to insure healthful living conditions and 
 some of the mere necessities of life. Certainly even higher 
 wages have been proved to be inadquate to meet even a low 
 cost of living in many cities. Moreover, a study of the 
 wages, of men, women, and children would undoubtedly 
 throw much light, not only on the causes of vice and 
 poverty, but upon the uses (or the non-uses) made of local 
 facilities for intellectual and ethical growth. 
 
 The mining industry, which is estimated to employ 
 upwards of 12,000 men in the city of Scranton alone, is 
 rated as one of the most dangerous of occupations. Hun- 
 dreds of men are maimed or killed in this district every 
 year. Many families whose breadwinners have lost their 
 lives are being supported by the Poor Board at public ex- 
 pense. The injustice of a system which makes a limited 
 part of the public and the injured individuals pay the cost 
 of accidents which are seemingly a necessary part in a 
 
 28 
 
process of production is bein<>; recognized the country over 
 in the movenicnt for workmen's coniiionsation laws. A 
 study of accidents and their cost to the companies, to the 
 injured and to the pubUc, should yield data of value to 
 those outside as well as inside the city. 
 
 The study of industrial conditions in Scranton should 
 include as many as possible of the following: 
 
 (a) Hours of labor, men, women and children. 
 
 (b) Wages. 
 
 (c) Industrial accidents. 
 
 (d) Safeguards against occupational disease. 
 
 (e) Unions and their recognition. 
 
 (f) Employment agencies. 
 
 (g) Welfare work. 
 
 (h) Relation between wages and the cost of living. 
 
 IX DELINQUENCY. 
 
 The method of handling juvenile delinquents in the 
 courts of kScranton is open to unfavorable criticism on 
 several grounds — First, court is openly held in the regular 
 court rooms. Second, boys and girls are often tried to- 
 gether at the same session of court. Third, delinquent 
 and neglected children are not always handled separately. 
 Fourth, the judges are so crowded with work that the 
 juvenile sessions are frequently neglected and children 
 are often held two weeks, sometimes longer, in the deten- 
 tion home before a hearing. Fifth, the papers of the city 
 publish, often quite fully, descriptions of the cases of de- 
 linquent children. Incidentally, in many cities the papers 
 have agreed, upon the request of the court, to omit all 
 matter relating to child crime or delinquency. There 
 seems to be plenty of reasons for the establishment of a 
 separate juvenile court to handle children's cases. 
 
 The children's detention home violates almost every 
 test by which such institutions may be measured. Boys 
 and girls while separated in their rooms, mingle together 
 
 29 
 
(lurinp; the day under the matron's care; older women are 
 sometimes ke]it at the home with young girls; delinquent 
 cliildron, truants and neglected children arc not separated; 
 very young children and older children are not separated; 
 double beds are i)rovidcd in the dormitories; the home is 
 often crowded to capacity and at such times the air be- 
 comes unwholesome: no adequate facilities for play or 
 study are pro\idc(l. For these conditions the city, not the 
 matron in charge, is mainly responsible, since the miser- 
 ably inadequate facilities are for the most ]:>art used to 
 the best advantage. We are informed that plans for a 
 new home are under way, although the i)lans as yet were 
 found to be very intangible. They can not be completed 
 too soon, for the present facilities are wholly inadequate. 
 
 A visit was made to the lock-up in the basement of 
 the ]\Iunicipal Building. .It can be graded as fairly good, 
 as lock-ups go. If prisoners were held there more than 
 24 hours, it would be objectionable. The county jail, 
 considering the time it was built, is surprisingly good in 
 construction, in that prisoners' cells open to the outside 
 air. although by a very small window. In its manage- 
 ment, however, it is not meeting present day standards, in 
 that it is used purely as a place of detention, and embodies 
 no plan for their reformation. Many of the prisoners are 
 there for a number of months, a sufficient length of time 
 to start reconstructive forces at work. Some educational 
 work of an industrial nature is much needed. Under 
 present conditions there is not one chance in a hundred 
 that a prisoner will leave the jail better than when he went 
 in, — there is every likelihood that he will come out worse; 
 for prisoners are kept two in a cell, in most cases regardless 
 of their character or probable influence on each other. 
 
 Finally, the system of Aldermanic Courts is the sub- 
 ject of general criticism on the part of many Scranton 
 citizens, and the conditions known to exist in other cities 
 of the state where the same system obtains warrant the 
 conclusion that an investigation of these courts should be 
 
 30 
 
iiu'luded in a social <urvey. The inve!^tii>ation would in- 
 clude as many of tiie following as possible: 
 
 (a) Aldernianic courts. 
 
 (b) Juvenile courts. 
 
 (c) City lock-ups. 
 
 (d) Detention home. 
 
 (e) The probation system. 
 
 (f) County jail. 
 
 (g) Nature of crimes and their cla^;<iiication. 
 (h) Inebriety. 
 
 (i) Some phases of the social evil. 
 
 This report ends where it began, in recommending a 
 Scranton survey which would go as deeply as the funds 
 provided would allow, into the following matters: 
 I Community Assets. 
 II Education. 
 Ill Public Health and Sanitation. 
 \y Civic Improvement. 
 ly Betterment Agencies. 
 A^I Recreation. 
 
 ^'.I1 Taxation and Public Finance. 
 Xlll Work Conditions and Relations. 
 IX Delinquency. 
 
 31 
 
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