ORGANIZING THE COMMUNITY 187 



must develop a real purpose, first of all, to make the 

 school a community building institution. Each school 

 in itself should be a sort of community. The school- 

 house may be the center of many community enter- 

 prises and interests. Wherever possible, it will be- 

 come a community meeting place, a community forum, 

 the entertainment center, but more than all, it is the 

 educational agency of the entire community, not only 

 for the children but for adults as well. We should 

 cease to think of the school as merely a place for train- 

 ing children. In a democracy, the people of the com- 

 munity should always be in the process of being edu- 

 cated. The public school can be almost as useful to 

 adults as to children. In this way, it becomes a great 

 community serving institution. 



The Farmers' Association. Some years ago in 

 Massachusetts, the State Grange adopted the slogan 

 that each subordinate Grange should try to be a com- 

 munity building organization. That is, it was not to 

 think of itself merely as seeking the interests of its 

 members alone, but was to utilize the power of asso- 

 ciated effort that arises through the Grange for the 

 benefit of the entire community. This sound prin- 

 ciple applies to all voluntary associations. It is legit- 

 imate for groups of people to band themselves to- 

 gether to advance their interests, but more and more 

 the obligation comes to them to use these agencies for 

 the benefit of all within their reach. 



A Community Serving Church. The country church 

 should point the way toward the application of a re- 

 ligious motive, both to character building and to com- 

 munity building. It should explain how the Kingdom 

 of God may come within and without. It should make 

 clear the principle that the Kingdom never will come 



