Problems for the Investigator 315 



The modern social worker not only proceeds with a 

 well-defined plan, but he usually makes or requires a 

 survey of his newly-opened field. The social sur- 

 vey now becoming more common as a means of 

 beginning a campaign of improvement in the cities 

 has revealed some most interesting, as well as dis- 

 tressing, situations in the submerged districts. The 

 housing situation, sanitary conditions, wages and 

 incomes of different classes, sweat-shop employment, 

 the protection of workmen hi shops and factories, 

 child-labor conditions, and so on these are exam- 

 ples of the problems of the investigator, while his 

 tabulated reports serve to guide the social worker. 

 Now, the duties of the latter are many, but in general 

 they lie in the direction of improvement of the condi- 

 tions as found. Among the undertakings that often 

 fall to his lot are : establishing new social centers in 

 congested districts, providing for new parks and play- 

 grounds, locating reading and recreation rooms, 

 organizing self-help and home-improvement clubs 

 among the lower classes, conducting cooking and 

 sewing schools, and the like. 



Of special interest to the rural dweller is the fact 

 that the modern methods of first making surveys 

 and then applying remedial agencies is now being 

 extended into the country districts, giving many 

 marked results already and promising greater ones 

 for the future. 



