|
As mentioned in the "Anthology from the
minutes of the Hallum poorhouse", there was a so-called “central
charity” available in
Ferwerderadeel, by which additional “care and assistance” was provided.
The board of governors nominated their own
members which were then appointed by the municipal council. Thereby the responsibility (in particular financial)
of this
governing board was officially
under the authority of the municipal council. According to the minutes
there was, from time to time, a sort of power
struggle - questioning who really had the last word - especially in the
matter
of deciding who would or would not be allowed to live in the poorhouse.
It
is also
important for the reader to realize that the opinions and methods of
these guardians
of the poor, from the end of the 19th through to the beginning of
the 20th century, is completely foreign to our present-day view of
society and social welfare.
Undoubtedly
it will seem to us to be feudal and patronizing, which in fact it was,
but that
was the norm for that period of time. At
the same time we begin to see how some of these “residents” of the
poorhouses appeared
to attempt to shake off the “straight
jacket” and began to rebel.
On
the other hand, the guardians, and certainly the poor-father, Vander
Leest,
were confronted with residents suffering from psychiatric illnesses, or
intellectual handicaps. For such, in
those days, there was scarcely any adequate treatment, nursing or
assistance,
and therefore they were forced to cope in whatever way possible. From
this perspective we begin to see that
the poorhouse certainly filled both a practical and social function for
the vulnerable inhabitants of the village communities of the municipality
of Ferwerderadeel.
|
