Social Work

Alley dwellings in the S.W. quadrant of Washington, D.C., in November 1937. The U.S. Capitol dome can be seen in the background of the city's severely poverty-stricken area. Courtesy Library of Congress.

Before taking a serious interest in politics, Perle was devoted to social work. During her marriage to George, she succeeded in improving the working conditions of her husband's machine plant by persuading him to establish a cafeteria, hospital, school, and daycare center on site. In Washington, D.C., Perle founded daycare centers and sponsored other welfare programs in the city's poorest neighborhoods. During World War II, she spent several months at the Stage Door Canteen in Washington, D.C. organizing volunteers and preparing and serving food to an average of 2,500 American servicemembers per day.

Children playing on sidewalk in Georgetown, Washington, D.C., September 1935. Courtesy Library of Congress.