Neighborhood Social Centers 



A natural social center is the district school, and adja- 

 cent to or convenient to nearly every school there ought 

 to be a neighborhood playground and club building. It 

 is not best to use the schoolhouse for social gatherings 

 as a regular thing. There ought to be weekly meetings 

 of farmers and their families most of the year. Per- 

 haps in midsummer they should be suspended, although 

 I have noticed that farmers enjoy ice cream socials as 

 well as other people. 



Debates on political and agricultural topics, and all 

 manner of literary and musical exercises, should be con- 

 ducted in connection with the weekly socials. As many 

 fun-making games as possible should be introduced. To 

 give a practical turn to such affairs and to still further 

 vary the entertainment there could be an occasional dem- 

 onstration of seed testing, farm bookkeeping, etc., to- 

 gether with an exchange of experiences. 



These social centers have already been established in 

 a great many places, but thousands more are needed. The 

 cost of a suitable building and a few acres of ground is 

 readily subscribed in any neighborhood. The better the 

 building, the more enjoyment it will bring — the more 

 good will it do the rising generation. It should be large 

 enough to contemplate simple courses of domestic science, 

 manual training and indoor athletics. The property needs 

 to be under the control of an association, or the sub- 

 scribers can merely vote to place it in the care of a 

 trustee. A public-spirited school teacher is of great as- 



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