The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1906-11-16
THE SINCLAIR COLONY
Features of Its Condition When
It Actually Started.
FINELY HOUSED IN HELIOON HALL

FINELY HOUSED IN HELIO0N HALL
About u Dozen Small Families VIII
Live For First winter Season In
Separate Apartments Under Same
Roof Near Enslewood, N. J.-sDecial
Provision Made For Chiidren-SepR-
rate Dining and Common Sleeping
Room-SocinI Equals as Workers.
With the lst of November the sery
antless, cooperative home colony ex-
pertinent initiated by Upton Sinclair
took definite shape, q dozen or fifteen
small families having taken quarters
for the winter In the large and unique
mansion on the western brow Of the
Palisades, near Englewood, N. j.,
known as Helicon Hall.
The original plan contenplates a
group of kitchenless and seryantless
cottages about a central dining and So
cial hall or inn. For the first winter
season, however, those who have join
compromise to the extent of living In
separate apartments under the same
roof. The house, which was formerly
high class private school for boys and
which stands on q ten acre plot, with
woods stretching away for miles on
two sides and a magnificent outlook
westward over the valley of the Hack
ensack, has been purchased by stock
company In which Mr. Sinclair has a
controlling interest and of which he is
president.
This company has leased the proper
ty to a membership cooperation COM
prising those who are or may be inter
ested In the experiment. Thus in the
management of tie affairs of the col
ony all members have voice, whether
they have capital invested In the col
ony or not
The experiment is purely one In
household or domestic economy. e.,
to create a comfortable and satisfying
country home within the reach of
those earning moderate professional in
from infancy may be delegated to ca
pable and expert persons, with such
cooperation as parents may be dis
posed to give, and the performance of
the necessary work OF the household
by persons who can be and who expect
to be treated as social equals. While
membership in the colony does not i'm
IN foIy ri in n
household routine, the directors give
preference to members who offer their
services, provided they are satisfac-
tory. The colony at this stage numbers
about forty adults, including workers,
and fifteen children.
The house is well adapted to CO.
operative homemaking, with its ample
parlors, dining room and assembly
rooms, Its billiard parlor, bowling al
ley, swimming tank and large oblong
courtyard, filled with rare tropical
trees, shrubs, fish pools and winding
pathways. The immense four sided
fireplace at the point where the court
yard is curtained from the front spa
cious hallway forms a natural common
meeting place for this multiple family.
Professor William Noyes of the
Teachers college has been chosen pres
ident of the colony, and his wife, Mrs.
Anna Noyes, has been employed as the
manager. Mrs. Cora L. Potter, wife Of
one of the other directors, has been
engaged to take charge OF the chill
dren's department. She will be assist
ed by several of the mothers. A profes-
sional Kindergarten will train the chill
dren during part of the day. A sepa-
rate dining room Is provided for the
children, fitted with low chairs and ta-
bles and euahoards for the table serv-
ice the children being mVitra SC laiiii;
In the serving of their own meals.
There Is also q common sleeping room
for the children, but parents do not
place their children there unless they
prefer 1t.
Carrying out the idea Of social equals
as workers, Mrs. Lillian Davis, a Cor
nell graduate and domestic science ex-
pert, takes charge of the kitchen, with
several efficient helpers; two Yale stu
dents are looking after the stable and
janitor work, while Providence man
ufacturer serves as assistant manager,
and an ex-Tennessee lawyer and stu
dent of human brotherhood helps Mrs.
Davis chopping hash and cleaning ket-
ties Mrs Bertha Wilkins, well known
In the west as socialist writer and re-
former, undertakes to organize the
laundry work. For the sake of har-
mony both vegetarian and meat meals
are served at separate tables, and the
expense of the entire living is divided
pro rata, Glowing for a moderate in
come o. & r. cloital invested
nniEIg the Furnace.
J The 'n@cc fires started now.
Ar troi bic has begun,
W For It Is ti.Ilcult to suit "
$ The Eghiyns of every one. w
~ Jyi i,lr ic hot