Archives West Finding Aid

Tape-recorded interview, covers approximately 1950-1951, conducted by Meta Kaplan and Jeanette Schrieber, Aug. 4, 1975; transcript.

Phillips was a social worker at the United States Naval Hospital during World War II. She met Council members who came to the hospital as Gray Ladies. She introduced the concept of the current psychiatric clinic. She describes seeing a need for ongoing treatment for the service-men who were being dischared from the Hospital. She asked Council to sponsor a survey to define this unmet need. By sponsoring the request for a survey, Phillips motivated the Council of Social Agencies to recognize this need, and to establish the Community Psyciatric Clinic.

Golden Jubilee occurred during Phillips' administration, as did the workshop for the foreign born; this was Council's investment in the diginity of human beings. Phillips describes the way that the Therapeutic Workshop became the thrift shop.

Council enlisted a teacher from the Seattle Public Schools to teach newcomers the rudiments, so that they could start communicating immediately. Phillips tells of meeting newcomers at trains and taking them to lodgings. As Council made contributions to the community, and as others took over, Council could pull out and use funds for other interests. Phillips believes that Council is vital, since it examines unmet needs in the national and local community.