SCIENTIFIC VALUE OF THE SOCIAL SETTLEMENTS 173
accepted it with honest hearts. This sharing of himself, of his personality, of his life, was the true test of Toynbee's work, and underlies the value of the social-settlement movement.
Toynbee spent several years lecturing on political economy, and meeting the leaders of the workingmen socially to discuss problems of social and economic life. In these conferences Toynbee saw the great value of testing economic theories by the experimental logic of these muscular-brained workingmen, and admired their keen criticisms. One thing that impressed him deeply was the neighborliness of the poor, and that amidst all of this poverty were to be found personalities and organiza- tions that, if rightly directed, could be utilized for the salvation of the community. With these natural agencies, by wisely studying and directing them, he hoped to do his principal work.
Toynbee did not live to see the result of his labors, but there were plenty of young lives at Oxford that have been touched by his consecration who were ready to take up the work where he laid it down. His death seemed to be a special stimulus. A large sum of money was raised to carry on a per- manent work in memory of his noble life. A colony of univer- sity students was planned, splendid buildings were erected, and soon, with Canon Barnett as warden, Toynbee Hall began its work.
The settlement idea has taken firm hold of the universities, and, to some extent, of the churches, during these first fifteen years of its history, and the residents of the different settle- ments, while they do not claim to rank among the prominent thinkers of the day, are widely recognized as those whose stud- ies of social conditions, and experience in trying to find the most scientific method of accelerating social progress are of no small value. Their knowledge of what is actually occurring within society makes their conclusions as to the most natural methods of reform important. This knowledge is of double value because it comes from within the social stream itself, and because every community has its own individual problems, which differ more or less from thr problems of every other community.
