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American Association of Public Welfare Officials: Luncheon Meeting, June 15, 1931

Ed. Note: This document was transcribed from the original located in the files of the Social Welfare History Archives at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. It is included here because it presents the discussion of plans and programs  leaders of this new organization deemed important.  It was at this meeting the Association passed a resolution to assist in the “present unemployment emergency.”  The Resolution stated: “That the President of the American Association of Pubic Welfare Officials appoint a committee to cooperate with the President’s Emergency Committee for Employment and other organizations in promoting public appreciation of the need for public relief and welfare service supported by tax funds during the unemployment emergency and developing plans for increased public appropriations, more effective public welfare organization, and improved administrative standards.”
Leroy Allen Halbert, President AAPWO
Leroy Allen Halbert, President AAPWO
Photo: NASW Foundation

American Association of Public Welfare Officials

Minutes of the Luncheon Meeting at Hotel Radisson

June 15, 1931, 1 o’clock, Minneapolis

Presiding: L. A. Halbert

The meeting was attended by about 120 persons.  Addresses were given by Frank Bane, Chairman of the Section on State and Federal Public Welfare Work, and by Fred C. Croxton, Acting Director of the President’s Emergency Committee for Employment.  Mr. Bane spoke on the subject of “Public Relief in Relation to Departments of Public Welfare and the Present Emergency.”  He spoke of the request of the President’s Committee for Employment to the Association of Community Chest and Councils and the American Association of Public Welfare Officials for cooperation in meeting the present unemployment situation.

Mr. Croxton classified communities into three groups as follows:

(1)  Large cities in which the Association of Community Chest and Councils is active;

(2)  Less populous localities in which the need is just as great and in which principal reliance must be placed upon public welfare officials;

(3)  Some localities which may have to be helped for the outside.

He also mentioned the fact that the Family Welfare Association of America has undertaken to cooperate with the President’s Committee.  He urged the Association of Public Welfare Officials to give definite cooperation.

Allen T.  Burns of the Association of Community Chests and Councils emphasized the need for the help of public welfare officials in devising plans and policies to stimulate communities and local committees to fulfill their function in obtaining relief funds. He urged that the Association of Public Welfare Officials appoint a cooperating committee.

The President, Mr. Halbert, emphasized the importance of making this an occasion for injecting new standards and popularizing better standards of work in public departments, stating that we do not want public relief to be again discredited.

Miss Katharine F. Lenroot of the U. S.  Children’s Bureau, proposed the adoption of the following resolution:

“That the President of the American Association of Public Welfare Officials appoint a committee to cooperate with the President’s Emergency Committee for Employment and other organizations in promoting public appreciation of the need for public relief during the unemployment emergency and developing plans for more effective public welfare organization are improved administrative standards.”

The motion was seconded by Mr. Fred Hoehler, of Cincinnati.  After some discussion it was amended to read as follows:

“That the President of the American Association of Pubic Welfare Officials appoint a committee to cooperate with the President’s Emergency Committee for Employment and other organizations in promoting public appreciation of the need for public relief and welfare service supported by tax funds during the unemployment emergency and developing plans for increased public appropriations, more effective public welfare organization, and improved administrative standards.” The resolution was adopted.

A report of the Committee on Reports and Statistics prepared by Dr.  Emil Frankel of New Jersey was read by Dr.  Brown of Indiana.

The report of the Committee on Reports and Statistics contains specific recommendations for the cooperation of the American Association of Public Welfare Officials with other specified organizations in an inquiry looking toward the standardization of statistics of all official public welfare activities of State and local government bodies, the preparation of a model law for the establishment in each State of a central State agency, and the development of such statistical test of administrative efficiency as will make it possible to gauge the relative cost and value of various kinds of welfare activity.  It was moved by Mr.  Bowen of Illinois that the recommendations be referred to the Committee on Report and Statistics with a view to cooperation with the other organizations in the development of standard forms for use throughout the United States.  The motion was seconded and carried.

Katherine Lenroot, Children's Bureau
Katherine Lenroot, Children’s Bureau

Katherine F. Lenroot, Acting Secretary

 

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