Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 08.djvu/544

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SOCIAL SCIENCE 480 SOCIAL SETTLEMENTS cessors of the modern Syndicalists, in that they believed that the workers should own the tools of production. This they wished to bring about by establishing self-governing workshops, which should be owned by the employes and the profits of which should be divided among the same employes. Their experiments never snowed the vitality of growth, and the movement, also known under the name of productive co-operation and co-partner- ship, is today practically dead. More recently a group of Marxian So- cialists has appeared, which bases its propaganda on the belief that the teach- ings of Christ were essentially Socialistic, in that they advocated the brotherhood of man and denounced the possession of riches. This point of view is most ably expounded in Bouck White's "The Call of the Carpenter" (1912). SOCIAL SCIENCE, the systematic in- vestigation of questions relating to pub- lic and domestic hygiene, education, labor, the punishment and reformation of crim- inals, the prevention of pauperism, and the like. The "Societes de Bienfaisance" (Beneficent Societies), established in France in the 18th century, were founded for the purpose of discussing similar mat- ters, and the National Association for the Promotion of Social Science origi- nated in a meeting, in 1857, at the house of Lord Brougham (1778-1868), when he was appointed the first president. The association held annual meetings, and published its proceedings, classed under the heads of Jurisprudence, Education, Punishment and Reformation, Public Health, Social Economy, and Trade and International Law, but its action was temporarily suspended in 1884. Since its establishment social science has made great advances in most civilized countries, notably in precautions against disease, the reconstitution of hospital charities, the regulation of prisons and workhouses, the establishment of reformatories for young criminals and penitentiaries for fallen women, and the extension of middle- class and industrial education. The word has also been used to designate the sci- ence now termed Sociology (q. v.). SOCIAL SCIENCE ASSOCIATION, AMERICAN, was founded in Boston, Mass., in 1865, for the purpose of inves- tigating and studying all those social problems which come under the following heads: community health; education and art; social economy; finance; and juris- prudence. The membership of the asso- ciation throughout the country is at pres- ent about 1,200. Its official organ is "The Journal of Social Science." SOCIAL SERVICE, AMERICAN IN- STITUTE OF, an organization whose purpose it is to serve as a clearing-house of information regarding social institu- tions for the betterment of society in all countries. At first known as the League for Social Service, it was reorganized under its present name in 1902. Its work is divided under the following heads: gathering facts on social and industrial betterment; interpreting these facts and tracing their causes; and to make known results obtained by the various social bet- terment institutions in all countries. As an instance, when an employer desires to establish profit-sharing in his firm, the Institute will save him the trouble of an extensive investigation into the subject and supply him with the material. SOCIAL SETTLEMENTS, groups of social workers who live among the lower classes in the slum districts, first, to ob- tain first hand information of conditions which create poverty, and, second, to of- fer relief and educational assistance at first hand. The idea of obtaining such close contact with the sources of social misfortune originated with the Christian Socialists an association of educated Englishmen "who were active during the middle of the last century. One of these, Edward Dennison,'was the first who went to live among the poor of London, in 1867, to obtain first hand information of social conditions among them. Another deeply interested student was Arnold Toynbee, who, on his death, left a legacy which was to be devoted to the establishment of what was to be the first social settlement, Toynbee Hall, opened in London, in 1885. Only two years later the Neighborhood Guild, now known as the University Set- tlement, was opened in New York City. The largest social settlement in this coun- try is Hull House, opened in Chicago, in 1889, at whose head is Jane Addams. Its influence has extended all over the city of Chicago, and the results of its socio- logical studies form an important part of sociological literature in general in this country. The object of the settlement house is strongly in contrast to that of any charitable institution in that it seeks to stimulate the poverty-stricken classes to improve their condition by their own efforts. To this end clubs and associa- tions are organized among the people of the neighborhood for the purpose of study- ing a multitude of subjects and for self^ improvement. Credit unions are formed for the purpose of assisting mutually those who may meet unexpected misfor- tunes. As another instance, the Neigh- borhood Guild Settlement House, in New York City, has organized among the women of its neighborhood a co-operative society, which carries on a successful grocery store business through which the