FIFTH NATIONAI, CONSERVATION CONGRESS 227 



do not get into the outside world except at occasional intervals. The saw mill 

 towns in this section also are often composed solely of those dependent on the 

 lumber company for employment, and often the inhabitants have little or no 

 voice in the administration of community affairs. 



The southern lumber industry, especially in the yellow pine belt, has made 

 rapid strides in welfare work, due largely to the efforts of a few public spirited 

 and far seeing men who realized the value of communities composed of clean, 

 temperate citizens. The best results have been attained in the so-called "one-man" 

 towns in which all property is owned by the lumber company. The manager 

 often exercises entire authority over community affairs. The need for this auto- 

 cratic adniinistration is self-evident to one comparing a well conducted one-man 

 town with many of the "open towns" in the same region. The first will be found 

 to consist of quiet, law-abiding citizens, while in many cases the opposite is true 

 in open towns. 



In some cases one-man towns have been incorporated and the citizens given 

 a share in the regulation of community affairs, with excellent results. While 

 one-man towns have advantages from the lumberman's standpoint, there are also 

 disadvantages. The company must invest large sums of money in buildings and 

 other improvements, such as water and light ; must enforce sanitary measures ; 

 and also be responsible either directly or indirectly for police protection. The 

 construction of the town alone is a heavy drain on resources that might other- 

 wise be invested in the business. It is believed, however, that, as a rule, the 

 investment returns a fair interest. 



School Systems. 



The provisions made by lumber companies for the education of employes' 

 children vary greatly. The more advanced companies, in one-man towns, have 

 developed excellent school systems, in some cases being equal to the best offered 

 by the more progressive independent towns. Elementary schools are maintained 

 in the logging camps if families reside there. The higher grades are provided 

 in connection with the town schools. 



As a rule, the more progressive firms try to make their schools so attractive 

 that children will want to attend of their own free will. Some rely upon this 

 factor to secure the attendance of children of school age, while others have a 

 requirement that all children of employes, between certain ages, must attend. 

 The first system is the more desirable, although the latter is sometimes ncessary 

 where parents are indifferent to the matter. 



Every company operating a logging camp in which families live should main- 

 tain a school in charge of a capable teacher, and instruction should continue for 

 a period of at least nine months, for it not only would be a great benefit to the 

 children but also would keep those mischievously inclined from being a nuisance 

 around the camp. 



Schools can be made the means of enlightening the younger members of the 

 community on questions of personal hygiene, on sanitation and like problems. 

 The buildings afford a place where talks on popular subjects may be given and 



