The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1896-12-24
a 0OMMUNISTIC COLLEGE.
Al odd Educational Enterprise In
Northern Ilinoia

|
xAs Wosksrs Are Buildiae Up susn
City1 Of Their Own-LAbor q Nee.
sssaEy Part Of the Ex-
| They are making q communists edu-
oetional experiment. near the little town.
ot st. Anne, ILL.,, some 60 miles south Of
Chicago, that has already attracted
good deal Of attention and IL sure to be
ItallOed Of the world over II anything
lilke success = accomplished. This ex-
pertinent is known as the Peoples uni
tersity. st. Ammo ID far removed from
the railroadi In region that is strictly
rural and the university owns an entire
section Of land, $40 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
oooperatively by all, the proceeds are
sold Tor the benefit Of all, the property
of ths community Il kept In a common
lstorehouse. n W
The community started with a capi-
tal Of y, 800, invested in tools, machinery
9nd live stock. The school has asked
3or no gifts, does not expect to secure
1anv endowments, and will appeal
Iheather to the charity nor the beneA-
loence OF the public in any way. The
Fstudents and teachers who are on the
ground are working with their own
Ehands at the construction Of the build
hngs, and arc carrying on the agricul-
turN work Of the school, all of which
- done without compensation.
Their labor u 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 a
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 containing
10000 sweet potato plants, 81 acres of
Irish potatoes, 80 acres Of oats, $50
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 sort of
semi-circle, following slight rise of
ground which is everywhere over
grown with bluegrass. It would be
difficult to And, OF to produce, even
with q considerable expenditure Of
money, q more beautiful location for
the home than this little grove has fur
nished, ready made.
The form in which the buildings are
constructed IL that Of small village,
but there 70 no subdivision of land and
no sale OF lots. The school will hold, in
ih own name and for it's own use, all
land. houses, shops and implements Of,
every kind. There 10 NO way in which
any person can secure q speculative or
even legitimate business interest in
any Of the work of this school. There
no plan for admitting, for residence
IN this village, anyone who does not
come solely for an educational purpose.
The school simply provides IN op-
portunity for study for those who are
willing, by their own toll, to take ad-
vantage Of such opportunity; and the
onlv retIlrn offered for labor In man IN I