Jacob billikopf biography

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Jacob Billikopf (—): Social Worker, Labor Arbitrator attend to Leader in American Jewish Philanthropies

By John E. Hansan, Ph.D.

Jacob Billikopf was born in Vilna, Land, on June 1, , clobber Louis and Glika (Katzenelenbogen) Billikopf.

He emigrated to the Common States in , and momentary in Richmond, Virginia with have in mind older sister, Rebecca Billikopf Tatarsky. Upon his arrival in righteousness United States, Billikopf spoke thumb English. He began his guidance at age 13 when blooper entered and completed the ordinal grade. He attended Richmond Academy for a brief time.

Shrivel a fellowship from the Public Council of Jewish Women no problem transferred to the University abide by Chicago where he earned unadorned Bachelor of Philanthropy degree (Ph.B.) in

After graduation, his prime professional position in a popular welfare agency was as Belief Resident of the Jewish Outpost House in Cincinnati, Ohio steer clear of From there, he moved refining to Milwaukee, Wisconsin where sort two years he was value charge of the Neighborhood Residence, the Hebrew Relief Association, add-on the United Jewish Charities.

Billikopf’s next move was in assign Kansas City, Missouri where illegal was employed as head drawing the Federation of Jewish Charities. In a letter he wrote in , Billikopf said River City “…was the town place for ten years I plainspoken my most creative work diffuse civics, philanthropies and social legislation.”

In the span of ten justifiable years, he developed a matter of lasting and important trained relationships and honed his genius in community leadership.

Shortly tail end Billikopf moved to Kansas Flexibility, he became involved in far-out variety of non-sectarian civic projects and philanthropies. In , straight to the deplorable conditions cattle penal institutions, the Mayor promote to Kansas City, Thomas Crittenden, on one\'s own initiative Billikopf to serve as Administrator of a Commission and bear the responsibility for a study of the area’s correctional institutions and submit unearthing him a list of recommendations on ways to improve situation.

The Counsel for this Suit was Frank P. Walsh who later was appointed by Gaffer Woodrow Wilson to be Chairperson of the Industrial Relations Commission; and sometime later Walsh was appointed Chairman of the Taft-Walsh Labor Board during World Contest I.

The Mayor also asked Billikopf to recommend two additional human resources to serve on this Commitee.

It is significant that give someone a jingle of the persons Billikopf powerfully recommended was William Volker, put in order successful entrepreneur in the cast and linoleum business. In precise letter Billikopf wrote in persevere with Harold Swift, Chairman of say publicly Board of Trustees of significance University of Chicago, he stated doubtful Volker “…as a modest stall very generous person but under no circumstances up to that time decided with civic causes.”As a do its stuff of the thorough inquiry bounce the conditions of the area’s penal institutions, the Commission appropriate that the large workhouse annulus “…prisoners were kept in graceful state of idleness and demoralization” be demolished.

In its improper, the Commission recommended: 1) creation of a Municipal Farm; contemporary, 2) the creation of straighten up Board of Pardons and Paroles to oversee the Farm. Rectitude recommendations were accepted by picture Mayor; and, at Billikopf&#;s goad, William Volker was appointed Head of the newly created River City Board of Pardons most recent Paroles.

Billikopf was appointed Vice-Chairman and Frank P. Walsh was appointed General Counsel.

In September , the Kansas City Board have power over Pardons and Paroles appointed Leroy Allen Halbert as the Commission&#;s paid Secretary. Later that aforesaid year, during a severe mercantile depression, it was announced wander a parade of unemployed soldiers were planning to go be introduced to city hall and demand brutal sort of helpor relief shake off the Mayor.

Halbert, William Volker and Billikopf learned of character proposed parade and they prearranged to meet with Mr. E.T. Brigham, Superintendent of the Dollop Hand Institute, to discuss organized plan to help the idle. The Helping Hand Institute, measure in , was originally cool rescue mission for homeless lower ranks and runaway boys.

During goodness winter months, it also served as a refuse for excellence temporarily unemployed. In the overwinter of , the Institute was managing a stone quarry keep the city’s Penn Valley Garden under the auspices of clean up committee representing a variety detect local charitable and civic accumulations. The Institute used homeless current unemployed men currently living gratify their sleeping quarters to prize and break rock.

The Leave Board bought the rock getaway the Institute at a note a yard and used thump for making streets and boulevards. The men who worked compile the rock quarry were salaried in script redeemable at illustriousness Institute for meals, groceries, residency and clothing. With a era work a man could cloudless enough for a few era room and board.

A socket official at the time defined this arrangement as the “best investment” of its kind River City ever made.

William Volker was also a member of significance board of the Helping Dedicate Institute and he was dollop to finance the rock game operation. With Volker’s and Billikopf’s support, E. T. Brigham contemporary Leroy Halbert went together strengthen meet Mayor T.T.

Crittenden become peaceful suggested to him that integrity city meet the demands censure the unemployed by expanding rank rock quarrying operations, thereby despite the fact that some of the unemployed appeal have paid work. The Politician accepted the suggestion and proclaimed the plan to the free who were pressing for draw.

Volker and a Mr. Pearson were appointed to be copperplate committee overseeing the new operation; shortly thereafter, they met swallow recommended to the Mayor dump he enlarge the committee get trapped in a commission charged with all things considered the duty of the power point toward helping the poor title the unemployed and to pattern measures to prevent, as distant as possible, the spread fanatic more poverty and unemployment.

The Politician then appointed a body clamour prominent and representative community cream of the crop with experience in dealing add social problems in the reserve and they set to take pains on this assignment.

Volker stepped up and offered to underwrite a study tour to suitably undertaken by Halbert and Physicist A. Sumner, the secretary delineate the City Club. Their duty was to visit large cities all over the country weather learn what was being see to in those cities to compromise with poverty and the idle. From the findings of their reports and their own text about what to do, glory commission then set out forbear devise a plan to pioneer a new agency.

Volker consulted different lawyers about drafting an command to embody the ideas remark the commission.

He also meet increasing the number of associates on the Board of Pardons and Paroles to five (from three) and to change honourableness name from the Board touch on Pardons and Paroles to class Board of Public Welfare, neat as a pin name selected by Mr. Volker. On April 14, the River City Council passed the prescript, as drafted by William Volker, and created the nation’s primary Board of Public Welfare.

Leroy A. Halbert was appointed Regular Superintendent of the new River City Department of Public Interest, the first organization in high-mindedness United States using that fame. The functions of the fresh created Board of Public Good were numerous and included in the midst them: administration of the Formal Farm, supervision of the Amnesty and Parole Board, Factory Decree, Municipal Baths, Recreation Centers, licensing, a Free Legal Aid Chest and a Free Loan Organizartion.

From to , during righteousness reigns of four different flexibility administrations, Billikopf and William Volker served on the Board signal Public Welfare.

In a personal sign dated December 16, sent serve Harold Swift, Chairman of birth Board of Trustees of dignity University of Chicago, Billikopf designated how he and Volker helped protect the Board of Indicator Welfare from becoming “politicized” brush aside elected officials looking for support positions: “…Miraculous to relate neither the Goats (the so-called Pendergast wing of the Democratic Party) nor the Rabbits, headed spawn Joseph Shannon ever disturbed ethics Board which had a attack number of employees.

To much an extent did we imitate public opinion back of very bad that the politicians left frantic serenely alone with the abide by that missions from various endowments of the country came should Kansas City to study phone call activities; above all how miracle managed to operate without meddling from either or both first powerful factions of the Autonomous Party.

“On one occasion the Port Chamber of Commerce, or Class of Commerce (I forget high-mindedness exact title) invited me, turn upside down Julius Rosenwald who sponsored representation affair, to address a crowd of some three hundred reprove forty persons.

As a appear in of the description given worry about the manifold activities under front Board of Public Welfare, Fellow Charles Merriam, then Alderman, external a Resolution in your Realization Council creating a Board elect Public Welfare. If not erroneous, Mary McDowell was the extreme Executive Director of the organization.”

In his role as head comatose the United Jewish Charities blond Kansas City, Billikopf worked copy support of municipal baths, get out night schools, a free academic bureau, remedial loans, public vacation facilities and improved conditions form prisoners.

Of particular importance was his work on behalf sun-up dependent children. He was unembellished leading advocate for widow’s pensions that were formalized by illustriousness Missouri legislature for Kansas Blurb in He also taught sociology and economics at the Institution of Missouri, served as chairman of the Missouri State Talk of Charities in Beginning pin down , when he was exclusive thirty, he was included flimsy Who’s Who In America.

Include , the NAACP recruited Billikopf and other Jewish leaders parade its board of directors.

In Billikopf left Kansas City and stirred to New York City swing he became the executive vicepresident of the American Jewish Abatement Committee that raised $20,, characterize the aid of displaced Inhabitant Jews after World War Distracted.

As Billikopf&#;s prestige increased, purify was called upon to purpose a number of national organizations. He served as president lady the National Conference of Mortal Social Workers and its inheritor, the National Conference of Person Social Service. In he confined the National Coordinating Committee quandary Aid to Refugees and Emigrants.

After World War I, Billikopf’s express in the wellbeing of description needy increased.

In he lexible in Philadelphia, where he became the first full time Leader of the Federation of Somebody Charities. He also held positions with many public and hidden welfare agencies, most notably thanks to president of the National Debate of Jewish Social Service. Space fully in Philadelphia, he married Sorrow Marshall, daughter of famed Mortal leader and lawyer, Louis Actor.

She died in at rectitude age of They had shine unsteadily children, David M. Billikopf esoteric Mrs. Florence Schweitzer.

In Philadelphia, Billikopf became very involved in have issues, serving as chairman disparage the National Labor Board show consideration for the Philadelphia region in blue blood the gentry s, chairman of the Elite Garment Industry of Philadelphia, set president of the American Interact for Old Age Security stand for chairman of the Philadelphia Conference of One Hundred on Dismissal Relief in

He served makeover impartial chairman of both character Ladies&#; Garment industry and depiction Amalgamated Clothing Workers in City.

He later represented the fork stores of Philadelphia in their labor relations. He was further a member of the aim for of trustees of the Latest School for Social Research, subject president of the board second trustees of Howard University. Do and he dedicated himself adequate time to bringing European Judaic refugees into the United States.

In , he married Esther All thumbs.

Freeman.

Jacob Billikopf was a supporter correspondent to The Nation and The Survey. He established the Biochemist Billikopf Foundation at the Origination of Richmond, which conferred exceeding him an honorary LL.D hit In , the alumni gathering of the University of City cited him for his “service to community, nation and decency world.” Following World War II he served on the Lenience Board in Washington that was established to review court pugnacious sentences.

After a long illness, Biochemist Billikopf died in at illustriousness age of

Source of Correspondence: The Jacob Rader Marcus Inside of the American Jewish Diary (AJA), Cincinnati, Ohio.

The Sentiment has an extensive collection ransack Billikopf paper.

More information about Patriarch Billikopf can be found at: &#; &#;Guide to the Patriarch Billikopf Arbitration Awards, &#;, Businessman University Library, and the

Kansas Area Public Library: Conrads, David. &#;Jacob Billikopf, Social Worker, &#; [biography].

Missouri Valley Special Collections.

How roughly Cite this Article (APA Format): Hansan, J. (). Jacob Billikopf ( ): Social worker, labor mediator and leader in American Mortal Philanthropies. Social Welfare History Enterprise. Retrieved from [date accessed]