A PIONEER SOCIAL WORKER 



BY SOLOMON LOWENSTEIN 



To be most authentic, an account of Professor Sabso- 

 vich as a social worker should be written by one who 

 knew him intimately during the time of his great work 

 in the building up of the Woodbine Colony, but unfor- 

 tunately most of his colleagues of that period are no 

 longer available in social work. This defect, however, 

 is rendered less serious by the beautiful and simple 

 presentation of his activities at that time contained in 

 the foregoing memorial by Mrs. Sabsovich. 



To those of us who were associated with him in his 

 social service in later years, the impression that remains 

 is chiefly one of a thoroughly human, sympathetic per- 

 sonality whose really positive force and firm decision 

 were always clothed by a congenial and lovable person- 

 ality. His was a mind whose honesty no one could doubt 

 for an instant it was crystal clear. The elements of 

 any question, no matter how complicated or intricate, 

 revealed themselves to him almost instantly and he was 

 able to formulate the resulting proposition in a form so 

 clear and simple as to be intelligible to any who cared 

 to listen. He knew no discrimination because of position 

 or reputation or wealth. He was fearless in his judg- 

 ment, once convinced of the rectitude of his position, no 

 matter what institutions or personalities were involved. 

 He had a power of righteous indignation, at times seem- 

 ingly inconsistent with his ordinary gentleness of manner 

 whenever he believed that injustice was being done, 

 especially to the weak or the subordinate. 



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