Charity in Scranton

Charity in Scranton, an item from 1914 included in "From Lace Makers to Coal Miners," provides a fasincating glimpse into how society cared for its poor in an era that pre-dates New Deal programs. A sampling of 810 of families "given relief" in 1913 shows a community in which the family was dependent on the ability ot the male to perform his backbreaking duties in the coal mines. Reasons why families were placed on "relief:" Widowed (323), Desertion (211), Sick (136), TB (20), Accident (33), Husband in Jail (7), Unemployment (2), Old Age (37), Feeble Minded (2), Blind (7), Husband Won't Work (4), Permanent Disability (6), Insane (7), Large Family (1), Drunk (4), Miscellaneous (4).