her husband and spend a little time with him. Mrs. L. said she would try this." It did take almost a year, but gradually the family got its debts paid off and learned to live within their income. The father continued to hold his job, and both reported to the volunteer the last time she saw them how much better they were getting along. In every one of the 7 chapters studied, each volunteer gave at least 1 day a week. The most volunteers in one chapter in 1 month was 48; the fewest, 6. The highest average of volunteer hours for 1 month was 1,480; the lowest, 210. For the group as a whole, the highest month¬ly average number of hours served was 66; the lowest, 20. A great many people with whom the volunteers dealt were emotionally upset—some were alcoholics, others were chronically dependent. But because these volun¬teers in Home Service were originally selected for their maturity, good sense, and good judgment and, in the second place, were well trained and had good supervi¬sion, they handled whatever came up. Naturally, there are differences in the skills of individual volunteer work¬ers, just as the skills of professional workers differ. But the study makes clear that there is no type of problem that trained and experienced volunteers cannot handle when properly supervised. While the study emphasizes the importance of formal training, it points up the need for supervisors to fortify that training with day-to-day instruction. A supervisor cites a good example of how she helped one of her best volunteer workers grow on the job. At times this volunteer had a tendency to see people in "black and white." If a veteran she was assisting did not tell the truth, turned down a job, or made a decision she didn't approve of, she tended not to care whether she helped him or not. That's a human enough attitude, but social welfare aides are taught to be more objective. In a conference with the volunteer, the supervisor pointed out that "man may want to work but may also fear his inability to do a job, and so find excuses to turn down the work, or to work a short time and quit. He is not then a 'bad' person, but he may be an inadequate person whose early experiences have made him dependent and immature, and who perhaps is con¬fused and demanding because he does not understand himself or know how to behave differently. Likewise, the man who does not tell the truth may be driven by fear or insecurity. These people, like the rest of us, are neither 'good' nor 'bad' in the absolute sense, but are merely behaving as they do for reasons often unknown even to themselves. We must look behind the act and try to see why the person acts as he does if we are to help him begin to make mature decisions for himself." Beyond giving the volunteers opportunity to grow, good supervision involves making sure that the volun¬teer clearly understands her duties and responsibilities, and helping her plan her work. Job descriptions are as important to the volunteer as to the paid worker. Good supervision for both paid and volunteer workers in Home Service involves the same techniques and skills: selective assignments based on the worker's special skills, awareness of the contribution trained and experienced volunteers can offer, and the creation of a warm, encour¬aging atmosphere in which volunteers feel needed and accepted. "What draws people to the Red Cross?" Mrs. Lester Cohen, chairman of Social Welfare Aide Service in the District of Columbia Chapter asks. "It is, I think, being needed. Red Cross could not exist without the volun¬tary participation of thousands of men and women. We know we are needed and we need to be needed." Many more volunteers, trained social welfare aides, are needed by Home Service to help handle the increase in case loads caused by the expansion of the armed forces, the military action in Korea, and growing civil defense demands. This expansion is not just a matter for today, next month, next year. And Red Cross chap¬ters, large and small, must look to their volunteer man¬power working with paid staff to meet their obligations. ^ Every Red Cross chapter gives aid through Home Service to servicemen, veterans, and their families. Last year a monthly average of 2,000 social welfare aides assisted with this work in 500 chapters. A total of 6,100 Home Service volunteers worked each month in all chapters—in military installations assisting the Red Cross field director, in military hospitals assisting the social worker, and in VA hospitals assisting the VA social service staff. 14 By George MacDonald The Bishop Hugged Me It was 2 o'clock on the fifth of August 1949, siesta time for the 40,000 people of Ambato, Ecuador. Sunshine flooded the rich valley tucked under the snowy Andes. All day the mountains had been coughing and trembling, but earthquake rumbles were such a common thing nobody paid much attention. Suddenly the tremblings became a roar. Houses shook, walls cracked. People ran out into the park. Some ran into the cathedral for safety. The noise burst louder. The earth shook from east to west and north to south, all at once. Then it was