Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-05
SOCIAL MEETING PLACE
WHAT HAS BEEN DONE IN A CON-
NECTICUT TOWN.
Success of Three Sisters in Establish
ing Rallying Point for
Citizens.
rom the New York Evening Post.

| life or a community, given Dy MT. Carnegie
to the Scotch town OF Dumferline for solu-
| ton, is in the way Of being solved for a
| Connecticut village by three public spirited
| women. and for much less money proper
tionately than the s.. 10000 In bonds which
Mr. Carnegie has given to his native place.
Norfolk, the village thus favored. is
| perched on the Litchfield Hills in the north
west corner of the state. 1t has scenic
and climatic charms, which allure many
summer guests, who find an additional at
| traction in the institutions created for the
| public benefit Of which this article purposes
| to tell. Largely a farming community, 1t
| is about stationary as to population, out
| has been saved from the decadence which
| has marked many other Connecticut towns
| of similar character by the existence OF
| couple of small manufacturing industries
| and by the means generously provided Tor
| social and mental recreation. These means
are a library and reading room and gym
nasum created by the wise forethought
and benevolence of the 'Eldridge girls. as
| the townspeople in their democracy loving
| ly call them These three sisters. the daugh-
| ters of a clergyman who preached years
ago in the Congregational Church or the
village, have made such use OF inherited
| modest fortunes as practically 10 mold tne
| character of the town in which they uWei,
| and to make a decided impress upon the
| character of the villagers.
A Social Gathering Place.
| RECOGNIZING the need. usual in most viii
lagos. of a common social gathering place
| aside from the church. since that institution
lost this useful function by the multiplied
| ton Of denomina lions. one Of the sisters
| years ago built a gymnasium. which she
| still sustains. This commodious structure
| Is Of brick, charming architecturally, and
| advantageously located. 1t is we'll equipped
| with apparatus. baths. and lockers; Its en-
| 6a1l ic crtiS CT a n
! it's ample veranda, uncovered. and LIBERAL
| ly provided with easy chairs and sofa cush-
| ions. is a standing invitation to the idle
summer guest. During the winter months
| the services of an instructor in gymnastics
are al the command of the townspeople and
| all that is expected of them is that they
| provide themselves with gymnasium slip
pers. eschew the use of tobacco on the
| premises. and conduct themselves otherwise
| with propriety. Informal dances lend an
| occasional variety to the winter evenings.
| In the summer the athletic activities are
transferred to the well-appOinted tennis
courts on the grounds. while those dis
| inclined to exercise can loll on the veranda
! and enjoy the morning and evening concerts
| given In the music room. Frequently the
| gymnasium floor is cleared and dances are
| given. in the mornings for the children and
| in the evenings for their elders. Occasional
! ly too. at these summer evening dances
I ices and cake are served.
Not Charity.
| In all this there Is no suggestion of char
! 1ty. and the summer guest who may hest
| tate at first to accept what seems to him
| too much like henevolence soon learns his
mistake He discovers then that he is a
| guest, sometimes Of an unseen hostess.
| though were she present the guest might
| not know 1t, so thoroughly does she enter
| into the democratic spirit of the affair. In
| this connection an interesting incident Is
told. involving the deserved discontinue Of
| one summer guest. The latter. woman.
| totally misinterpreting the purpose of the
| gymnasium, after watching the dancers
| for while, remarked to her companion:
| How nce But what pity the towns
| people are allowed to mingIe inv' The
| front Of the speaker, turned about with the
smiling rebuke: Madame. this was estab-
| nshed for the townspeople; you privI-
| legged to enjoy it.
Privileges Not Abused.
| Are these privileges abused? If they
| were they would not be continued and the
! gymnasium has been in existence for sew
| eral years. The blue coat and the brass
| buttons Of authority are not in evidence.
| The building and its furnishings bear no
| marks of the individual; the flowers on the
veranda are not plucked. and the Snrubbery
| in the grounds is unmolested. Whether
| this much of praise could be SAID If the in
| stitution were maintained by taxation is a
| question. In that event it is more than
| likely that the caretakers would need to
| be more obtrusive than they now are. But
| the existing arrangement, among its many
| other advantages, teaches respect for the
| rights of others. Who may estimate how
| much also it stimulates social intercourse,
| how much 1t teaches personal sanitation
| and how much it helps to inculcate good
| manners?