driving to the poor house?

[Wojtek Sokolowski]

At 03:53 PM 9/14/99 -0500, you wrote:
>"Poorhouse" does not mean "welfare office." Historically it was a quite
>literal designation in early 20th century u.s. (probably going back to
>the 19th c.) -- it was a literal *house* maintained by the county government
>to commit paupers to. I'm not sure when the literal institution disappeared,
>but at least in the late 1930s to which my memory stretches when people
>spoke of fearing to go to the poor house they were being quite literal.
>
>The statement Kelly quotes probably goes back to mid-century at least. I
>doubt that its origins can be discovered.
>
>Carrol
>
>kelley wrote:
>
>> Hi:  A colleague of mine was wondering about the origin of a statement he
>> thinks he recalls someone making.  It's something like this:  "The United
>> States will be the first country where people will drive to the poorhouse
>> (welfare office?)".  He's not sure of the precise quotation, but that's the
>> general idea.
>>
>> Does anyone recognize this or have any idea who said it?
>>
>> Thanks.

The poor house was an institution established under the 16/17th century
English poor laws - it was a compulsory confinement for the unemployed -
sort of forced labor camp, if you will.

wojtek