PUBLIC WELFARE AND SOCIAL WORK Contributions to th ere cil protea working pro gamer co oferbfces kin m gs g ind progres in og di cial results of study and research 6x熄炒孤总郑孤总郑 SOCIAL WORK TODAY HELEN I. CLARKE University of wisconsin instead of servants. a depression and a war have HAT are some of the highlights in social made that point of view anachronistic. Today work today and where does the pro- social work is less self-conscious and introspective fession seem to be going? There are and more aware of its place in a larger setting developments which are of major importance to Its objectives include not only providing technical the profession and to broad community welfare: skills to individuals with problems but also the there are others which are less so. Both dema prevention of distress. This implies knowledge attention but first let us consider those which of economic and social conditions and of national appear to have greatest significance. It seems the writer that there are four developments in social Innumerable illustrations might be given to work which are important for the total welfare of make this point. For example, the Emergency human beings and not just for social work per- Committee for Social Work comprised of seventy formance. They are:(1)the revived interest of social workers from all over the country, published social workers in social movements, social action, in the April 1944 Compass an article entitled To Social Workers: A Call to Action. Their objectives social work; (3)the adaptation of social work to for social action are as follows: (1)full development settings;(4)the weaving of the profession of and equitable distribution of national and inter social work into the community fabric. Let us national resources;(2)full employment and bal consider briefly each of these points. anced wage price system; 3)extension of education First. Social work is experiencing revitalization health services, housing, recreation, and socia/ It is looking at itself critically and constructively: security,(4)racial and ethnic equality. At least is adapting itself to a rapidly changing milieu; two meetings at Cleveland during the 1944 Na and it is restating its philosophy. In the early tional Conference of Social Work were given over years of what we now call social work, in the last this subject quarter of the nineteenth century, the leaders, not Again illustrative of the emphasis on causation yet having formulated many techniques, did not and prevention of social and personal problems are worry too much about them but put major em- the topics of some of the speeches given at Cleve- phasis on the social situation of the persons with land, such as: "War and the Social Services, "by whom they worked. If the environment was in. Elizabeth Wisner, President of the Conference adequate and unsatisfactory, they had the courag with her emphasis on the need for full employment fearlessly to expose it and to attempt its change In time, however, almost total consideration was P M magazine with his emphasis on the three goal given to techniques and methods, an inevitable and most wanted by our Armed Forces: a busy America even desirable phase of any profession provided the a warless world, a belief or faith; " The Social forest is not lost sight of, which unfortunately hap- Responsibility of Labor in Postwar Society"by two pened in social work. Techniques became masters labor leaders from the aF of L and the CIOPUBLIC WELFARE AND SOCIAL WORK Contributions to this Department will include material of three kinds: (a) original discussion, suggestion, plans, programs, and the￾i_,J orics; (2)ureprs of ;,ecl ' peojects, working programs, conferences and meetings, and progress in any distcictive aspect of the ied; (3) sg pecial results of study an eerch. SOCIAL WORK TODAY HELEN I. CLARKE University of Wisconsin INTRODUCTION W HAT are some of the highlights in social work today and where does the pro￾fession seem to be going? There are developments which are of major importance to the profession and to broad community welfare; there are others which are less so. Both demand attention but first let us consider those which appear to have greatest significance. It seems to the writer that there are four developments in social work which are important for the total welfare of human beings and not just for social work per￾formance. They are: (1) the revived interest of social workers in social movements, social action, social reform; (2) the cooperation of labor and social work; (3) the adaptation of social work to new settings; (4) the weaving of the profession of social work into the community fabric. Let us consider briefly each of these points. First. Social work is experiencing revitalization. It is looking at itself critically and constructively; it is adapting itself to a rapidly changing milieu; and it is restating its philosophy. In the early years of what we now call social work, in the last quarter of the nineteenth century, the leaders, not yet having formulated many techniques, did not worry too much about them but put major em￾phasis on the social situation of the persons with whom they worked. If the environment was in￾adequate and unsatisfactory, they had the courage fearlessly to expose it and to attempt its change. In time, however, almost total consideration was given to techniques and methods, an inevitable and even desirable phase of any profession provided the forest is not lost sight of, which unfortunately hap￾pened in social work. Techniques became masters instead of servants. A depression and a war have made that point of view anachronistic. Today social work is less self-conscious and introspective and more aware of its place in a larger setting. Its objectives include not only providing technical skills to individuals with problems but also the prevention of distress. This implies knowledge of economic and social conditions and of national and international problems. Innumerable illustrations might be given to make this point. For example, the Emergency Committee for Social Work comprised of seventy social workers from all over the country, published in the April 1944 Compass an article entitled To Social Workers: A Call to Action. Their objectives for social action are as follows: (1) full development and equitable distribution of national and inter￾national resources; (2) full employment and bal￾anced wage price system; (3) extension of education, health services, housing, recreation, and social security, (4) racial and ethnic equality. At least two meetings at Cleveland during the 1944 Na￾tional Conference of Social Work were given over to this subject. Again illustrative of the emphasis on causation and prevention of social and personal problems are the topics of some of the speeches given at Cleve￾land, such as: "War and the Social Services," by Elizabeth Wisner, President of the Conference, with her emphasis on the need for full employment; "A Nation Worthy of Heroes" by Max Lerner of P M magazine with his emphasis on the three goals most wanted by our Armed Forces: a busy America, a warless world, a belief or faith; "The Social Responsibility of Labor in Postwar Society" by two labor leaders from the AF of L and the CIO; 178