A definition of social work: A thesis in sociology

								

differ from the respective interests of teaching, law, medicine and so
forth.
It is obviously impossible to review in readable compass the fifty
years in which the conference has met and, as there have been great
changes in social work during that time, it would be profitless for
a contemporary definition. A new arrangement of sections was made in
1918, and therefore the reports of the years 1918, 1919, and 1920
(the last in print when this study was made) were chosen for detailed
analysis.
That analysis can be most simply presented to the reader by sections,
putting before him an itemized statement of the subjects covered in
the reports of each section (treating the three years as a unit)
and then following this sectional review with such considerations
as have recommended themselves cumulatively and can only be offered
on the basis of the material as a whole. We are looking for the
characteristics of social work as a whole and can therefore consider
only such features as continue to show themselves throughout the
sections. In the following itemized lists for each section the figures
represent the number of papers in which the subject indicated was the
principle topic.

 I. CHILDREN.


The forty-five papers presented in this section dealt with the
following subjects:


Plans for removing the handicaps of the illegitimate without

      increasing illegitimacy                                       8
Recreational needs of children                                    7
General protective schemes, plans for extending a sheltering

      arm over children isolated in the country and for

      establishing state-wide vigilance                             5
Standards for child care                                          4
Reports on the practices of particular localities                 4
The working of children’s courts                                  4
Nature and causes of that chronic and excessive

      troublesomeness which is called juvenile delinquency          3
Special psychology of children                                    3
Best ways of providing for children dependent on the public       2
The responsibilities of the public to its neglected children      2
Problems of day nurseries                                         2
Health needs of children                                          1
It requires but a glance at the above list to see how much wider is
its range than that of a teachers’ or medical men’s convention. There
is nothing to connect the topics--except children. This synthesis of
social work in personality which has been already indicated as the
“social” element in social work becomes increasingly evident in any
review of the conference. As it has proved difficult of definition it
will be well to keep it in mind in order that it may take shape during
the following review:

 II. DELINQUENTS AND CORRECTION.