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Frances PerkinsFrances Perkins
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The smile on Mr. Devine's face broadened and he said, “That isn't exactly what we would recommend.” He then opened to me briefly the door to the idea that rehabilitation consisted in getting parents to work, keep sober and discharge their responsibilities.

Anyhow he explained to me in words of one and two syllables that, in the first place, they wouldn't hire anybody so young as I was, and, in the second place, I hadn't had enough life experience to have any judgment at all about what to do with the poor, the needy, the forsaken and those who were in trouble.

I asked him what he thought I ought to do in order to prepare myself. He asked me about my education and I told him what it was. He then said, “Well, why don't you get yourself a job teaching? There's always opportunity. Just passing of years and what you observe and read will give you some experience. You've obviously never even read in this field.” I had to admit that I hadn't. He made a few suggestions of books that I should read. How the Other Half Lives by Jacob Riis was one of them - it was very impressive. He recommended that I read the Charity Organizations Society Bulletin - I think I went away with a handful of them under my arm.

I then went out and got myself a job at teaching





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