Rose Valley 
THE OLD MILL, AT ROSE VALLEY, BEFORE ITS CONVERSION INTO THE GUILD HALL AND POTTERY 
delightful place for social gatherings and public meet¬ 
ings. Here the monthly “Folk Mote,” or town 
meeting, for the discussion of matters of common 
local interest is held. Lectures, plays, concerts, 
and dances take place there, and here are enjoyed 
the annual celebrations in which all the men, women 
and children in the village participate. Much merry¬ 
making was enjoyed last Christmas when a com¬ 
munal tree and supper was given. The blazing logs 
in the huge fireplace, and the gaily lighted tree, with 
the dainty dresses of the children, made a picturesque 
scene. Every family had sent presents for the chil¬ 
dren. The supper was followed by a concert, and 
a one-act play enacted by local talent. The old year 
which had witnessed such an increase in Rose Valley 
interests was watched out by those who stopped to 
close the festival with a dance. It is proposed to use 
the Guild Hall as a school, while a library is also 
being formed. 
Among the many houses that have been built, 
one of the most attractive is the simple plaster house, 
built for Charles H. and Alice Barber Stephens out 
of an old stone barn, in which the architect, Mr. 
Price, has made use of all that was ready to hand. 
1 he beauty of the woodwork left to weather seemed 
in keeping with the rugged surroundings. I'he 
studios of Mr. and Mrs. Stephens are on dilf'erent 
floors, and are large and well-lighted. The beautiful 
drawings depicting child life, by Alice Barber Ste¬ 
phens, are too well known to need much comment. 
In Harper s Magazine, The Ladies' Home "Journal, 
and other leading periodicals, her illustrations cap¬ 
tivate true lovers of art. 
In these days of strenuous commercialism there 
sometimes comes over us a feeling that life to-day has 
lost much of its old quaintness. Everything seems 
to be struggling toward one goal the eternal dollar. 
Huge industries have arisen, drawing people into 
congested cities. The small manufacturer no longer 
exists, few things are completely made by a single 
craftsman, hut by hundreds of men, each doing his 
monotonous task. 
Sometimes we find an oasis. Rose Valley is one 
of these. We feel that a spirit of artistic freedom 
pervades; here is a place where the vampire of com¬ 
mercialism cannot find entrance; here is a place where 
the craftsman may work for the love of his craft, 
and the artist for the love of art; here is a small but 
living monument to the life-work of John Ruskin 
and William Morris. 
