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A study of changes in services of All Nations Foundation as affected by the neighborhood's ecological changes

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A study of changes in services of All Nations Foundation as affected by the neighborhood's ecological changes

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Content A STÜBY OF CHAMOIS IH SBEVIGES OF A M NATIONS FOUNDATION AS AFFECTÊ1 BY THE NIIOHBOHHOOB^S EGOIOOIOAIi OHANGIS Tasani Pleagvidlaya A Frejeet Fresemted to the FAOmTY OF THE SGHOOIi OF SOCIAIi WOIK miVEHSITY OF SOUTHERN OABIFORNIA la Partial Fiilfillmeat of the Rel P7otdT This research, project, written under the direction of the candidate’s Faculty Committee and approved by all Its members, has been presented to and accepted by the Faculty of the School of Social Work In partial fulfil ment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SOCIAL WORK Dean Date....... Research project o f .... Faculty Committee Chairman TABIE OF GOTfEHTS OF TABLES ........................ ill I. IMfHODUCTIOET................. 1 Setting ................. 7 The Study Be sign...................13 Mature ©f Report. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1% II. THE SEIGHBOEHOOI).....................l6 Defimition of Geographic Area ........ 17 Physical Characteristics of the Meighhorhood. ......... ........ . 17 Housing ..................... 19 Schools ..................................25 im Population Change.............. 33 III. THE COMMÜMITY CEMTBR............................^2 All Mations Foundation. ........... Wf The Boys* Gluh....................... 51 The Commmity House ..................oO The All Mations Clinic. ............... 67 IV. COMCI1 ÜSIOM. ....................... . 74 APPEMBIX The Schedule of Interview.................... 89 ii LIST OF TABLES I. Characteristics of Housing in 19^0 and 1950 in Census Tracts 119, 186, l87 and 188 •#•••• 23 II. Characteristics of Population 1930, 19^0, 1950 and 195^ in Census Tracts 119, 186, 187 and 188 3^ ■ III. Age Composition of Population for the Years I 19^0, 1950 and 195& in Census Tracts 119, I86, ; 137 and 188 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 iii CHAPTER I ! i H T R O M C T i o i r ; J 1 Most social agencies, either those offering case [ work or group work or commmity organization work services,' are basically concerned with the needs of the people served # These agencies give their services on various bases according to their work methods, However, they are I concerned not only with the needs but also, to some degree, t ’ I the social environment of their clients# Â community can- I , ; ter distinguishes itself from other kinds of social agen- ' cies as the environment of its clientele is regarded as , its primary concern# This type of agency historically ; finds its roots in the settlement movement which flour ished in the Hhited States during the last decade of the ' I nineteenth century# Ho matter what their names are— I I community center, neighborhood house or communi*^ associa- I tion— these are multifunctional agencies which exist to I serve the social needs of persons in given geographic I ! neighborhoods and the neighborhood is their * client#* One I I of the main objectives of the community center is the I I improvement of living conditions# Combined with this are | I the strengthening of family life and creating a feeling of ' 2; meighborliness by helping individuals and groups to relate ^ to one another# Very frequently, in its attempt to carry j out such objectives, a nei^borhood center works with a j I cross section of all the cultural, racial, religious and ! age groups in its neighborhood# Thus the community center I needs to be furnished with appropriate knowledge about the ! neighborhood and the people it serves# ! The neighborhoods served by the community center | are commonly thought of as the "disadvantaged area** since « most community centers have their origins in areas where typically working class people live# Working with the i I neighborhood as a whole, observation and study of the locality is an ongoing part of every center’s work# Some agencies maintain residences, believing that if staff and volunteers live in the area, they are in a better position to know nei^borhood conditions# Whether or not he lives | in residence, an alert staff member, through his daily contacts with families and his visits in the neighborhood i can scarcely avoid accumulating knowledge of neighborhood problems# Changes taking place in the neighborhood should be observed by the staff, not just mentally noted, but rather treated as scientifically as possible# Knowledge I I of the ecology of the nei^borhood, in terms of under standing the way people and institutions are arranged in space and the changes that occur in these arrangements, I 3 I I bears a great importance upon the services of the commun- j ity center since these services are developed to serve the j needs of the people in the neighborhood# To understand j i the change or shifts in the spatial distribution of people,' ! it is necessary to take into account the attitudes, inter- j ests, values, prejudices, likes and dislikes of individ- j I uals# These items can be measured not by intuition of the | j I I staff but only through systematic observation# Settlements and community centers are currently | I I influenced by the marked changes which are going on in our ! , urban life and these changes are being reflected in the i ^ program emphases of the agencies# Among the major changes j are the physical changes of the cities which are being rebuilt through slum clearance, urban renewal and highway : programs* The population change is another factor which I I i reflects the service of the agencies# Many community i I I centers experience the continuing in-migration of various I different ethnic groups# The socio-economic change is I another factor which affects the program of the community : center whose purpose is to help improve the living condi- • tion of the neighborhood# The growth and expansion of | I i I other public services is also a factor which reflects the function of the community centers as the latter increas ingly are partners with governmental units, sharing facilities and receiving personnel from these public - - 1 , ; resources# ' Throughout Ameriean history, there has been a con tinual increase in the number of cities as well as in the Ï proportion of population residing im metropolitan centers. » For the most part, this increase has been due to changes j I in classification of communities from rural to urban when | their population exceeds 2,500# The American population | was overwhelmingly rural as late as 1910, but the American ' I nation at the present time consists primarily an urban population, living in large cities or in the immediate surroundings of such cities# Besides the changes in city | j and population growth, the American nation also was faced ! with many socio-economic changes which began to take place , during the time the nation began its industrial develop ment# During the nineteen twenties, there was a vigorous ' movement for the restriction of immigration# This came | mainly from two sources— groups with anti-alien sentiments I and organized labor# There were am increasing number of , immigrants from Eastern and Southern Europe and these new- , I comers were adding a cosmopolitan aspect to the industrial ’ 1 cities# The new immigrants constituted the bulk of the unskilled and semi-skilled workers utilized by the growing : industries of the country# The neighborhood houses and ‘ social centers at that time were increasingly concerned I with the need for helping the newcomers to adjust to 9 American conditions# Measures aiming to restrict immigra tion, begun in 191^ (the year World War I started) and completed in 1924^, speeded up the substitution of machin ery for labor in industry and stimulated a further move ment of population from rural to urban areas# They were the cause of a substantial movement of Fegroes and white unskilled laborers, share croppers and tenant farmers from ! the South to the North# This type of movement was very | I typical in many industrial cities in the IMited States# | ; Like other American cities, Los Angeles has been j i j : faced with the greatest change in the nation’s economy j . ' ! I since the aftermath of World War I# The economic de pres- ' ! sion in 193#, followed by the Hew Deal program and later I I I the boom in industrialization, all affected Los Angeles, I especially its east side area which became more industrial- ; ized# Ohange has always created social problems which I need to be solved# It also means a need for new services, : i I revision of, and, in some instances, termination of old | I services# Host of the social work professional personnel i I I in Los Angeles are concerned about changes taking place in I this city# Each agency must study its program of services ' from time to time in relation to the changing needs of the : I : i people served# It is a challenge to all social agencies, : especially the neighborhood center, to study the trend and i I effect of these changes as industrialization consequently I 6 results in the migration of more people from other lands who come to seek jobs and homes near their work. At the same time, the invasion of industry and business has resulted in turning the eharacteristies of the neighbor hood into an industrial section. Ohanges in characteris tics of the neighborhood and changes in population can mean a change in clients which might indicate a new pro gram of services which the agency should introduce. The objectives of this study then are to examine: 1. the ecological changes in the specific com munity known as the All Nations neighborhood; 2. changes in services in one of the agencies serving this community; and, 3# the relationship between these ecological changes and agency services. Thus this study will be concerned with such facts as the kinds of changes that have taken place in the All Nations from the beginning of its service to the neighbor hood to date. In addition, an attempt will be made to scrutinize the program services of the All Nations^ to determine whether they have kept pace with ecological changes. ^In this study, the term ’All Nations’ is used to indicate the All Nations Foundation at Sixth and Gladys Avenue which includes only the Boys’ Club, the Community House and All Nations Clinic. 7 The Setting The neighborhood^ is geographieally composed of four Census Tract areas, numbers 119, 186, 187 and 188. In his 1936 study Everett W. DuVall gave a description of this neighborhood during the period in which the agency first began its services to this community, which later was unofficially referred to as the All Nations neighbor hood. DuVall stated: . . . It has many of the characteristics of interstitial areas similarly located im the inner zones of other metropolitan cities. Com munal ity between the residents is limited and even true nei^borhoods are not often found within, its borders# It is an area of first generation settlement for immigrants from more than forty different countries with the major ity coming from Mexico and the Orient #3 As time passed, the All Nations neighborhood has experi enced those changes occasioned by periods of economic depression, the boom in industrialization. World War II and Korean War prosperity, and post-war recession. It is fascinating to trace the ecological changes of this neigh borhood to find out what seemed to be the effects of these changes on the services offered by the All Nations. ^In this study, the term ’neighborhood* is used to j represent the geographical community which falls into the i area of Census tracts numbers 119, 136, lS7 and 183 only. | BEverett W# DuVall, Relative Influence of Primary ! Groups on Underprivileged Children (Los Angeles : ' University of Southern California Press, 1938), pp. W--5# | 8 The All Nations Foundation is an agency of the Community Chest of Los Angeles area and receives annually I a generous share of its necessary funds from this source# i I : I It is a non-sectarian, interracial community center giving j services which fall into three major areas; namely, health,' education and welfare# The seven units of services of the All Nations Foundation are the Boys’ Club, the Commun ity House, the All Nations Clinic, Pico Garden, All Nations I Eastside Center, All Nations Chapel and Aliso Village I Church. It is not the intention of this study to explore j intensively all the services of the All Nations Foundation. I This study is limited to only those services given at the - All Nations at Sixth and Gladys Avenue. These include the ' j All Nations Clinic, the Community House and the Boys’ Club j only. People of all ages, races and creeds who live in ! the All Nations community are served by this agency with- I out distinction# There are some fees charged in accord- i i I ance with the ability to pay and type of services they ; : obtain# ! ! I The All Nations Clinic, located on the first floor I I of the building, provides free or low cost medical services I for those who cannot afford private care# The clinical { service is carried on by a team of leading physicians, ' surgeons and dentists who volunteer their skills# Neces- | sazy hospitalization is also available# ; 9 The Cosuaunity House occupies the second and third floors of the building and provides many activities for both youngsters and adults. Their activities include a wide variety of interests— cooking, sewing, arts and crafts, folk dancing and group discussion on personal hygiene. A play center serves the pre-school children* Professional staff and competent volunteers work with children and young people to help them plan and carry out projects according to their interests. Various groups serve boys from three to eight years of age, and girls from three to twenty years of age. A parent club meets ! ! regularly to discuss children’s behavior problems and to ' sponsor special projects which lends assistance to the ! I work of the Community House. The agency also supplies ! skilled leaders to help deal with parents’ problems at I annual family life conferences. I The All Nations Boys’ Club occupies a three-story i " ; brick building. On the first floor are the main office, cafeteria (for special occasions), and auditorium which I can be partitioned to accommodate four boys’ club rooms. ' On the second floor are four game rooms, office of the staff workers and reading room. On the third floor is a well-equipped gymnasium, stage, with dressing rooms, looker rooms and equipment rooms. This unit of service of the All Nations provides group work sexvices to boys over six | years of age. Trained workers divide clubs into ’clubs j I within clubs.’ Each has its own self-elected officers and plan of operation in the gymnasium. The agency pro vides games, counseling, arts and crafts and other activi-; i ties. For the purpose of this study, the beginning period! of the All Nations will be delineated as from 1926 to | 19^0 during which this agency became a member of the I Los Angeles Community Chest. It was the period which the < whole nation was faced with economic depression. As California was one of the states less seriously depressed | economically than other states, there was a migration of | people from other states and from other countries coming to seek jobs and homes near their work. The eastside area of Los Angeles, during this period, was considered a whole-t sale area where the wholesale markets and packing companies were located. Through a federal recovery program there came an increase in industrialization in this particular area. Those immigrants who settled down in this area were ^ limited in leisure time and recreation because their resi- ‘ i dences were squeezed between the business and industrial buildings. There was a great deal of concern about the , needs of the people in the neighborhood and the All Nations considered it most urgent to provide some sort of services | i as quickly as possible. In the first half of this period. I ' lï' j I I the All Nations devoted its efforts and strength to the ' experimental work to determine the needs of the neighbor hood and the best way to serve the people who were in need, } and also to focus on the building investment in order to | provide enough recreation space for those newcomers from • other areas. The last half of this period was about the I time the All Nations had developed their programs of j services and had gained some recognition from the neigh- I ^ ' borhood. As the people gained better understanding of the I I purposes of the agency, expansion of services was neces- ! I sary which resulted in the addition of two more units in j ! 1939» ^he All Nations Gamp at Big Pines was open for the ; I first time. 1 , j The second period was during and after the war j I from 19^0 to 199#» This era represented the change from | i ' I peace time to war time economy. Los Angeles became a great defense center. Many defense plants called for a large ' manpower. As many local men entered the armed forces, a great number of immigrants poured in to work at the I request of the aircraft companies and other defense plants. I The All Nations community, which had become a mixed ' nationality neighborhood, was the only place for them to t I ' ! i seek homes near their work. During the war, jobs were I easy to get; most people worked— even women and teenage boys. It was the extreme and sudden change in the economic; 12 condition ©f the nation which also resulted in the social changes, especially in the morals of the youngsters. Youngsters ran wild as they lacked control from the parents who went to work in the defense plants. Many children j 1 stopped going to school, some went to work and earned a I great deal of money. However, they did not know how to j make use of their income. There were teenagers riots dur ing this period and many organizations, including the All Nations, were called upon to help handle this problem. It was during this period that the All Nations was facing the many serious behavior problems of the youngsters in the neighborhood and was trying to cope with them. The analy sis and details of such action will be discussed in Chapter III. The third period may be called the recent period since 199# to 1998. It was the period in which many changes in the neighborhood took place. The City Slum Clearance Movement began in 1993 « Many houses were tom down and new factories built. The old settlers of the neighborhood moved out while new minority groups moved in. As the population of eveiy age and ethnic group changed, the demand for the services of the All Nations decreased. It is this period which the All Nations should study to determine the best way to help the changed and changing population. The details of the study findings will be ^3, presented in Chapter 111. The Study Design ; . . . j This study was limited to an investigation and j examination of some of the published materials and statis- | I tical data available at the offices of the All Nations Foundation and at the Research Department of the Welfare I The data on historical changes of population and j housing conditions in the All Nations neighborhood were | collected by drawing from the United States Bureau of the ; » I (special census}. The data on population changes of 193# . and 19^0 were obtained by extracting from the report of the Haynes Foundation prepared by Earl Hanson and Paul é Beckett. The collecting of such data was done with the i help and guidance of the staffs of the Research Department, Welfare Planning Council, Los Angeles Region. The data of historical changes in the services of '.S. Bureau of the Census, 1950 Census Pouulaticm Report (Washington, D. C.5 Bureau of the Ôensus, èepart- ment of Commerce, 199#* • S. Bureau of the Census, Current Population Report (special census) (Washington. D. C.: Bureau of the Census, Department of Commerce, 199®* ^Earl Hanson and Paul Beckett, Los Angeles; Its People and Its Homes (Los Angeles, California: The Ëaynes foundation, 19^). -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------■ ih the All Nations were oolleoted by reading through the pamphlets auad unpublished materials available at the office i of the All Nations Foundation and also by interviewing, j from schedule, two male and three female staff workers. j I One staff member represents the Boys’ Club, one the Com- j munity House, one the Clinic, and the other two are staff j i members who have been working at the All Nations for a | period of over ten years and know the neighborhood very j well. The interviews were arranged at the workers’ con- I i venienoe. Results from the schedules were analyzed and | ! compared # In order to test the effectiveness of the I I schedule, a pilot study was conducted with one male worker.; Nature of Report This study is presented in four chapters. ! Chapter I is the introduction which covers the I purpose of the study and its objectives, justification and , i I professional significance and the scope and limitations of , the study. Chapter II is a detailed presentation of the data j on the ecology of the neighborhood and the analysis of I such ecological changes throu^ different periods of time ! since the days of economic depression, during and after the war, up to the recent time of 1956. Chapter III is devoted to a presentation of the ! 19 I history of services of the three units of the All Nations I and additional findings relating to the changes of such I services based on interviews of some of its staff. Chapter IT sets forth conclusions based on the findings in Chapter III. GHAPTEH II The All Nations, like other settlements and nei^- borhood centers, seeks to serve the area where deprivation and lack of facilities are found# It is ^pioally tme that, because of their emphasis upon improving living con ditions, most neighborhood centers have tended to locate j in less advantageous areas# Some of these agencies are ! ; located in neighborhoods of homogeneous population; some : are located among people of many different backgrounds# Î I Some have a fairly stable population; others are dealing I with a transient group. The All Nations chose to serve ! one particular area of Los Angeles where the people and t institutions form distinctive characteristics of this neighborhood. It is not a political unit and the area is neither fixed nor unchanging. In the sense in which Maclver^ uses the term, and in only a limited degree, the area served by the All Nations may be called a community. For the purpose of this study, the community of service is ^Robert H. Maclver. Oommunity : A Sociological Study (London: Macmillan <x Go., 192o), pp. 22-23• 16 17 definitely a geographical area marked off by natural and/or artificial barriers. As all data contained in this ehapter, were gained by interviewing the staff at the All Nations, | unless otherwise designated, the author chose to present i ! those materials in detail covering changes in their his- | torical evolution. Certain specific changes, such as physical characteristics of the neighborhood, housing, school, people and trend in population, were discussed , extensively. | Definition of Geographic Area j The area served by the All Nations is demarcated I by natural and artificial boundaries. On the east, there • I is the Los Angeles River along which the principal zrail- j roads run. Gn the north, the Civic Center area distinctly | forms that frontier line of the area. The ’downtown’ ' I business district forms the western boundary and the I southern boundary is marked by Washington Boulevard ' I I between Main Street and the river. I I Physical Characteristics of the Neighborhood I The railroads have in part determined the charao- I I ter of the area since many of the wholesale warehouses and , i the ’lighter’ industries of the city are located along the , ! I right of way. Within this area almost all of the terminal I facilities of the Pacific Electric Company’s railroads, I 18 bus lines and interurban trolleys are located. Thus this neighborhood tends to lend itself as a temporary 'stop off* place for transients* Much of the land is devoted to industry and com merce; and the vacant lots are in many cases, used-car lots. Streets are clean enough as they are cared for by the city . The many alleys running between the industrial buildings and behind the wholesale markets are always cluttered with waste products from such factories and the markets. In the past public transportation was never a problem in this area. The interurban trolley lines and a number of bus lines which ran in this neighborhood gave access to the central business district with its shopping center and theatres. The wholesale warehouses and indus tries provided employment for the residents of this neigh borhood. They could, in turn, purchase goods at cheaper prices from such wholesale markets. Many of the employ ment offices serving the transient laborers and some of the social agencies meeting the social needs of unattached men were located within the area. All of these factors tended to make the neighborhood a functional as well as a , I geographic community* Following the slum clearance move- | ment, the inadequate public transportation services pre vented many former residents from coming back as they wish 19 to do tkeir busimess in the neighborhood. Map I shows the entire area served by the All I I Nations. Area I is the neighborhood on which this study j I attempts to focus. There has been mo geographic change in ' this area since the All Nations began to give its services.! I Pico Garden and All Nations Eastside Center were estab- | lished to serve two other neighborhoods— Areas II and III, | respectively. | In the study done by DuYall in 1936, it was stated:! Most of the lodging houses and hotels occupy | a section of the area about three blocks wide and ; running from the railroad station on the East to the central business district on the West. The district which includes the homeless men is im this section at the end nearest the center of the city. This is the usual location for this type of person. All Nations Foundation is in the center of this section. Adjacent to this section on the South are located most of the multiple family dwellings— the tenants, the 'flat* and the apartment houses. Beyond this section to the South, the area becomes more and more residential and the single family dwellings increase in number.^ j From interviewing one of the staff workers at the All Nations Glinic, the author learned that most of the families during the economic depression period lived in o I Everett W. BuTall, "A Sociological Study of Five ‘ ïrprivileged Children in a Selected Area of Iios Angeles** (Unpublished Doctor's dissertation, University of Southern California, Department of Sociology, 1936), A F 9-CS i b i a r a n 824 É A S Ï SIX I H S t H E E T • LÔS ANGELES 21, C A LIFO R N IA • MAdison 7-3006 HARLAN R. WAITE, Executive Director SERVICE AREAS 21 I remted houses* The buildings used to he the large homes of the middle class whites, hut with the deterioration of > the neighhorhood they were converted into the rooming I houses or small dwelling units. The majori"^ of the tenants were Mexiean-Americans* They did not keep up the houses# There was running water in the buildings but the toilets were outside# luring the middle nineteen thirties, there was an influx of Mexicans and Orientals causing a | density of population in this area# Then the houses became extremely crowded and run down# Most of the landlords did i not want to invest more money in repairing or recondition- | ing the houses as they could not expect any profit from | such investment since the economic circumstances of tenants made higher rents impossible# The increase in land value was another factor which caused the landlords to sell their land to business and industzy# j I One of the staff workers interviewed for this I study recalled her experience in making home visits# She j stated that large families lived in a single room and that many families lived in multiple family dwellings sharing bath and toilet facilities# This worker also recalled the ; dangerous condition of broken stairways. Every day that ' the children came to nursery school at the Gommanity House, they encountered this safety hazard# Another interviewee, ; ! who is at the Boys' Club, stated that a number of houses , 22 planned for use by one family were occupied by two or more I i unrelated families who shared bath, toilet, and even cook-1 ing facilities. Sometimes a crowded family lived in one f single room with a small hot plate for their cooking | I facilities. During the war the housing conditions became worse. Often in evidence were signs of neglect such as broken windows, sometimes stuffed with paper or rugs, falling plaster, rough floor boards which were splintering After the war, the Japanese who, during the war, were j forced to leave their residences in this neighborhood, I came back to buy the premises aind turned them into apart- Î ment hotels. There were few wooden houses. Most of the buildings were made of brick which easily accommodated I this change into apartment hotels. The Japanese did repaint these hotel buildings which gave new color to the neighborhood but the age of the buildings could not be Then came the slum clearance movement which resulted in the tearing down of many old houses reducing greatly the number of houses and dwelling units. Table 1 shows statistics of the characteristics of housing in 195© compared with those of lÿ+0. Prom this table it will be found that the number of total dwelling units dropped from 5*710 in 19h© to h,855 ia 195©* in other words, a 15 per cent decrease. A number of old o a ' ■ s o W m >ri «P o I n j +» m I I @ o E4 O nd 0 ^ *H 0 Pi 0 O O O o p4+» © •H -P O E4 MOO00 Pi • • • • O -C O o mMEs.o. 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There was a ' I ! i significant increase in dwelling units occupied by the I i I I owners (from 172 to 285 or éj per cent increase) while the | I I I number of dwelling units occupied by tenants decreased I (-21 per cent). This means that most of the houses torn j down were the rented dwelling units. The tenants might I have moved to other houses within the neighborhood and the I I number of vacancies available dropped from $28 to 332 or -37 per cent. j I When the slum clearance program was initiated, the I ! ■ I All Nations neighborhood was considered a slum area. I x k ! I j the study by BuTall, previously cited, it was stated : i j I I It is an area of ^minimum choice* and a j I * recevoir for the economic wastes of the city.* ; ' Because of the lack of organized local media of ’ social control it has become *the hiding place for many services which are forbidden by the i I mores but which cater to the wishes of residents I scattered throughout the community. * - ^ ' i Therefore, there can be little doubt that something should have been done about this neighborhood— a slum area. I I Houses were tom down and people and families doubled up I with other families in the same neighborhood. The staff I I worker at the Boys* Club stated that when one house was i tom down, the tenants moved to another house in the area and if the latter was tom down, they moved to another one,! I I often doubling up in the process. Some families moved to | other parts of the city but for some, especially the I Negroes, it proved difficult to find a place to live. I At the present time there are many single men seek^j ing jobs in this area as new factories open their doors. | I These men usually live in the hotels or rooms in this area J This is one of the factors which contributes to the hi^ incidence of prostitution in this neighborhood. The staff worker at the Community House indicated that most of the prostitutes are Negroes, very few whites. These women I live in the other parts of the city but rent rooms at : hotels in this neighborhood for purposes of their trade. ! Usually they arrive in their large cars in the morning and return to their own residences in the evening after their * business hours.* It is a common sight to see men being arrested for consorting with prostitutes. Many Negro families from the Southern states came into the area to live temporarily in the cheap apartment hotels until the fathers found jobs and/or places to live. This is another factor which caused the area population to be highly transient in character. Schools Mention should be made here of the schools which serve the children of this neighborhood. During the period of économie depression and war time, there were five elementary sehools, two junior and senior high schools in this area. There were also two parochial schools, two trade schools and special schools for health and problem cases. The remedial schools for boys con tinued to serve this neighborhood until they were closed in 19^6. The staff worker at the Boys* Club stated that the Ninth Street School is excellent and has been serving the children in this area for a long continuing period of time. The teachers and administrators are dedicated and t ; have been serving the neighborhood for many years. This 1 worker also stated that one of the junior high schools, I about a mile from the All Nations building, was closed in I 19$6 due to the decrease of population of this age. At j the present time, there are two junior high schools and I three high schools located within a few miles of this Information about the social institutions, other than schools, such as churches and social agencies was not available for inclusion in this study. Beonle Even though, as mentioned above, this area is a neighborhood of mixed nationalities, yet the phenomenon of segregation to some extent may be found as to language, race and color. Such segregation areas are designated on 11 as 1, 2 and 3# It should he understood that these | ; are core settlement areas not rigidly segregated. Due to : ; the homogeneity of employment and income as well as the I I long period of time during which these races have cohabited, i ' I màny differences and prejudices have been resolved. The I ! Japanese colony is located on both sides of East Pirst | Street between Los Angeles Street and the river. The Chinese settlement occupies both sides of San Pedro Street ! i between West Ninth Street and Pico Boulevard. The Negro i I settlement in the southern section of this neighborhood is : I located between Alameda Street and Stanford Street, and , down from Seventh Street to Washington Boulevard. The | Mexicans are scattered all over the area. During the beginning period of the All Nations, it ; is said that there were at least forty-two nationalities j b in this area. The Gypsy groups came and went in this ! i area without attracting special attention from most of the ! j * night dwellers. * The staff worker at the All Nations j I Clinic stated that they were very colorful people; many of I ! i I them had been well established in this neighborhood. They ! were judged as the wealthy tribe. There were very few I Negroes at that time. Here the Mexiean-Americans seemed j * 1 ^All Nations Poundation, A Priend by the Side of ' the Road, a pamphlet issued by All Nations Foundation, , p. 1. MàP II A F Town É » y % 824 EAST SIXTH STREET • LOS ANGELES 21, CA LIFO R N IA • MAdIson 7-3006 HARLAN R. WAITE, Executive Director SERVICE AREAS 29 to be a dominant group. It was a family neighborhood. Then, gradually, the area became more industrialized and subsequently there was a greater influx of people— Negroes from the Southern states and the Chinese and Japanese from Asia. However, the Mexicans still outnumbered those who were migrating into this area. Most of the men of the families worked in the factories or wholesale markets nearby while the women stayed home taking care of the children. Some families were on relief, both private and public. Pew families j were self-supporting due to the low incomes earned by the | men who usually were unskilled workers. These people had j a very low educational level and were not equipped for I better paying jobs. The people seemed to be concerned more about their immediate needs. The dominant psychologi cal factor was probably the struggle for existence as the * inhabitants of the area were in the marginal economic ; class and dependent upon relief, for the most part, for the maintenance of life. The rate of juvenile delinquency ! in this area, as compared to that of the other parts of the city, was high. Some of the delinquent behavior was ; expressed in stealing, vendor-machine robbery, window I breaking, et cetera. As a result of bad housing conditions I and the presence of light industry, the youngsters lacked ' I ' i privacy and space for their recreation. Perhaps another I dominant type of delinquent behavior, i.e., running away ! ! from home and sneaking off into theatres, was also a ! ! j i result of the above eondition. In this area there was 1 i also a high ineidenoe of many homeless and unattaohed men I looking for whatever jobs were available in the neighbor- . j ' I hood. Adult crime and commercial vice have been conataniOyj 1 I j high in this area. j Then came World War II. Many men went into the service. Los Angeles became a great defense center and I there was a great need for manpower to work in defense plants. Negroes from Southern states poured into the area ^ to work in such factories. They replaced the Japanese who were forced to move to relocation camps in Arizona. Jobs ! were plentiful during the war and most people worked, ! including women, teenage boys and the aged. The latter could do assembly line jobs which required no previous ; experience. Many teenage boys stopped school so they i J j I could earn a great amount of money by working. However, these boys, lacking control from both parents and within I ! themselves, spent their incomes inappropriately. They began to form gangs and created difficulties in the neigh- I : I borhood. It was during this period that the well publi- I ' j cized teenagers* riots took place in Los Angeles. Many Negro youngsters who moved into this area with their I parents were faced with the problem of adjusting to the ! "31 new environment. Their educational oompetence was eoa- sidered behind those children who had been brought up here. : These Negro youngsters felt rejected by the school teachers#| They bec^e frightened and timid and some of the native | white youngsters took advantage of them, making fun of ; these attitudes. The teenager riots became so serious that; many organizations, including the All Nations, were called upon to help resolve the problem. When the war was over, men came back from the ser- | 1 vice with the right to return to their former jobs or to ' I jbetter ones. As a result, the Negro workers and the teen- ! age boys were laid off. These people so displaced lost ! I their homes, their cars, et cetera. Some of them went back ! I to their own homes in other states. Some still wanted to live in this neighborhood because of fascination with the city and its climate. Some people lost not only the homes in Los Angeles, but also their old homes in other states, ; and had to stay bitterly struggling for their existence. j jit was during this period, partly due to the above factor, : ithat evidence of prejudice began to emerge. There was j ‘ fighting between the veterans who just returned from the i iwar and the Negro workers who invaded this area during the jwar. People of all kinds became more aggressive, more ^antagonistic and more assaultive. A number of fights and killings took place in the neighborhood. If the typical I type of delimquent behavior during the depreeeion period I I was Galled a crime against property, then, the type of ' delinquent behavior during and after the war could be ! « I called a crime against the person. i i After the war and release from relocation centers, I the Japanese came back into this neighborhood. They bou^t i the properties from the native whites who sold them will- i ' ; ingly because they wanted to move to other sections of the i j city. The Japanese turned the old residential homes into I ! apartment hotels. They redecorated and repaired them to , make them look better and these hotels seemed to spring up j like mushrooms in the neighborhood. | From 1953 and continuing during the slum clearance movement, many old houses were tom down and the residents ! had to move out and find other places to live# This was the period which saw a tremendous change in the population of this neighborhood— in age groups, ethnic distribution and numbers. Though a certain number of people still i remained in this area, they did not know how long they would be allowed to stay. At the present time some of the ; apartment hotels which were redecorated by the Japanese are still residences but await condemnation some time in the , future. During this period the people had greater than usual needs for security and a sense of belonging. Their pattern of moving indicated their feelings of insecurity# 33; They always moved to other houses in the same area first and when the latter were tom down, they moved to another | one and so on until they could no longer find houses in this area before moving to other sections of the city. j '< ^ 1 Many of them still came in to work at the same factories ; in this area. Thus, the neighborhood gradually lost its characteristics of a predominantly residential area. Its I transient character was caused by the move into this area of many men of all sorts from different places who lived I in the hotels temporarily and then moved on to other places. These people did not stay long enough to develop any sense | ( I of community spirit. Then the Korean war came along which ; I brought with it a great increase in the narcotics traffic. I I The condition and factors in this area appeared to attract I the socially maladjusted, economically deprived and emo- ; tionally unstable people. On the streets in this neighbor-j hood were seen the alcoholics, dope addicts, prostitutes ! and other forms of anti-social behavior. i ! Trend in Population Change Changes in number and character of population in this neighborhood can be seen from the statistical data | compiled from the Population Statistics done by the i U. s. Bureau of the Census. Table II shows the charac teristics of population of this neighborhood for the years 1930, 19^0, 1950 and 19$6 by age, sex and races. Table III 0 0 00 ps. C D M v 0 C D r 4 ON d m g E-l i M ë S M CO G4 O S M O N M I H O M S?4 © H I ■ â © ( S , 9 J O e # © r 4 • P 00 K . rr O < w i (H 1 \ # # r T ] \ 0 vO ■ # .N© e \ r ' . # €M i—$ S © 0 0 M ' • ON rH g OS C T ] C T ] ■ m CM m r H • OS H OS j c d Cs. CM 0 0 0 0 O I N - ^ I f s m \0 r n <0 ^ CM C J s r r jr H O O s O CM CM r H r H CM C M l ^ o m C M ^ \ rs V © 1rs 9 » m \Tsqo OsO E^\© O.C^\rsfO ONirsoo O r H CM . * # » # » r H r H CM 00OsU\4* COO'S© OSirsoô CM r H r H r H o n E ^ 0 0 m 4K 00 CM \ r s CM I ts o mcMoo irso o rHcno C O CM V f S © C M ^ ^ tN . ^ r H r H r H r H CM I r o m O S r H r H O D ^ \ © f l O O © C O 0 0 f O i f s O s o o o © i r s r O r H i f s \ © ^ m e n s © ^ \ © s © ifscs*. o a o < # » \fs GO m p s U S f O O O O - d * O S r H ^ ifscs^mo ©00 CM © s © 3 * m m E s . © 0 o s © CM #*' #» ^ ^ r H r H r H CM $ CD rH 0 O > © OsCJs rOiH CM © s e n OO CM 0 0 s © CM p s . ^ © l T \ Q ^ m CM O s O s m ^ r H s O CM o s i r s C M m t r s moo cs.\©s© usos .» 4 k #&.»#* 4 k 4 k r H r H r H r H r H r H CM I mrH m s© I N C © m C M CM CM r H H K r H rH CM W s s © f H CM O S V © 0 0 m ^ s © Ifs C s . C% O S CM m m ^ ^ ^ ^ mmmifs o i 0 0 4k d m o o Os C M I $S j s t - - d * 0s # k #, CM r H \ © If s s © ^ © CM 0 0 r H - d '- d * 4k # > k . r H r H CM l f \ rHOS g o © k k r H c n r H CM s © s © m o s k CM \ © O s © j H CM C s . ^ C M s© m r H r H O'** CJSCJsC^ r H r © rH tS -O O O S O S r H m m v O s © CM k k k k k k r H i H r H r H r H C O i f i t © 4 » •H © _ ^ *H •H © - F A S S I I © © o s A o § *rH •F » I O I ” » Ê C 0 © ( M 2 S' S' 2 " S' S' S ® ' | , I T j I â o \ f s © lf s o 1 rs© U s 0 If S r H r H C M C M m m u d * - d * % m m ! I I I I I I ï o M M v0 X T n 0N C J s M O 0 iH $ O a Â. 0 rH I &4 0 0 4 * S © 0.4"- d " r O r H rosO eu O r o Es. CM m k k rH rH rHmv© ro^ I>“ O rom k k CMi-H E s U S r H O CJSQO O sC M O O CM H CM © usmovoo E s . eu Us .d " CM r H r H U s r H \ © CM Es. O s ^ ^ d " o O s © Es. H * OD Es. 0 0 CM u s o s O s s ^ v O ^ * CM E s .jd * U s r H J * r H s 0 k k k r H r H © r H O S CM © ^ m s © U S O S C M © 00 rH m© mosusmEs-Go r H E s .\© m © i H r H r H CM CM CM rH U S r H © O U\H*\p rH © UsoDs© m E s . E s . ^ G S O O Q 0 O s B ^ v © r O r H CM r H © k m \0O© CM Es. o s O S ^ U S E S . 00 J * CM r H E s ftysiO r H © O s Es. 3 * s O s 0 r O r H r H r H CM rH CM r H s O 0 0 E s r H U s © ^ © U v i - Es Osoo-d* m u s o s © C s ^ E s C s v û r H s O r H r H CM m 3 * CM rH U s r H N 0 m 0 0 k > > » 0 o 0 f t ÿ ^ 2 #0 «o 1 1 S g” g i t ^ U s l ^ U s ^ _ ^ U s \ p ^ ^ s -r U s s O E s 0 r H U S r H r H rH m 35; UN Os H K os rH I r H 0 4» O EH 0 rH rH V© Es CM CVI GO IfN O O r H CM 0 0 3 r H CM U N O E s O s E s r H O r H 3 U S 3 r H CM U n C J s m i r r H r H r H r H r H r H r H r H r H C M r H 3 f? ■ # \ 0 « m ■ # GD m r H 0 U s + » ■ • rrs K i J r H 0 rH g O m oî us ' • m 00 o 3 « Us r H Es\o #\© OSCM3 rHGO mso m o us s O m r H O SO Q CM U N O W O r H U n 0 > r H r H r H r H m 3 s © s © or> CM O s CM E s k k r H r H m O S 0 0 00 r H E s m s O O S C M 3 € O 0 O O U n O CM O O E s r H v O E s r H r H O 0 0 m m c M CM m 3 s © E s c s \ © j j - © cm k k k r H r H r H U N O E s m C M v O CM E s < 5 \ Es\©3^ o UnoOvOvO r H r H r H r H r H 00 C M O S 3 0 0 3 mv© Es x © \ © ^ 3 3 O E s o s r H m 3 3 3 % CM # UN CM o Q s D v D o D m o 3 m o 0 SOO m m U n CM m s O E s U s m o D r H E s o O s O m © © m CM © U N O S © U NO O s o G S 3 U n CM m C M CM CM m m m 3 U > 3 CM r H 3 © r H r H r H Us E s © O s CM U N O O mCM3 E s E s N © E s CM CM U n E s ^ 00 g o U n s O 3 3 3 ME> s © U N x © E s E s rH r H rH m p U n U s 00 E s m © © 3 CM r H © m s o c j s m o o 3 o s r H 3 0 S © \ 0 r H s 0 U N E s \4 D U N v ô ^ CM m m CM m m m c M CM m CM r H rH # rH CM O S nO r H s0 Es m C s r H E s E s E s E s 3 CM 3 3 E s o O E s © \ 0 \ £ > r H m O s m m m m 3 s O E s © o cm r H U s u s k k k k k H r H CM CM r H O S CM nO r H © O S3 [ S 3 m s O O U N m 3 c o m o o 3 O T s © 1-1300 cjsvo V © \©SOs© E s© © C M m ^ m s© vû k k k k k k k r H r H H H CM CM r H CM m mcMvOEs© © u\mso 3 CM O SQ O U \ m c 0 3 s0 r H r H CM U n U N s O v O osmm3 Es CM G P s 3 " ^ s o O © r H r H © f O r H r H r H C’O U \ 3 3 ’ C O mUNso osvo mEsvooo 3 © m \ © E s r H O S (M , ' m CM r H r H m s O U n T - © 0 0 r H m U s v 0 O © U n E s O S C Q 3 N © rH r H 3 U N v0 mCM mESf-H ©0\Es r H r H m O s 3 r H O O m U N r H O s U N v Ô ^ v © U N C JS v© r H m r H r H r H rH osmos©3 usuNU\m \ 0 E s m E s U x U N C M m e o r H r H CM CM CM CM rH CM C M 3 E s C M C O © s O CM C M 3 CM m r H 3 O S3 CM H r H CM m 3 m c M m m k 0 0 0 k 2 2 2" S' S " ' S ' k ^ ^ k O s ü 0 I I I I t I I I I I 0 I jd © U n © U N © U s © U s U N U N U N }2> U S r H r H CM CM m m 3 3 U N s © E s S' 0 +» I I g 0 k 2 ' S ' - &■ S' S' 2" k O s 0 I I I I I I I * x s I jd O U n © U s © U n © fD U N r H r H CM CM m m 3 o C O j f CM 00 r - i O OO C M C iH : § iH H O O O O C M 0 0 0 \ O CM % o o \ f w O - O illustrates the age eoiaposition of population, in the same area as Table II, for the years 19^0, 1950 and. 195^ by age group and race. Analysis of the above mentioned two tables is as follows: The total population in Census Tracts 119, 186, 187 and 188 for the year 1930 was 19$1^# The author could not break this number down into age or sex or racial groups as no such compilation has ever been done by any agency # In trying to find out the change of population between 1930-19^0 (19,1^ - 19,132), all that can be said is that there was a slight decrease in the total number of popula tion, but this does not infer that there was a low index of mobility, ©n the contrary, a high degree of intra-area mobility might be postulated based on the research study done by DuVall in 1936 in which he stated that this area used to be an orchard area before and . # gradually became a residential area for native whites of the middle class. With the invasion of business and industry. the native population have been replaced by immigrant groups which in turn have invaded and segregated area established by other groups. Oriental groups displaced Mexicans in some parts of the area and Fegroes disposed *poor whites' and Mexicans in other parts.5 DuTall also stated: ^BuVall, ©p. cit.. pp. There has been considerable 'atomization' throughout the area which has a high index of mobility. The most recent invasion to be noted is that of the invasion of parts of the area which had been occupied for a considerable period by immigrant groups by 'poor white trash' from such Southern states as Louisiana and Alabama.® The change in 194-0-1950 This period saw little change in total number of population; there was a slight increase (19,132 - 19,186). If the population is analyzed by age groups, it will be : found that there was a great change in the age group of i© - 5 years. There was an Increase in this age group of j I over 72 per cent. In the above mentioned group, girls outnumbered boys. The age groups of both sexes from 5 to 19 years and 65 years and ever decreased. Among the aged population, the males greatly outnumbered the females. There was some increase in labor force population (25 ~ 5^ years) of which gain most were males. In comparing the ethnic groups, the author found that the white population of every age group dropped while there was a great increase in non-white population. The percentage of increase in non-white population (136 per cent) was greater than that of a decrease in white popula tion (-46 per cent). Among the increased non-white, there ^LuVall, loc. cit. I was a rati© of 5^3 males to females. This period saw a I striking increase in Hegro population (867 per cent) as [ compared to the other non-white races. This mi^t he I described as the result of the emigration of the Oriental I groups during and before World War II and the immigration of the Megroes from Southern states (mostly from Baton The chanjge in 19^0-19^6 ! The total population dropped from 19,186 to 13, I which resulted in a 29 per cent decrease. The decrease in I female population (5© per cent) was greater than that of I the males (17 per cent). The percentage of decrease in I I white population (21 per cent) was smaller than that of the non-white population (39 per cent). This may indicate that most of the people who moved out of the neighborhood were non-whites and if some of the white population moved out they could be the Mexicans of the lowest income group rather than the native whites. The Mexicans and Wegroes who lived in the apartment hotels had to move out when these places were tom down. The native whites who owned and were able to recondition their homes still stayed in the same place. The youth population of 0 - 5 years old dropped considerably (62 per cent) and in this age group, the percentage of decrease in non-whites was greater than that r ■ ' h i I lof the whites (78 per eent compared to 46 per cent). The I ! other age groups of youth population (5 ~ 19 years) also decreased and the same pattern as above was revealed. This, again, could be the result of the slum clearance. The children moved along with their parents. The table does not show the subdivision of non-white population, but it appears that there tend to be more Orientals in the neighborhood at the present time. The Hegroes moved out and the Japanese moved in to buy the property. This area I still has the transient Negroes and Mexicans as this is , i , ! still the 'stop off place for them. OmPTBR III ! THE GOMMONIfX CENTER All settlements and neighborhood centers have the same common purpose— that is, to help improve living con ditions of the neighborhood. Since the particular ser vices provided by these centers depend upon the needs of their own neighborhoods and the existence or lack of other facilities to meet these needs, it is often found that the services vary from agency to agency. Nhlike some other | I social agencies which offer mainly case work or group work I services, the All Nations serves its community in many | I aspects— education, recreation, health and welfare. This is typical of the agencies under religious auspices who j develop their services through Christian motives of love of Cod expressed in the love of neighbors. I When the idea of settlement came to the United * States in the late eighteen eighties, the Christian forces I contributed favorably to it by conducting some social ser- : vices under parish as well as community auspices. With i the passing of the Middle Ages and the coming of the modezn secular organizations of society, the role of church in I social work was inevitably altered. The fragmentation of i I the religious oommunlty occasioned hj the Reformât ion made I the dominance of the church as impracticable in social I work as it came to be in education. The mere factor of I growth in size and complexity of community life tended to I make social services a community responsibility. For this I reason, many community centers under religious auspices j experienced the loss of their religious functions through I the historical development of their social services# The I Methodist church in the All Nations neighborhood is one I among the Christian churches whose approach to social work ! J was primarily dominated by the concept of service to the I whole man, including not only his physical, emotional and I mental needs, but also his spiritual needs. As time ! ^ passed, many changes occurred in the community life of the people. The above mentioned Methodist church has come to realize the desirability of maintaining high professional standards and so changed its role and function in relation to the changing needs in social welfare of the neighbor hood. The author believes that an inquiry into the his torical development of the services of the All Nations might give some clues to the readers about how those ser vices have been developed in relation to the changing needs of the community being served by this agency. ! This chapter records the historical development of I I the services given to the neighborhood through the three 4 4 i units of the All Nations Foundation, namely the Boys' | Club, the Community House and the All Nations Clinic. The j author obtained information relating to the history of the All Nations through verbal reports, pamphlets and unpub- ; lished materials. Interviews with some of the staff who ’ have been employed by the All Nations for a period of over ten years were most helpful in pulling together in a com- ■ I prehensive and meaningful way the facts gathered from the ! other sources. Their long association with the All | Nations and with the neighborhood enabled them to give a j ! clear perspective to the information gathered. Pamphlets | issued from time to time by the All Nations contained some pertinent information about the foundation at the time of ; their publication. This material was useful in recon structing the history of All Nations period by period. | The first part of this chapter will be devoted to the history of the All Nations as a complete unit; the following parts will attempt to set forth the historical I development and a detailed analysis of the changes in I services of the Boys' Club, the Community House suad All Nations Clinic, respectively. j All Nations Foundation > In the beginning, the area now known as the All i I Nations neighborhood was one of the better residential I sections of the city with its schools sind churches. Its 45 population was exelusively Cauoasian and English speaking. ! I j Slowly the population status changed. Industry began to j j invade this section and with it came the foreign-bom i I i I seeking homes near their employment. The Christian forces j i ; j felt that their churches could no longer be maintained on i ' ! I I the same basis and some of the churches left the area and ; : re-established themselves in new residential sections. I ! , I This is a common practice for the churches whose existence ; ; depends upon the people they serve. Cist and Halbert ! Religious institutions are responsive to the needs of the people they serve and upon whom they depend for existence; consequently, forces that tend to disturb the communal equilibrium through the decentralization of population frequently make it necessary for some churches to shift their location.^ Unlike the other churches which moved to other locations, the Methodist church in the All Nations area still continues serving the newcomers of the neighborhood. During the period of population change, the Reverend G-. Bromley Oxnam was appointed pastor of this church. He felt that these foreign groups needed acceptance and assistance if they were to integrate as useful and good American citizens. He endeavored to adapt his ministry to their needs— physical, social and religious. This made ^Noel P. Grist and L. A. Halbert. Urban Society (New York: Thomas I. Growell Go., 19505, p. 124. necessary & change from the former denominational program i to one that would he non-denominational in order to 1 embrace in its service people of every race, creed and | color. Wsing two old apartment houses, with an adjoining : lot serving as an inadequate playground, Dr. Oxnam and ' staff, both paid and volunteer, demonstrated the need for a community-wide service. ■ On October 6, 1921, under the leadership of j Dr. Oxnam, lewman Methodist Church, Deaconess Friendly | House and Fifth Street Mission were merged into the City j Society of the Methodist Church, fhe City Society operated; a Social Welfare Division which later developed into the I I All Hâtions Foundation. I In 1925, following five years of experimental work,, I the amount of $259f^?C.31 was raised to be used for a new building and necessary equipment. An adequately equipped j i community center called the All Rations Foundation was established and stands as a memorial to the ceaseless j efforts and untiring services rendered by Dr. Oxnam. In the same year the All Rations Foundation was organized and granted funds from the Community Chest. The Community House and Clinic were established in September, 1926, the | Boys* Club in Januaiy, 1927, and the Chapel in June, 1927. Dr. Oxnam then resigned to become a member of the faculty at Boston University. At that time the following ! departments were in operation: Chapel, Climio, Boys* . Cluh, Community House, Day Fursery and Camp Adahi. Upon ! the resignation of Dr. Oxnam, Dr. MeKihhen became the pastor of the Church of All Rations and superintendent of | All Rations Foundation. (He continued in that capacity from July, 1927 until 1952.) | It should be remembered that all of this progress ! took place during the nineteen twenties, a decade of ' prosperity in the development of American social welfare programs. One of the most significant things was the restriction of immigration which social workers generally opposed. Many neighborhood houses and social centers were 1 increasingly concerned with the need for helping the new- : I comers to adjust to American conditions, feny family ser-| vice and relief agencies were receiving a large proportion! I of their clients from these groups. The new organization ’ i under the leadership of Dr. Oxnam began to. structure its j services to inculcate this social work idea which has pre- ' vailed in the United States since that time. | In 1929, Oamp Adahi %^s sold by the Ohurch of All I Rations and the $1,000 received was held for future use. i In 1931, an unknown donor authorized the estab- i lishment of a five-year laboratory experiment in the form of a child welfare clinic, making available $33,350.03 for^ this work from 1931-1936. After 1936 this service was ! discontinued. This was during the depression period when most of the families in this neighborhood were in the marginal economic class and dependent upon relief. Many youngsters in this neighborhood were considered under privileged children due to the lack of opportunities to I function at the standard level of American children in I education, health and morality. The temporary child wel- ! fare clinic at the All Rations was to provide guidance i service for those underprivileged children and also to I demonstrate the * organic' integration of case work and ! I group work and the individual approach in the field of I I social group work. ! In the unpublished material at the All Rations it was noted that in 1933 the Epworth Ghurch, owned by the I Itos Angeles Missionary and Church Extension Society, was I I allocated to the All Rations Foundation for use as a oom- I munity center. This center, which was called Sunset Center, was opened through funds granted by the Kiwanis, Rotary, Exchange and Friday Morning Clubs. This unpub lished material indicated that later boys' work at Sunset I Center was made the objective of the Los Angeles Riwanis Club and girls' work was sponsored by the Sunset Women's Auxiliary. It was not clear whether this sponsorship was purely financial or whether the above mentioned clubs pro vided the actual services. It was also not clear when k9 i this Gommimity center discontinued its services. | In 1935) Hollenbeck Center was turned over to All j Nations Foundation to operate. The property was owned by Grace Methodist Church. This unit also received Community ’ Chest funds. In the same year, a permanent camp site at I Gilpatrick Canyon, called Big Pines Recreation Park, was j I ' : established. ! On April 21, 19^1, the All Nations Foundation was | incorporated and all the buildings and equipment of the organization were designated as owned and controlled by , the Board of Trustees of All Nations Foundation. At this ' ! time, Dr. McRibben's title was changed from Superintendent to Executive Director of All Nations Foundation and pastor of the Church of All Nations. Prior to the incorporation of All Nations Founda- ' tion in 19^1, a sub-committee of the Board of Trustees of the City Missionary Society was charged with the responsi bility of operating the All Nations program of services. ; ! i Each unit had a special advisoiy council which was respon- I sible to this committee for operating its respective ser- ' vices. After incorporation, a Board of Managers for each | unit was appointed which became responsible to the trustees 1 for each unit of service, including recommending its pro- ; I gram, personnel and budget. I In the summer of 19^1, the Board of Directors of | 5 P I All Nations Foundation employed Professor Harleigh B. Treeker of the University of Southern California, School i of Social Work, to study the group work programs of the j Foundation for the purpose of evaluating and making re com- | ; I ; mandations as to programming and methods* His recommenda- i ■ I tion was adopted hy the Board of Trustees in the Autumn of ' 19^1 and furnished the guiding principles for the work of I ; I the All Nations for the following years* ; j In 1952, after twen*^-five years of service, » Dr. McKibhen resigned as Director of All Nations Founda tion and Reverend John L. Mixon was appointed to succeed I him. With the coming of Mr. Mixon and his Assistant » : Director, Dr.^ Helen 0. Rice, there seems to have been a ; trend toward: 1. strengthening the work of the Board of Managers j of the six units which make up the All Nations Foundation, j and 1 2. encouraging the cooperation between units in | studying the needs of the community served and in planning ; I programs together to meet the needs. The following departments are now in operation: ; Boys' Club, Community House, All Nations Eastside Center, Pico Garden Center, All Nations Clinic, Church of All Nations, Aliso Village Church and All Nations Camp. 51 [ The Boys* Oliib j ! Boys' Club is housed in a three-story briek j building on Sixth Street# In this facility the largest I group work program of the All Nations is conducted# The Boys' Club has an adequate gymnasium, a woodworking shop, ; I small metal working shop, library, reading room and game i rooms# Lapidary equipment was provided by the Lion's Club i which also donated some facilities for boys interested in ' photography. Equipment and tools which provide boys an I opportunity to work with their hands has proved to be an i I important constructive force. While opportunity for play I : ! is essential, experience has shown that the provision of i means for doing things with their hands has contributed ! I : ^ effectively to the emotional and social growth of the boys. { The objectives of the Boys' Club as stated in the I pamphlet ”A Friend by the Side of the Road** are as follows:' The object of the Boys' Club is to give under- j privileged boys the right start in life by sur- | rounding them with wholesome environment, and to | afford them an opportunity for entertainment, 1 social, moral and physical advancement. j As previously mentioned in Chapter II, the area ini which the All Nations is located had once a high rate of : juvenile delinquency as compared with the other parts of ; I the city. Therefore, the first and most specific object ^Ibid.j p. 11. ' 52! of the Boys' Club was the prevention of juvenile del in- ! queney. This was aeeomplished by organizing clubs and by programming various special interest activities for boys# It was hoped that they would thus be drawn away from the gangs. Subsequently, the development of many skills encouraging new interests, training in the democratic pro- ; cess and the development of social attitudes were incor porated into the objectives of the Boys' Club. The 'underprivileged boys,' once 'the poor boys' ! or 'the street boys' or similar expressions in common use .. ' I for years, is defined in the Boys' Club Manual as follows : '^Underprivileged boys are those who fall below the stand- I ard of privileged for American boys in education, health I o « conditions, morals and opportunities.”' ^ i Before the establishment of the Boys' Club, these | underprivileged boys were considered a liability to this ; community. Their home conditions were highly unsatisfac tory and the boys lacked parental guidance. They lived, j unassimilated, in a congested area left largely to their j j own devices. There was not a single playground in this i I area. Streets and alleys were used. The boys became at i I an early age members of gangs whose leaders were respected I K. Atkinson, BovS* Glub Manual (New York Educa tion Department, Boys' Glub Federation, n.d.), p. 6. Loose leaf, published as part of the training program of this organization. 53 because of their cleverness or perhaps their antisocial activities, their daring in defiance of authority, their slick evasion of law, their boasted contempt for the j teacher or police and eveiy symbol of authority. Disease, | poverty, vice and crime were a flourishing quartet. Juve-j nile delinquency was the order of the day. This neighbor hood was considered a crime incubator and her brood was on! I the march. The All Nations Foundation, through its many ' Christian ministries, sought to bring a betterment of life,. I both materially and morally, to the people of this area. j I I Mention should be made here about the incidence | of juvenile delinquency which is prevalent throughout the ; nation. It is difficult to give a definite reason regard- i ing how and when it takes place. John Edgar Hoover ! states: Although statistical data concerning the i scope of juvenile delinquency in the United | States during the early part of the present 1 century are not available, it is reasonable to conclude that the period of World War I was | marked by increased delinquency and youth | participation in crime j 1*08 Angeles, like some other industrial cities, I i produces groups of children whose behavior is usually expressed in an antisocial manner. Since the aftermath of | World War I there has been increasing concern about | ^John Edgar Hoover, "Juvenile Delinquency," The Syracuse Daw Review. Vol. k, No. 2 (Spring, 1953>, loO. juvenile delinquency# It is believed that the responsibil ity of the family and that of community in combating juve- | nile misbehavior and juvenile crime should go hand in hand.* i I Some outstanding leaders in the community and some organi- I i zations in Dos Angeles began to study intensively about I the factors relating to juvenile delinquency in order to determine the most effective way to prevent and control I ; juvenile delinquency. Among these was the Rotary Club of ! Dos Angeles which offered sponsorship for the research ^ study in this field. ‘ In 1925, the University of Southern California > ! made a city-wide survey to discover the sources, character; I I and causes of juvenile delinquency among boys in order ! I that intelligent remedies might be applied to overcome the ; j vices and crimes that beset the children and youth of a j great city. This survey disclosed the fact that the high- ' est rate of juvenile delinquency was to be found in the area which was being served by the All Nations Foundation. ■ It was for this reason that the All Nations Boys* Club was founded. The erection of the building and the installa- , I tion of the original equipment were made possible by the generous gifts of two fore sighted businessmen, R. R. Bush and C. B. Voorhis, on land made available by the Methodist' Church. The Boys* Club has been maintained since by a combination of Community Chest funds and contributions | from individual donors and organizations who have been I I interested in the development of the young as good citizens i of the future. ! Beginning in January, 1927, the All Nations Boys* ^ ! I j Club opened its doors to males, six years and over, living • I in the All Nations neighborhood. Countless number of boys I ‘ ; left the street comers, the dark alleys and hideouts to I I take advantage of the far more interesting activities pro- : I vided by the Boys* Club. The Boys* Club gave them a fair j I I I start in life by surrounding them with a wholesome environr I I ment. It also offered them recreation and provided an | i i I opportunity for educational, moral and physical advance- : ment. It supplemented parental guidance, which was often ; lacking, and was a substitute for the pavement, the alley and the gang. Five years after the Boys* Club was estab- | lished, arrests of juvenile delinquents had decreased 6? i 5 I per cent in the adjacent four square miles of the club. j This proves the effectiveness of the services of the Boys* Club in helping to prevent and reduce juvenile delinquency ! I in this area where there is no other social agency such as ; the Boys* Glub. I The program activities at the Boys* Glub include j art classes, dramatics, music, games, et cetera. Under ; ^All Nations Boys* Club, publicity folder, p. 2. ' 56: Skilled, yet vmobtrasive gaidanee, the hoys are encouraged [ i to enter into all forms of wholesome, beneficial activity, j For better and more intimate supervision the boys are I Ï 1 divided into "club within club,* each with its own elected I * I I officers, and meeting rooms provided for that specific ! j purpose. Ample kitchen facilities are available for the I ; gatherings. The boys are served by the above-mentioned ; program which has been used in a flexible manner. ' I ; j During interviews with the staff worker at the ; Boys* Club, the author learned that attendance was influ- I enced by the ecological changes of the neighborhood. Dur ing the period of 1930-19^0, which was the period this neighborhood had a predominantly Mexican group and very ; few Orientals and Negroes, the ethnic composition of the boys* groups were 75 per cent Mexicans, 15 per cent Orientals (Chinese and Japanese), 8 per cent Anglo and 2 per cent Negroes. I The period 19^0-1950 saw a greater migration of people from the Southern states and foreign countries, particularly Latin America. During this period there was some change in the ethnic composition of club groups from the above proportion to 50 per cent Mexicans, W per cent Negroes, 8 per cent Anglo and 2 per cent Orientals. The number of Orientals in attendance dropped during this period as the Japanese were moved to relocation centers in j 57 I Arizona. The 2 per cent of Orientals were American j Chinese. The Mexicans still were the dominant group hut j the Negroes increased to a great extent. It was during I j this period that many teenage hoys went to work in the ! I defense plants, so that senior membership fell behind. , However, the number of younger boys increased. Analysis I in Chapter II shows that there was a significant increase I I in youth population, thus the above could be the other i ! ! I factor of change in attendance at the Boys* Glub during i I this period. i , ; In the study by Harleigh B. Trecker in lyfl, he i stated: Î ! ^ It is interesting to observe that the younger I boys are beginning to come in in larger numbers. Senior membership has fallen off because of the change in work conditions and because of Selective Service and other factors beyond the control of the Boys* Club.® | I This was the period during which the economic and | social changes had a far-reaching effect upon the services j I of the Boys* Club. The change from peace-time to war-time ! I economy resulted in a great need for manpower. Many | I single, unattached men poured into this area to find jobs. | I They needed help in adjusting themselves to the new envir- > onment, in finding a proper place to live and in finding ^Harleigh B. Trecker, **A Study of Group Work at All Nations Foundation” (Unpublished study report. All Nations Foundation, 19^1), p. 8. 58 i ways to spend their leisure time. If the Boys* Club at j that time could have furnished them with such special ser- I vices for these emergent needs, the condition of the neigh-i borhood might not have deteriorated to the condition existing at present. But, again, the influence of war time economy was reflected in the problem of staff limita tion of the Club. The wages paid at defense plants during wartime were high; some persons preferred working in the factories with higher pay to working in social agencies such as the Boys’ Club. This was the period during which the Boys* Club tended to place emphasis more on the ser vices for children who represented the largest clientele. This does not indicate that the Boys* Club was unaware that it was not meeting the social needs of the older j unattached males. These adult males misunderstood the j character and purpose of the Boys* Club services. Due to i I the limitation of staff such attitudes remained unchanged, j During the period of slum clearance movement (1953”! 1956), there was a great decrease in the population. This change, again, had an effect upon the members who availed i ! themselves of the services of the Boys* Club. The ethnic j composition of the club group was ^5 per cent Mexicans, ; ^5 per cent Negroes, 2 per cent Anglo, and 8 per cent ; Orientals (both Chinese and Japanese). Although the ! i Mexican and Negro groups still seemed to be predominant, 1 591 there was a decrease im their attendance. One reason ! offered for this change was that the two groups were mov- ’ ing from this neighhorjhood to other parts of the city. The number of Anglo attendance also dropped as most of * 1 the native whites had left this area. The number of j i Oriental attendance obviously Increased due to the return-! ing of Japanese families from relocation centers and/or new increased immigration from Japan. These Japanese came in to buy properties and settle down in this neighborhood Their children were sent to the Boys* Club to use the ser- I vices available for them. The over-all decrease in every age group of attendance was observed as the result of ; slum clearance movement. Currently the same continuing decrease is being experienced. This has brought about *a time for decision* for the Boys* Club, namely: to empha- I size the quantity or quality of service. It has been the : practice of the Boys* Club to emphasize quality. At the i present time, the question for deliberation is whether to . give more intensive social work services to the people still living in this neighborhood. The staff member interviewed at this unit believes that, in spite of the decrease in the population and the demands for services previously offered, new services to meet the current needs of those who still live in this area should be organized. Intensive social work services such as a elini© for the aleoholics and other kindred services rela- ; ting to mental hygiene needs could he introduced. This | worker further stated that he feels the youngsters who are ' I still continuing to use the facilities of the Boys* Club | ! should be offered more individual services. The Boys* I : I Club has been giving its group work services to many i I I I youngsters for years. Such recreation and character ! ' ! building programs are, in some degree, factors in the pre- 1 I , vention of delinquency, yet the extent to which such pro- I j grams may be effective in the lives of children is limited | I i especially by the lack of complete knowledge of individual ; ! children. The worker interviewed also stated that at the present time the need for case work service in a group j work setting such as the Boys* Club is increasing. He advocated the merging of both ease work and group work services in the same setting. | I The Commonitv House ^ The Community House occupies the second and third ! floors of the All Nations building at Sixth and Gladys ; Avenue. The circulating library which functions as a I public reading room located on the first floor next to the ; main entrance is also part of the Community House. ; The objectives of the Community House as stated in the All Nations publicity folder are as follows: As in the case of hoys, the girls are also divided into groups according to age, interest and need. Their sessions deal with subjects of value and interest to the growing girl— home crafts, health, nature, first aid, personal hygiene, and the like. In the crafts class the girls leam to stencil, wood block, batik and paint. The girls enjoy many parties, plays and other forms of indoor and outdoor entertainment. Periodically each club has a hike, outdoor supper, or some other form of special activity. Glub leaders seek to inculcate a well-rounded character and develop a sound body in each girl so that sh^ may flower into the highest type of womanhood• I This is a generalized statement of objectives and ( ! does not include every aspect of purpose of this unit of I ! : All Nations. The meaning of objectives, other than the written ones, can be more clearly seen if we trace the historical development of the Community House which through different periods of time has been serving not only the girls but also the boys under six years of age and adults. As mentioned in the previous section, the All Nations Foundation was organized through the efforts of the Methodist Church group who endeavored to adapt their ministry to meet the physical, social and religious needs of the people of this neighborhood. In the beginning period, there were many charitable services which members of the Church of All Nations extended to the neighborhood ^Ibid., p. 3. 6 2 I In one ease the chureh women, upon learning that many girls i and young women employed in a nearby laundiy and small j factories had no adequate lunch facilities, served for ; months a substantial hot noon meal, at cost. The response j to this service was most gratifying. There was no Infor- I mation about the exact date this service began and stopped,' I ' I but it is known that it was during the depression period, | ; a time during which many basic needs of the people in the neighborhood needed to be met by outside sources. | I I In 1932, the home missionary workers from the j Missionary Society joined the Church of All Nations auid I extended their efforts mainly to the children’s department! of Community House. There was a kindergarten provided for children who j ' , for various reasons could not attend elsewhere. Competent I . i I teachers were in charge who followed the regular eurriou- ; I lum for such a grade. The Missionary Society continued ! largely to support this department with cash donations and j generous gifts of supplies until it was closed in October ; I 1932. Such action was taken upon the recommendation of its Board in concurrence with the Board of Trustees i because of a lack of clientele under its admission policy. ! A play school program was substituted and continues to ; serve as a play center for pre-school children of this ! neighborhood. This type of service is more in line with , 63 the malm fanetion of the Commanity House which is to fur nish siEL attractive social center for women and children in the community where purposeful activity may he carried out and where creative and educational programs may he planned with the girls and women for their leisure hours. The only facility at the Oommunity House which men may use is the library. During the period of 1930-19^0 when many non- I I English speaking people poured into this neighborhood, the Gommunlty House conducted classes for the immigrants to help them with the use of English and to inculcate the idea of good citizenship. This service lasted for some ’ time but was discontinued because of the lack of students,! Î during wartime when there was a heavy demand for labor in the defense plants. Also, during this period the play 1 school which served the children of the neighborhood had | i its largest enrollment. The wives who joined the husbands on the defense production line used the play school as a , i day care facility. At this play school, special at ten- j I tion was given to regular habits of health and cleanliness It was very often that the working mothers who worked dur-| ! ing wartime usually left their children at their own devices as they did not have enough time to care for them.j Many children were ill-fed and, because of the bad housingl condition their health was highly unsatisfactory. Most of I them were so undenxourished that the agency provided them j with milk, liver oil and some snacks* I I There was also a parents* group called the ' ' “Mexican Mother Club" whose objective was to give them the ; I opportunity to socialize and at the same time to discuss I ' ! child behavior* Such parents* group continues to function : although membership is unstable and there is no regularity I I of the meetings* This appeared to be explained by the pressure of family problems and the irregular employment I of the mothers* Various clubs were organized for girls between the j ages of eight and twenty years* Girls of junior high ! school age constituted the predominant age group using the ; I services of the Community House. The ethnic composition I of girls* groups at the Community House changed from . period to period because of the change in the population of the neighborhood. In 1930-19^0, there were more Mexicans; in 19^0-195^ there was an increase of Negro girls, and in 1950-195^ there was a slight increase in membership of the Orientals while other group membership i remained the same. The Community House served the largest ! number of girls during and after World War II. Since 1953 ' j there has been a decrease in both the number of children and adults coming to the Community House. The staff i worker at the Community House feels that the slum clearancd 65i movement is one factor for the decreased number of chil- j dren served. She pointed out that another factor could | be the influence of television in keeping children at i home. Many families, no matter how deprived they are, have managed to have a television set at home. The program services for girls between the ages of eight and twenty years offered at the Community House essentially have been club programs with special interests and activities. Before 19^1, the lack of evening activi- ‘ ties was a serious omission in services. Dr. Harleigh B. ' Trecker recommended that the program for such age groups ■ should be conducted during the evening hours and that consideration be given to the possibility of co-educational activity in co-operation with the Boys’ Club. This recom-j mendation was carried out. Considerable progress was made during the follow- j ing ten years. Following the study recommendations, a j full-time supervisor of the Community House was employed. ^ One or two additional full-time workers, for the first j time with social work training, were added to the staff j in addition to the director of the play school and her assistant. Co-educational activities in co-operation with teenage boys of the Boys’ Club were developed. Other improvements included the development of a better system of individual records. I In Januaiy, 1951 » Dr. Helen 0. Eiee was appointed Assistant Director of the All Nations Foundation and upon ! I her suggestion, a director of group work was employed. I At the present time, from morning until night, the I I Community House teams with youngsters and adults engaged j in a variety of interests. There are many activities I which include cooking, sewing, art and crafts, folk danc- I I ing and personal hygiene. Most of the clients of the j Community House are children. The only adults whom the j services of the Community House can reach are those who ; have children coming to the agency. One of the workers interviewed stated that the reason the agency had few j adults participating in the program was that these people seemed to he more concerned about their immediate need— j the struggle of making a living. They are not against the t I agency but merely do not understand the purpose of the agency. This worker also advocated that the agency develop special services for these adults, i.e., counsel- ^ ing services around the problems of alcoholism, dope addic tion and other social adjustment problems. In trying to extend such service to help healing the people physically I and emotionally, the agency needs to attach individual casework services to the Community House. 67j The All Nations Clinie j In the pamphlet, “A Friend by the Side of the } ,** it was stated: The Clinic is housed in a class “A” building and conforms in eveiy respect to the city ordi nance requirement for hospitals. It is well equipped with the most modem appliances includ ing a complete equipped Pharmacy and Clinical Bacteriological Laboratory; the following depart ments are maintained: Medical, Surgical, î^e. Ear, Nose & Throat, Skin, Syphilis, Geni to-Urinary, Venereal, Gynecological, Pediatric, Maternity (pre natal) and Dental. The Maternity and Baby Welfare departments are conducted by the City Health Department. A ward containing six beds is suffi ciently commodious for the accommodation of sur gical patients for twenty-four hours, after which, if their condition warrants it, they are removed to their homes.^ The primary purpose of the Clinic is to serve as a local health center or healing station for the children and adults either of this neighborhood and/or of another neighborhood who cannot afford private medical care. It is significant that more people use the services of the Clinic than those of the Community House and the Boys* Club. Because the services of the Clinic are available to people on a city-wide basis, the changes in the ecology of the All Nations neighborhood has had little influence on the number of patients served. The average number of people who come to the Clinic has remained constant « p. 43. The Glinic was endorsed by the Social Service Gom-| mission of the City of Los Angeles and has operated under a class "A” hospital license. The Clinic previously received its funds partially from the Community Chest and j j the Board of Home Missions. Its finances were augmented i I by the payment of nominal fees for examination, treatment ' I I I or medicine for patients whose ability to pay was evalu ated by the medical social worker. Those who were desti- | tute received care entirely free. The small fees charged ; in the past were ten, twenty-five, and fifty cents and ! - I I varied according to the client's ability to pay. Before ; ; and during the war, around 35 per cent of the patients I ! were cared for free. After the war and up to the present time, the Clinic is approximately 5^ per cent self- supporting. The fees charged now ranged from 0 to $1.50. The ability of the patients to pay is reflected in * i economic changes. During the war which was the period | i most of the people worked, a larger amount of the patients were able to afford the medical care at the All Nations I I Clinic (65 per cent). After the war, many people lost ! their jobs and, moreover, because of the higher cost of ' living, patients who come to this Clinic have become less j able to afford the fees charged. Thus the number of free-| care patients increased. i Before and during the war, the Clinic had the | voltmtaiy eo-operation of some forty leading doctors rep resenting every branch of medicine, surgery and dentistry, j Hospitalization was also available upon the recommendation | ! of the attending staff, ITp to 1956, the Methodist Hospitali ■ j ' had been used by the All Nations Clinic for surgery j ! I patients who had hospital and health insurance. Those who i 1 j had no health and hospital insurance were referred to the I I j General Hospital. The All Nations Clinic operated its own | I laboratory for a few months but was forced to close it ! because of the high cost of operation. Subsequently the ; Clinic used a private laboratory and fees were charged. : Those patients unable to pay were referred to the General ; ! Hospital. Currently facilities such as laboratory and hospital beds are available through a working relationship I ! with Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital, White Memorial Hos- ' j pital and a private laboratory. j i The University of California at Los Angeles, until I j ; they opened their own medical center, used the Dental j I Clinic of the All Nations Clinic as a graduate project of I i I the School of Dentistry for years. At the present time i * the All Nations has volunteer dentists in charge of this clinic. There is a graduated fee for all dental work. j Dental is a graduated fee for all dental work. Dental j I plates cost at least $100 and payment must be made at once.j This is due to the fact that the services of technicians I ' are involved* i i The All Nations Clinie does not have an eye ! specialist service* Eye examination for glasses can he obtained through an optometrist who then makes a referral : where the client can get lenses and frames at wholesale | cost* I The Clinic does not have health education service available but turns this over to the City Health Depart- ! ment which uses the facilities of the Climio. The All i ^ Nations Clinic did operate a Maternity and Baby Welfare I ' ! Clinic for about a year* It was felt that the Clinic was ! I I not well equipped for a program of health education and ' I , ' ■ : that all health education should be operated on the County level due to the special skills required, therefore, the health education program in the Maternity and Baby Welfare Department was turned over to the Public Health Department* Since the Clinic offers services to people who do j not qualify for public programs and who are unable to meet | I the cost of private care, it draws patients from all over ; the city* Although the change in the ecology of the neighr; borhood as previously stated had no effect upon the ser- | I vices of this unit of the All Nations, there were some significant factors relating to the health characteristics t of some of the ethnic groups who came for medical care* : The staff member at the All Nations Clinic stated that t ZL during two periods— the depression and war time when the people were trying to hold on to their jobs tuhereulosis seemed to be the most prevalent disease among the Mexioans who eame to the Glinie. During the period of 194$-19^0 which was the time the war just ended, it was found that a large number of | I patients suffering from arthritis eame to the Clinic. Shortly before 19$0, the experience of the Clinic revealed ; that many referral of Negro patients were made to Venereal ( I Disease Clinic of the City Health Department. ! I Just a block from the All Nations headquarter , office building is the Skid low area* About 90 per cent ! ; of the men from Skid low are those separated from their < ; families. Many started to drink as an escape from material I i ! difficulties and eventually became alcoholics* These I alcoholics always come in for help* The Clinic is not I : I equipped to treat alcoholism, except to give dressing ser- , I vice for accidental cuts* Although these men are referred I I to the Volunteers of America Alcoholic Clinic, it was I found that only ? per cent of them go there for help. The ; I staff person interviewed stated that alcoholism now seems j to be the predominant problem in this neighborhood. She i feels, however, that the Clinic cannot extend any special | program of help because of the insufficient number of doctors who would be available for this program* | Currently, there is a list of twenty-two physi cians, surgeons and dentists who volunteer their services at their own convenience# Nonetheless, it seems that the I 1 services of this Clinic are still inadequate to meet the needs of people who come from all over the city* The Clinic has been known to the community for many years* Clients* attitudes toward the Clinic have been cooperative and favorable especially after one part-time doctor was hired by the Clinic* This doctor has created a better understanding and a warm relationship with the patients, ; I i thus bringing about a decrease in hostility toward the : I : Clinic* It is fascinating to note that 3G per cent of the: : patients come to the Clinic at the suggestion of strangers * on the streets* The other 30 per cent are sent by refer- I ring agencies* The remainder are self-referred* I One service of the All Nations which should be I : recorded here is that to the senior citizens group* Since I 1940 there has been a large aged population in this neigh- I j borhood but services for them were not provided by this ! : I agency until 1 9 5 5 * ^ staff workers from All Nations’ began an aggressive ease work approach in an attempt to i ! acquaint the senior citizens with the new program* The ! * services available for senior citizens are club meetings, I parties, games, et cetera. This program started with a ! I small number of members and has grown to a membership of { 73 fifty. The number of members in attendance has always fluctuated due to the death of old members and the coming in of new members. There is some discontinuance of mem bership due to placement of members in rest homes. In contrast to the experience with boys* clubs and girls* clubs, the membership in this senior citizen group is growing while that of groups for younger members is decreasing. The success of this senior citizen group has been gi^tifying. CHAPTEl IV GOHCLÜSION This was a study of how the ecological changes of the community known as the All Nations Neighborhood I reflected or did not reflect the services of the All ! j Nations foundation. The selection of data, the method of j approach and the point of view from which the content of I this study was analyzed were based on the sociological j concept of change* The objectives of this study were to I examine and find out the relationship between the ecologi- s cal changes of the neighborhood and the changes in the I services of the agency serving this particular neighbor- I hood. This study was concerned with such facts as the ; kinds of changes that had taken place in the All Nations I from the beginning of its services to the neighborhood to I date. If it was found that there had been changes in the ecology of the neighborhood but that the services given by the All Nations had not been changed to move along with those ecological changes, then, perhaps this study might have implications for the Board of Directors of the All Nations foundation in reviewing agency policy regarding service to a changing community. If it was found that ____________________________________ 74____________________________________ 75 there had been ehanges in the social needs of the common- ity which the agency had not been able to meet, this might have an implication for the way in which the settlements and neighborhood houses should structure their services ! for example through aggressive social work services geared I to meet the unserved needs within the functional community. : The author posited that there was a relationship | between the changes in services to the neighborhood and the changes in the ecology of the neighborhood itself# , i This study was limited to an investigation and examination ■ of some of the published materials and statistical data available at the offices of the All Nations foundation and at the Research Department of the Welfare Planning Council, Los Angeles Region. In addition, selected staff members i were interviewed for the following reasons : 1. The dearth of written information about the All Nations and its services. ' 2. Their wealth of knowledge of and experience with the agency, its services and the community served. t The foci of the selection of data were the services extended by the three units of the All Nations, namely, the ^ I Boys • Club, the Community House and the All Nations Clinic. ^ The findings were analyzed within the framework of the 1 ecological changes of the neighborhood, for the purpose of ^ summary, the author has chosen to present the findings of : I this study by attempting to point up the ecological changes which reflected and did not reflect the changes in services I of the All Nations # I The source materials for part of the findings were I the Housing and Population statistics of 1930» 1940, 1950 | and 195^ compiled by the H* S. Bureau of the Census and j 1 the interviews with selected members of All Nations. The area served by the All Nations is a section of ! the city of Los Angeles distinguished by well marked i natural boundaries. These are, on the West, the downtown : business district, on the North the Civic Center area, on I the East the Los Angeles River and on the South Washington ^ I Boulevard between Main Street and the river. It was found j : . that there had been no geographical change in this area j I since the establishment of the All Nations foundatiom. I I However, the number of units of service of All Nations , I ; Foundation has grown. The expansion of services of this I foundation resulted in the establishment of its two more ; branches, the Pico Garden and the East side Center. These ! two units have their own defined areas to serve separate and apart from the All Nations at Sixth and Gladys Avenue. This area originally made up of orchards gradually developed with the growth of City of Los Angeles into a residential area for native whites of the middle class. After half a century, the native population had been 77j replaced by immigrant groups who arrived concurrently with j the invasion of business and industry. This area, approx- j imately from 1920 to 1950, served as a residential com- j munity where people from all nations lived. This neighbor hood has been faced with many problems derived from the j I changes in its ecology. I During the beginning period of the All Nations, there were people from as many as forty-two nationalities j living in this area. The Church of All Nations thus began! I to adapt its ministry to the needs of these people by I changing from a former denominational program to one that ^ would be non-denominational in order to embrace in its service people of every race, creed and color. Some kinds ' of group work services were introduced into this area to ! demonstrate the need for a community-wide service by this I I I ehurcb. ïhis is one factor which indicates that when the i I ; ! needs of the people have increased due to the increase in kinds and number of population the social agency, whose i purpose is to meet such needs, has to readjust its services so that they can serve the people more appropriately. The ' Church of All Nations, like other social agencies under i religious auspices had to develop its function of giving ! I social services to the people in this way. i Between 1930-1940, there was only a slight ! I decrease in the total population but the degree of intra- area mobility was high. For example, immigrant groups j I replaced the native whites. The Oriental groups displaced! the Mexican Americans in some part of the area and the I Negroes displaced poor whites and Mexiean-Americans in j other parts. Again the author found that the All Nations , had developed some special services, such as Americaniza- I j tion classes, to help these immigrant groups adjust them- ' selves to the new culture. This was a kind of service 1 which most settlement and neighborhood centers offered j to the neighborhood of newcomers from other lands. This I service of All Nations lasted for some time until it was | discontinued due to the insufficient number of students ■ who finally retired from class and went to work in defense^ plants during the war time. The increase in youth population of 0 - 5 years during the war and post-war time was one factor which ; I I reflected the change in the services for children of the j j I All Nations. The play school program at the Community ' i I House had extended the scope of its program to help serv- ; ‘ ing the working parents who used this play school as a j t I day care facility for their children. The Boys* Club alsoj I developed its program of services to focus more on the younger boys who were the majority group of its client* ’ During the period which witnessed the influx of ] I non-whites in this area, few families were self-supporting due to the low income earned hy the fathers who usually ' 79, I I were unskilled workers. Their educational level was very , I I low. Children were neglected and many of them became mem- I I I bers of street gangs when they were quite young. The rate ■ j of juvenile delinquency in this area as compared to that j I I of the other parts of the city used to be very high. Dur- j ing the economic depression period, juvenile delinquency I I in this area flourished. It was at this time that the ; Boys* Club of All Nations Foundation was established. ' j This unit of service of the All Nations was founded in , January, 1927, to serve boys from six years and over after ^ ; a city-wide survey on factors related to juvenile delin quency was conducted by the University of Southern ; California under the sponsorship of the Eotaiy Club. The original and most specific objective of the Boys* Club was j the prevention of juvenile delinquency. At this time the 1 primary interest was to draw the children from the street * running in gangs, therefore recreational programming was ; the main function of the Boys* Club at that time. Five I years later when it was said that the rate of juvenile I delinquency within this area was significantly decreased, ! i I the Boys* Club then had developed another type of program i ( ' ifor boys in this community. At this period there was a i change and emphasis in the services of the Boys* Club i offered. The approach to the services of children was now | that of a group work setting; with this eame a programming ; eariying out the objectives of the above. Then eame the | war period durli^ which when it was not unusual for both j parents to be employed. The absence of parents from homes j I appeared to be related to the rise in the rate of juvenile j delinquency. Delinquency now took the form of crimes com- | mitted against persons instead of property* This was the ■ period during which the teenage membership of the Boys * | Club dropped since many of the teenage boys went to work j and were beyond control of the Club. The close of the war , I brought about the re-establishment of the unity of the j home. Parents now tended to function more responsibly. I i I This was reflected in the decrease of juvenile delinquency.! I i I However, juvenile delinquency still remains as a problem ’ but there has been a decrease in juvenile violence. Most incidents involving delinquency are those of malicious mischief-makers. ; I The change in the characteristics of clients who i used the Boys* Club and the Community House services have changed from time to time according to the ecological changes of the neighborhood previously discussed in i Chapter II. Because of the decrease in over-all popula- | tion at the present time, both the Boys* Club and the Community House face a need to decide between quantity or quality of service. Another question to be considered is the introduction of ease work service into a group work ! setting such as the Boys* Glub. | I One significant problem of the neighborhood is the j I incidence of adult crime and commercial vice which has been I high since the economic depression period. Evidence of I prejudice began to emerge after the war and was seen in j I the fighting between the veterans and the Negro workers j who invaded this area during the war. At the time this j I j study was conducted, many transient laborers from Southern ' I states used this area as a *stop off* place. Many of them 1 ; i I I are single men and this is one factor which makes the area î I , . : attractive to the prostitutes who come in from other see- j tiens of the city to ply their trade during day time. ! I I People now seem to lack any sense of community responsi- j I bility primarily because they do not settle down in this i neighborhood. The result of the slum clearance program I I I has developed feelings of insecurity in the people. The I incidence of prejudice has caused conflicts between the j Mexicans and Negroes living in this area. As a result, I people have become more aggressive and assaultive. Many ( < j people are continually leaving this area. Those who remain are employed in the factories and wholesale markets nearby. With the upsurge of economic conditions around 1950, business and industry became aggressive in their 1 encroachment on this area forcing many inhabitants to 82] 1 leave and find homes elsewhere* There is a feeling that I the All Nations should continue serving their original I ! elieats in order to help prepare them to leave the area when the time comes* | The neighborhood now is changing its characteris- i i tics from residential to industrial* This change is j accompanied by a high rate of transiency as many transient laborers come and go in this area* It was found that the obstacle which prevents the All Nations from attempting I I to offer special services to transient men is the limited j facilities of the agency available for this. It requires | a complete change in facilities of the agency if the All . Nations is to do this work* For example, single men might prefer special facilities such as a lounge, shower or Î bath, et cetera. The All Nations has been serving the ! families with the children for a long period of time if it shifts its service to focus on transient laborers, it means a shift in staff time and also in kinds of staff. , The agency now is facing the problem of an insufficient number of staff and thus is unable to develop an extension program to meet such needs. However, these needs are , being met by other agencies in the area. I The All Nations Clinic, another unit of All | Nations Foundation with which this study was concerned has developed its services in a different way from the Boys’ Club and the Commmlty House. Sinee it was established to ! serve the people on a city-wide basis, the needs of the j people in the All Nations neighborhood were not primary | to its establishment. However, this has not operated to ! the detriment of this neighborhood as more facilities for care are available. The Clinic is also not influenced by the ecological changes of the neighborhood. The average number of clients who come to the Clinic has remained con stant . Over the years, the only noteworthy change which i occurred in the Clinic was the change in the staff. There | i ; I has been a decrease in number of volunteer medical staff : with the consequent addition of a part-time paid doctor. While the Boys’ Club and the Community House are faced with the problem of a decreased population of clients, the I ; Clinic is faced with the insufficient number of staff to serve the constant number of patients. I ■ In conclusion, the author found that the changes in the ecology of the neighborhood were influenced by , socio-economic conditions of the city and country at large. : It was also found that all of these ecological changes had I a relationship with the services of the two units of All i 1 Nations Foundation, namely, the Boys’ Club and the Commun- ; I ; ity House. It is to be remembered that these two units offer group work services toward the improvement of educa- , tion and moral and physical well-being. As the services of the All Nations Clinic are available to people on a city-wide basis, the influence of ecological changes of ! ! one particular neighborhood upon the services of this | Clinic is dissipated* Though some significant factors I relating to the health characteristic of some ethnic I groups were observed, they were based on the experience of the city-wide population. | I Because of the ecological changes of the neighbor hood, the needs for the kind of services the All Nations Foundation heretofore offered has decreased. However, the , j same ecological changes have brought about a change of | i needs. Some of these new needs are conflicts around ! I prejudice and security and geographical displacement. I This presents an avenue for redirection and construction I I of services to this neighborhood. As a social agency j whose function is to serve the unmet needs of the commun- ! ity, perhaps the All Nations will need to revise its I present service program to an imaginative, creative and ; aggressive social work program. Its objectives should be i to attempt to meet the new unmet needs of this changing ; I I neighborhood through the most productive extension of ser- , j vices possible within the scope and function of the agency J BIBLIOGRAPHY BIBLlOGHâPHT Bowens, Marx G., Hogrefe, Rus sel, and Murray, Clyde E. Group Work in Gomanmity Life. New York: Association i Press, 1954. ' " I ! Cook, Lloyd Allen. Community Background of Education. | Mew York: McGraw Hill Go., Inc., 1938. , ' I Dunham, Arthur, and Harper, Ernest B. Community Qrganiza- I tion in Action. Mew York: Association Press, 1959# j DuVall, Everett W. Relative Influence of Primary Groups ! on Underprivileged Children. Los Angeles: The University of Southern California Press, 1938. I t i ; Gist, Noel P., and Halbert, L. A. Urban Society. Mew York: Thomas Y. Crowell Co., 1950# ! j Green, Helen D. Social Work Practice in Community Qrgcani- I I zation. Mew York: Whiteside Inc., and William Mormw I & Co., 19^. ! Hanson, Earl, and Backett, Paul. Los Angeles: Its People I and Its Homes. Los Angeles: The Haynes Foundation, Maclver, Robert M. Community: A Sociological Study. London: MacMillan & Go., 192Ô. ~ Articles Hoover, John Edgar. * * Juvenile Delinquency,** The Syracuse , Law Review. Vol. IT, No. 2 (Spring, 1953), 180. i i Yearbook | De Santis, Lois Corke. * * Settlements and Neighborhood Cen- ters,** The Social Work Year Book. 1957. Edited by i Russell H. Kurtz. New York: American Association of ' Social Workers, 1957# j __________________________ 86____________________________ J Pamphlets i I All Nations Foundation. A Friend hy the Side of the Road, j Pamphlet issued hy All Nations Foundation, Los Angeles^ 1928. I I All Nations Boys* Club. What Is the All Nations Boys * Club. Los Angeles: Publicity folder of this organ- Atkinson, E. K. Boys * Club Manual. New York: Education Department, Boys* Club Federation, n.d. Loose leaf published as part of the training program of this organization ♦ Public Documents U. S. Bureau of the Census. 1950 Census Population Report. Washington, D. C. : Bureau of the Census, Department of Commerce, 1950. Current Population Report (special census). Washington, D. C. : Bureau of the Census, Department of Commerce, 1956. Unpublished Materials DuTall, Everett W. **A Sociological Study of Five Hundred Underprivileged Children in a Selected Area of Los Angeles.’ * Unpublished Doctor*s dissertation. University of Southern California, Department of Treeker, Harleigh B. "A Study of Croup Work at All Nations Foundation.” Unpublished study report, Los Angeles, All Nations Foundation, 1941. 1 ! I APPENDIX THE SCHEDDIE OP INTERVIEW THE SCHEDÜI.E OP INTERVIEW This schedule was used in interviewing some of the staff at the All Nations Foundation only. Background of interviewee When did you begin your work at the All Nations? How long have you been working in this particular depart ment? Did you ever have previous experience of working in the social agency before? For how long? Could you tell me about your educational background and experience? Are you a registered social worker? What about the size of the staff, was it as big as at the present time? How many volunteer workers did you have? Physical characteristics of the neigh borhood during three periods Do you recall the characteristics of the neighbor hood served by the All Nations? What the neighborhood was like at the beginning? Was there any natural barriers of this area? Has it been the same area since the beginning up to the present time or has it been changed? What kind of homes were they? Were there many big building houses? Were they multiple dwellings? What were the average number of units in each building? Were there single unattached dwellings, hotels or rooms above business places? What type of building materials were used— wood, stone, stucco, etc.? Were there many families living in the same unit? Were they very crowded homes? What about the accessibility of water and plumbing facili ties? What do you recall as the consequent results of such housing conditions? Poor health? Were there any particular kind of health problem in the neighborhood? Did the All Nations have any health service available for them? Were there any vacant lots where the children | could use as their playground? What about the other recreation resources? Gould you tell me what kind of recreational and leisure-time services the All Nations ____ — 89______ _________ 90, had for ehildren? What do you the agency had at that time? think as the best program Were there any new buildings, in tracts or Indus- , trial houses? What were some of the problems relating to I the physical appearance of the neighborhood? Were there ^ blind streets or blind spots which were inaccessible or | lying as waste land? low did the men get to work? How did! the children get to school? What schools are in this area?} Public or private? Where are junior high or high schools which serve the children of this area? What distances? What about the juvenile delinquency? Was it of high rate i comparing with the other sections of the city? How this problem was handled? What kind of behavior? Gambling? etc.? Oharacteristics of neighborhood population during three periods I Do you recall the ma j ority groups served by the All ; Nations in different periods? What were the majority ■ethnic and age groups served mostly by the All Nations i during the period of 1938-1940, 1940^1950, and 1950-1956? i Did the people served by this agency speak English mostly? ! ! If not, did the agency ever offer any special service to I help educating them about the language, culture and citizen- I ship of this country? ! Would you say that the population change resulted i ; in the occupation of people? What were the types of occu- : pations of the men of the families? Were they the common casual workers, unskilled, semi-skilled or skilled workers? Did All Nations ever offer employment service to those immigrants who came into this area to find jobs? Did the women work? If so, what kind of jobs did I they do? What about the children whose parents had to : work? Did All Nations have any service for children under five years old, such as day nursery care or kindergarten classes? Do you recall any other kind of services given at the All Nations to help the mothers and children? During 1940-1958, as there was a great increase in I the youth population of children under five years old, did ’ the All Nations realize this fact and help giving service I to cope with this problem? The statistics also showed the ; j increase in every age group of population out of which the j male population seemed to outnumber the females. Did the i 91 All Nations have any particular service for this, such as health service, recreational service? As among the aged population, the male tremen dously outnumbered the females, did the All Nations have any special service for the aged men, or were they given the same type of service as the aged women? What about the ethnic groups served mostly by the agency during the period of 1940-1950. What do you think is the significant change in the community since 1950? Has there been any change in the kind of services given by the All Nations in this cur rent period? What seems to be the trend of services given to the children, the aged and the adults of different age groups? Do you feel that the people are served adequately? What do you think are the significant problems in this neighborhood? In what way do you think the services of All Nations can help solving those problems? What are the attitudes of the people toward the services of the agency? Do you have any idea about the service, the people, the neighborhood which might be helpful to me in my study? UNIVERSITY OF SO'JTXZF:: CALIFORNIA LIBRARY'

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Creator Plengvidhya, Tasani (author)

Core Title A study of changes in services of All Nations Foundation as affected by the neighborhood's ecological changes

School School of Social Work

Degree Master of Social Work

Degree Program Social Work

Degree Conferral Date 1961-06

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag OAI-PMH Harvest,social sciences

Format application/pdf (imt)

Language English

Contributor Digitized by ProQuest (provenance)

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c39-447228

Unique identifier UC11314707

Identifier EP66039.pdf (filename),usctheses-c39-447228 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier EP66039.pdf

Dmrecord 447228

Document Type Thesis

Format application/pdf (imt)

Rights Plengvidhya, Tasani

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the au...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA