El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1896-12-23
A COMMUNISTIC COLLEGE,
An Odd Educational Enterprise in
Northern Illinois.
The Workers Are Building Up a Small
City of Their Own-Labor Nee
essary Part of the Ex-

: They are making communistic edu
{ | catonal experiment near the little town
of ST. Anne, ILL.,, some 90 miles soutb ot
Chicago, that has already attracted a
good deal of attention and is sure TO he
talked of the world over if ANYTHING
like success is accomplished. This ex
pertinent is known as the Peoples uni.
versity. st. Anne is far removed from
the railroad in region that is strictly
rural and the university owns an entire
section of land, G4O acres.
Upon this tract stands not only the
university buildings, but also the homes
for the time being, of all the students
and teachers. The land is cultivated
comparatively by all, the proceeds are
sold for the benefit of all. the property
of the community is kept in a common
stOrehOuse.
The community started with cani-
tai of 1880, invested in tools. machinery
and live stock. The school has asked
for no gifts, does not expect to sec1Ir.
any endOwmentS, and will aDnaal
| neither to the charity nor the bcnefi-
| cence of the public in any wav. The
students and teachers who are on the
| ground are working with their own
| hands at the construction of the buiId-
| Ings, and arc carrying on the apricu1-
! tural work of the school, all of which
is done without compensation.
Their labor is employed directly in
producing the food, clothing. fuel and
shelter necessary for their own com
| Portable existence. When this labor
has provided these necessities. the bal
ance OF their time is devoted to study.
The educational workers are build
ing up their own city, including houses.
school and farm. The dwellings are
cottages, 12XS feet on the ground and
story and half high, with first-class
cedar roofs.
They have built five miles of fences;
planted fruit trees and 500 grape vines:
have set out an immense garden of
about 10 acres. have fields containino.
10000 sweet potato plants. p acres OF
irish potatoes, 50 acres of oats. ESQ
acres OF corn, 40 acres of sorghum, 20
acres of millet and 20 acres of buck
wheat, all of which are in very fine con-
dition.
1t is the unanimous verdict of the
large number of visitors that no finer
crop nor better farming is to be found
anywhere than there.
The cottages are built in Il sort of
HeLlI-cIFcle, 1olloWlnS Il slight rise OF
ground which is everywhere over
grown with bluegrass. 1t would be
difficult to find. or to produce, even
with a considerable expenditure Of
money, more beautiful location for
the home than this little grove has fur
nished, ready made.
The form in which the buildings are
constructed is that of a small village,
lint hnr :
no sale of lots. The school will hold. in |
its own name and for it's own use. all |
land, houses, shops and implements OF |
every kind. There is no way in which |
any person can secure speculative or |
even legitimate business interest in |
any of the work of this school. There |
is no plan for admitting. for residence
in this village, anyone who does not |
come solely for an educational purpose
The school simply provides an op-
portunity for study for those who are
willing, by their own toll, to take adj
vantage of such opportunity: and the
only return offered for labor is mental
training. The man who does not want
to study has no reason for going there,
and will not be admitted. or if admit
ted by mistake. will not be permitted to
Dor with their own hands at TASKS
necessary to comfortable existence are
also excluded.
In fact. this unique community com.
bines the elements of socialism anC
communism, and, it is to be hoped
without any of their evils The aim O.
the students of the Peoples university
is to sink individualism and accom-
DliSh the UrP1tPCt rOO6 for NJ
Here is the order of the dav work:
The rising bell rings 1T o'clock. break.
fast is at 6, chapel at $50. and all hands
attend this morning service in theil
clothes. They 90 direct from
this service to their work in the field
At a quarter to 10 the bell rings a fiel6
call to dinner. Dinner is at ten minutes
past -. and the classes begin, at 1870
AT $50 the classroom work is over:
supper is at 6.
From $50 to the time is spent in
rest and play. and from to in study
after which the day is done and all re-
tire. Sunday forenoon is ones own for
reding and rest. and at in the after
room service of public worship is held |
The use of tobacco, intoxicants and
opiates is not permitted within the uni
versity's precincts.
The work of building this commu-
nity was undertaken by Walter Thorn
as Mills, who, as field secretary for the
organization, is entirely responsible |
for its management. The appointment
Of teachers. securing of students. di-
'eceiOn of discipline, in fact. the com
Dlete management of the school in its
industrial classroom work, is for the
present in his hands II iS an old |
dea of his. Mr.. Mills is known as
lecturer on temperance and other social
and economical topics.
The wonderful growth of the corps of
he little colony and the very satisfac-
-ory returns which the immediate fu-
lure promises are held to justify the OK
)ectatiCn that, i'll Il very short time |
The fruits of its own toll will entirely |