Atlanta Daily World

Whitney Young Tells Frontiers Value Of Social Work Will Grow

By PAUL DELANEY

Dr. Whitney Young, dean of the Atlanta University School of Social Work, told members of Atlanta Frontiers of America Tuesday that "social work is going to be one of the most important professions we have." He spoke at the weekly dinner meeting at Joe's Holiday Room Tuesday night.

"In 50, or even 25 years there will be a demand for teachers, social workers and other human service professions," he said.

"We may make the same mistake the Negro did years ago when he got out of the trades and went into the professions right when the Industrial Revolution began."

Dr. Young expressed the hope that the Atlanta school would regain its right of revolution and protest. It was, he pointed out, the basis for the school being founded.

He gave a brief history of social work in America, saying it was forced upon mankind by the needs of man through no fault of his own.

"Society's first solution was to punish those in need of social help," he said. "Then they tried to hide them to put them out of sight of their conscience. Then they tried rehabilitation. Today, the social worker is concerned with prevention; stopping the problem before it arrives."

NEW PROFESSION

He said that the relatively new profession for years was at a loss to what it was. It went through many phases, he stated. "Once, the social worker decided to become professional by not picketing or taking part in the things they considered without dignity. They took to methodology and technique. They became 'dignified'."

However, he went on, "We are now moving back to our place as social workers and are even accepted by doctors; there are social workers in all hospitals now; there are some on some medical school faculties."

The young dean hit the current trend of education urging students to go into the sciences and engineering. He also said that Atlanta University School of Social Work does not teach a student to go out and tell persons what to do: he is taught to have them do what they want.

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Value Of
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RANSOM INTRODUCES
Young was introduced at the meeting by Rev. P. F. Ransom, pastor of Butler Street Baptist Church. Significantly, presiding was the founder of the school of Social Work, J. O. Thomas, president of the Frontiers. Both are pictured in an article on the school in the October edition of Ebony Magazine.

Mr. Thomas pointed out that when he founded the school in 1920 there was no trained Negro social worker south of Washington D.C. and St. Louis. They were trained at the New York School of Social Work and the Chicago School of Social Administration. They always stayed up north and worked.

This was mentioned by Dr. Young also. He cited the fact that for every graduate of Atlanta University the school has about 25 applicants. He said young people don't realize the possibilities in social work and the profession hasn't publicized them too much in their effort of attracting "money makers and not dedicated people."

REPORTS ON SMITH
Before the meeting got under way, W. M. A. Scott, WORLD editor, brought the club up to date on the Melvin Smith case. Smith was accused of raping a white woman; his case was tried twice and he was sentenced to die. The end came last week when the Georgia Supreme Court ruled the lower court erred when it did not allow Smith's counsel 10 minutes to prepare his case. Mr. Stevens, co-chairman of the fund raising committee for Smith.