davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Amador ledger. (Jackson, Amador County, Calif.) 1875-19??, 1906-08-03

fresh air, it was equally to the advant
age of their moral life that they should
be brought into contact with nature.
There was an advantage, too, in bring
ing the workingman on to the land,
for instead of his losing money in the
'amusements usually sought in the
towns, he saved it in his garden prod
uce-a great consideration where the
poorer class of workman was con-
cerned." And again, "The cultivation
of the soil is certainly the best anti
dote to sedentary occupation of those
working in large towns. A primitive
instinct is INDUCED, the full value of
which seems hardly yet to have been
realized. Many believe, indeed, that
with it's encouragement the abuse of
the social club and the public-house
will be materially lessened, and one of
the greatest social evils of the time
disappear. The experience of Bourn-
vile certainly gives support to this
conclusion, for nearly every house
holder there spends his leisure in gard
ening, and there is not single licensed
house in the village.)"
SEVEN HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR
A HOUSE.
The houses of Bournville were built
with special reference to cheapness,
artistic development, sanitation and
convenience. At cost of from 500
Amador ledger. (Jackson, Amador County, Calif.) 1875-19??, 1906-08-03
Distribution of Immigrants the
Solution.

If there were only some practicable
way of distributing immigration more
equally among all the ports Of the
country the congestion and segra-
CATION phases Of this problem would be
nearer solution. 1t can be accom-
plished in but small degree, since it
will only be done if answering an
economic demand, as in the case of
the Galveston-Bremen service. Wise
and well organized effort to induce
immigrants to pass through the large
ports by finding and insuring them
employment in the interior and by in
forming them Of opportunities else
where, will do much to improve con-
ditions. The self-interest of states,
many of which maintain immigration
agencies, might also be brought more
generally into 1lay to attract the in
dustrious and ambitious new corners
to their farms and smaller towns.
Amador ledger. (Jackson, Amador County, Calif.) 1875-19??, 1906-08-03

tenths per thousand in Bournville.
The garden features in Bournville are
planned with much care, provision in
most cases being made for some lawn,
flowers, vegetables and fruits.
10 return to the Homecrofters Gid,
there is one distinctive advantage in
Mr.. Maxwell's plan, in that he aims
to attach to each home emo g. land to
make it feature and not merely an
incident in the life of the worker, and
he has added the crafts work for wo-
men and for men in the winter. He
already has under way plans for an
experimental group of four houses
under one roof, to be placed at the
centre of a square so as to secure the
greatest economy of space and place
Amador ledger. (Jackson, Amador County, Calif.) 1875-19??, 1906-08-03
The Local Handicap.

The Prophet is without honor in his
own country. So the village and small
town are without confidence in their
own resources. We get so familiar
with the things about us that we re
apt to underrate their value. 1t is
often necessary for total stranger to
come along and show us the neglected
opportunities that have been under our
nose unseen for years.
The writer while pursuing some in
dustrial investigations had occasion to
visit thrifty little city in the South
west. 1t is an old town that has liter
ally been forced to the front by the
pressure of development and northern
energy. The place has five railroads,
a population of 10000 and a number Of
modern buildings. Still the natives
Amador ledger. (Jackson, Amador County, Calif.) 1875-19??, 1906-08-03
HOUSE AND BARN FOR HoMECRoFT VILLAGE.
WATERFOWL, Mass
Watertown, Mass.

solutions of many Of the problems of
modern city life ever attempted in this
country. 1t is in line with the best
enterprises for solving the questions of
housing, sanitation, education and
morals. AS such it should command
the attention and cooperation Of all
constructive social workers.
The Homecrofters Gid offers garden
work and craftsmanship as a substi-
tute for the street corner, the cheap
show and the saloon. And it offers in
addition health, contentment and a
substantial increase in income to the
workers. The increase takes a practi-
cal form in the shape of health from
work in the air, from fresh vegetables
and fruits, from a clean environment
and from absence Of bad habits; from
money saved from useless pastimes;
from absence of doctors bills and from
a direct return in the way of COM
modities for use in the home or for
sale.
The founder and main supporter of
the movement is Mr.. George 81. Max
we'll, editor of Maxwell's Talisman and
founder of the National Irrigation
Movement. AS student Of social con-
ditions, Mr.. Maxwell has concluded
that college settlements and similar
movements merely scratch the upper
surface of the problem and fail utterly
to get under it and crowd it out with
a better condition. His creed is,
every child in a garden, every mother
in a homecroft, and individual, in
dustrial independence for every worker
in home Of his own on the land"
MEANING OF HOMECROFT.
The word "Homecroft" has been
coined by Mr.. Maxwell to fit the thing
he has in mind. The Scotch word
"croft'' means very small piece of
land farmed intensively by its occu-
pant but not large enough to yield him
a living and constitute him a farmer.
The Homecrofter, therefore, under the
conditions being developed, is labor
ing man, clerk, skilled artisan or what
not, who supplements his regular in
come by, and spends his spare time in,
work on the land. His children may
likewise be employed out of school
hours and at other times when they
would otherwise be on the street or
forced into some one of the street
trades to help maintain the home. For
the children the advantages are OBJ
vious. Healthy exercise in the open
air for purpose, fresh vegetables and
other products, and occupation, are
substituted for spasmodic exercise
under bad conditions, stale vegetables
or none at all, and the gang.
1t can be demonstrated that the
ordinary factory worker on from one
half acre to an acre of land can earn
actually more in the odd time given
to his garden than he does from his
regular work, taking it hour for hour.
The other advantages are evident.
THE GILDHALL AND SHOPS.
As foundation for the Gid the
| Wilson estate at 143 Main st. Water
Amador ledger. (Jackson, Amador County, Calif.) 1875-19??, 1906-08-03

have not yet fully realized the
change-they still are doubtful and
suspicious. About four years ago, be-
fore the tide of immigration and capt.
tai set in toward the Southwest,
stranger from the North drifted into
this particular city. He was just
looking around with no special pur
pose in view. A curbstone real estate
broker had on his list tract of bottom
land, timbered, but worthless on ac-
count of the annual floods. This land
he had hawked about the street for
75c per acre, but found no takers
among the home spectators. The
tract was 'no good" 1t was offered
to this stranger for $1.00 per acre.
Would he look at it? Yes. He looked
1t over, examined every acre of it
came back to town and handed over
$4,000 for the worthless tract. Great
was the joy of the natives who were
lined up at the various bars, to drink
to the health Of the sucker" But
the sucker returned in about a month
with another capitalist from the North
and sold this worthless tract for $780,
600. But this was not all. Within
ninety days the second sucker brought
q third and sold him the timber alone
for $4,000. And then the local
bankers and conservative capitalists
kicked themselves for not thinking of
it.
For years people have been leaving
Arkansas and Missouri going west
looking for opportunities. To-day
strangers are taking their places and
finding money on every bush. The
newcomers are simply developing the
resources which the natives failed to
recognize.
This principle holds true of ma
jority of individuals in every COM
munity. We are too near to see the
opportunities at our feet. We pass
them over and leave them for some
one to pick up.
The twentieth century for the United
States at least will be a time of con-
centration rather than expansion. A
century Of rural development and
home-building. AS has been indicated
the people must get back to the land,
and Industrial institutions to reach
their best development must give the
worker chance for a home.
Amador ledger. (Jackson, Amador County, Calif.) 1875-19??, 1906-08-03

in the condition of the wage-earner,
the general carrying out of the home
croft idea would relieve the con-
gestion of population in cities, and
greatly assist in their development
along those lines which are much
better than mere bigness. A hun
dred thousand or a million people
living on small tracts of land, wi in
an hours ride of city would make
far more business for the city, of
every desirable kind, than the same
number closely packed in tenements.
The "homecroft" experiment not
to be limited to the settlement fost-
cred by Mr.. Maxwell near Boston.
The idea combines with its sugges-
lions of social betterments the prob
ability of very satisfactory returns
to She owners of vacant lands, near
cities, who may be disposed to ex-
pertinent with it.
Amador ledger. (Jackson, Amador County, Calif.) 1875-19??, 1906-08-03

Birmingham to a point four miles from
the city and erected twentyfour
houses for the workmen. Mr.. george
Cadbury, from long observation and
experience, concluded that the only
practical way to solve the problem was
to take the factory worker out on the
land where he might pursue the ma
tural and healthy recreation of garden
ing. Says Mr.. W. Alexander Harvey
in his book on Bournville, ut was i'm
possible for working men to be healthy
and have healthy children, when after
being confined all day in factories they
spent their evenings in an institute,
club room or public-house. If it We're
necessary for their health, as it I'M
doubtedly was, that they should get
Amador ledger. (Jackson, Amador County, Calif.) 1875-19??, 1906-08-03
THE HoH1EcRoFr VS.. THE TENEMENT.
From st. Paul Press.

From st. Paul Press
By way of affording a practical OBJ
ject lesson in the "Homecroft'' idea,
George n. Maxwell has acquired fifty
acres of ground at Watertown, Mass.
less thu n thirty minutes by rail-
road or forty-five minutes by trolley
from the center of Boston-wh1ch
will be broken up into small "crofts"
for city workers. There, it is to be
presumed, will be illustrated, by de-
grees, all the different phases of bet
t er m mt which characterize the
homecroft as compared with the
tenement-house idea, in its applica-
ton to the life Of the average Ameri-
can wage-earner; especially he whose
weekly stipend comes from work in
city shop or store or factory. Among
Amador ledger. (Jackson, Amador County, Calif.) 1875-19??, 1906-08-03

dustry, a necessity for the -ttainment
of the best results.
5. A growth of cooperation, which
will give to the homecroft settle
ment all the advantages of the ci J
in schools, libraries, hospitals, enter
tainment halls, water supply, electric
lights, improved roads, etc.; while
the cultivation of each separate acre
or "croft" will be facilitated by the
cooperative ownership of the numer-
Gus expensive pieces of farm ma
now to be found on the best
large farms, but which could not be
afforded by the individual crofter.
6. The fostering of sturdy, indie
pendent individualism, to hich
contributes so muc as the
ownership of a home and conscious
ness that one can ''make a living"
of any boss.
Concurrently with such betterments
Amador ledger. (Jackson, Amador County, Calif.) 1875-19??, 1906-08-03
The EaIue of a Good Garden.

Many people fail to realize the
great value Of a thrifty, well-kept
garden. Even an inferior one is much
better than none. Vegetables are in
Indispensable to a family, so far as
health is concerned, to say nothing of
THE money saved by not having to buy
$50 much flour and so many groceries.
1t would seem that every man
should manage to obtain a piece of
ground and see that it becomes well
fortified and enriched and then put
under a thorough state of cultivation
before trying to plant the seeds. 1t
only costs little to buy enough seeds
for quite a good-sized garden.
Amador ledger. (Jackson, Amador County, Calif.) 1875-19??, 1906-08-03

Phoenix, Arizona, a farm Of one hun.
dred and sixty acres has been turned
into homecrOft village. The land is
especially adapted to raising vege-
tables and is under one of the best
water-rights in the region. Five-acre
tracts are here given to each worker.
The new government reservoir on
Salt River and driven wells on the
property, insure a permanent supply
of water for irrigation and therefore
unfailing crops.
THESE undertakings, while practical
and constructive in every sense. are
intended rather as models to show
what can be done in any community
in the country. Japan, with sixty
seven per cent. of her total population
working in part or entirely on the land.
has become land of gardens where
hopeless poverty is almost unknown
and where tuberculosis is a negligible
quantity. America can take care of
its hopeless thousands in the same
way, first by putting hope into them
and then by putting them where they
may attain it. 1t is to the promoters
of our great Industries that we must
look for help in great part, but public
sentiment and sympathy will move the
promoters and reach the problem.
The Homecrofters Gid promises
start which ought TO weld together the
country and the city into one indie
structible whole and, supplemented by
proper charity administration and sane
vagrancy laws, remove entirely the
possibility even of a Submerged
tenth"
Amador ledger. (Jackson, Amador County, Calif.) 1875-19??, 1906-08-03

There is multitude of thinking people
our country unless we reach wise solution
of the tremendous social problems that
confront us.
The spirit in which we should approach
the consideration of these problems is set
forth in this remarkable book in way that
must be an inspiration to every truly hui
name and patriotic heart.
Let the spirit of common sense and opti-
mis.n and fundamental economic and phil
osophical truth that pervades this book be
taken as the underlying motive of the
movement, and the Creed and Platform of
the Homecrofters as the practical plan to
work to, and the rest of the great social
questions are certain to be rightly solved
by application to them of the sound and
humane principles that will guidethe action
of our people upon all great national ques-
lions.
One copv of 1.-THE Coming People" post
oye nrepaid will be mailed to any adj
dress in the United States for twenty-five
cents.
One copy of both 1.-THE Coming People,
ond .sTbe First Book of the Homecrofters"
and "Naxwell's Ta1isman" monthly for the
rest of the year 1906 will be mailed to any
address in the United States for fifty cents.
Remit in postage stamps to The Home
crofters, 14S Main street, Watertown, Mass.
Amador ledger. (Jackson, Amador County, Calif.) 1875-19??, 1906-08-03

such betterments, either already
demonstrated or anticipated, are
these:
1. Healthier hone surroundings,
air, sunlight, trees, Fl vers; room
for children to grow up without con-
tact with the communicating in
fuences of crowded city streets and
tenements.
2. Diversity in employment and
healthful recreation for the wage
Garner himself, and wholesome OPP
portunity for his VIE and dren
to contribute to the family in
come, in the cultivation of an acre,
more or less, of ground. This would
enable him, especially, to keep his
girls at home, instead of sending
Amador ledger. (Jackson, Amador County, Calif.) 1875-19??, 1906-08-03
THE HOMECROFTERS' GILD.
To Enable People to Live in Their
Own Home and on a Piece of
Their Own Land.
CHANCE FOR FACTORY WORKERS

Every Child in a Garden and Every
Mother In a Homecroft" is the
Motto of the Organization-AH Hum
dred Children at Work in the First
School Garden at Watertown, Mass.
EDWARD T. HARTMAN
Secretary Massachusetts, Civic League.
AT Watertown, Massachusetts, there
is being put under way what seems to
be one of the most sane and practical
Amador ledger. (Jackson, Amador County, Calif.) 1875-19??, 1906-08-03
Improving School Grounds.

In Rochester, N. Y, the school
authorities grade and sod the school
yards, while the shrubbery and other
planting is by private effort in con-
junction with the school children.
Ample land is furnished for decorative
playground purposes, and most exemp-
larry results have been obtained.
Amador ledger. (Jackson, Amador County, Calif.) 1875-19??, 1906-08-03

elsewhere in England 1t will not he
out of place to outline the Bournviiie
plan which is identical in many re-
spects and has been carried out to an
assured success. This model village
was started in 1879 when Messrs. Cad
bury Bros. removed their works from
Amador ledger. (Jackson, Amador County, Calif.) 1875-19??, 1906-08-03

to $500 each a much higher grade of
home than the workers had been ac
customed to was provided. Rents
range from As. Cd. to lbs. per week,
not including rates; and the death rate
of nineteen per thousand in Birming-
ham has been reduced to six and nine
Amador ledger. (Jackson, Amador County, Calif.) 1875-19??, 1906-08-03
HOME LANDS IN SMALL
PARCELS.

The more far-reaching and substan-
tial feature of the movement is
the acquisition and subdivision of
land into small tracts for actual croft
purpose as outlined above. This close
ly resembles the schemes developed in
Hitchin, Port Sunlight, Bournville and
Amador ledger. (Jackson, Amador County, Calif.) 1875-19??, 1906-08-03

town, has been purchased and con-
verified into Gildhall and shops for
handicraft work. The land around the
house has practically all been appro-
priated to the use of a garden school
and laid out in children's gardens.
The director of the gardens is Miss
Elizabeth S. Hill of Groton, who last
year conducted the school gardens in
Brookline and Groton. Over a hun
dred children are already at work and
many more, almost two hundred in all
have applied for space. 1t is an inter
esting sight, and a poor commentary
on our public school system, to see
the wistful look of the children mot
in it, as they watch the fortunate ones
and inquire of the instructors as to
how long they will have to wait.
Many children not connected with the
school watch the workers and play on
the grounds, so that it has become a
children's center for the town.
The opening or the garden school has
aroused an interest among other pri-
vate organizations in the neighborhood
and the Women's Club of WATERFOWL
has established another garden school,
III,
is still another opened by the Women's
Social Science Club of Newton, whose
garden is on Jackson Road near Nom
antum.
On the outer boundry of the town,
the old Emerson Place has been pur-
chased and set aside as a garden
school for boys and even men who de-
sire to do practical work. The plots in
this garden are large enough to permit
of practical experiments and to even
supply quite a quantity of vegetables,
which each gardener is allowed to ap-
propriate to his own use. The only
requirement is that each gardener pro-
vide his own tools and seed and pay
sufficient attention to the instruction
and to his work to keep his plot in fair
condition and in harmony with the
garden as a whole. There is in this
garden plenty of space not taken and
it offers unique and valuable oppor-
tunity for any one desiring such work.
The garden is supervised by a young
man with practical experience in
market gardening.
WEAVE BEAUTIFUL THINGS.
The weaving department, the only
handicraft department as vet de-
veloped in the Gid, is supervised by
Miss ]. A. Turner, formerly with the
experiment station for the blind in
Cambridge. Miss Turner, assisted by
her sister, has several looms already
in working order and instruction has
been taken up. The aim of the work
in weaving, as it will be in other home
craft work, is not to have a weav-
ing establishment for the production of
goods, but to conduct a school in
weaving and design where women in
the community may learn to do work
which may be carried on in their
homes. This, as in the case of the
croft work, will enable them to occupy
spare time, which would be otherwise
wasted or improperly spent, in con-
genial, healthy and remunerative en-
ployment. 1t is hoped and believed
that such work will enable many
women who have to supplement their
income to do it in their homes and not
be forced into factories and other I'M
satisfactory conditions. A system will
be developed whereby looms will be
supplied by and the product sold
through the Gid. By this method ex-
penses will be kept at minimum and
the highest profits accrue to the
workers.
Amador ledger. (Jackson, Amador County, Calif.) 1875-19??, 1906-08-03
OVERCOMING PHYSICAL
DEGENERACY.

The Gid is not making the mistake
of trying to make farmers pure and
simple out of city workers. Such
hard and fast line between city and
country will always lead to failure.
Mr.. Maxwell says: "Give the city
worker a home in the suburbs, where
he can have garden and a poultry
yard, and where his children can have
sunshine and fresh air without stint,
and you have largely done away with
the terrible evils that are cursing the
denizens of the congested quarters of
our great cities-physical degeneracy
tuberculosis, and social, moral, and
political dangers too numerous to be
enumerated" Henry w. Grady de-
scribed the antithesis when he said,
1.-The citizen standing in the doorway
of his home-contented on this thres-
hold-his family gathered about his
hearthstone-whilet the evening of a
well-spent day closes in scenes and
sounds that are dearest-he shall save
the republic when the drum tap is
futile and the barracks are exhausted"
The Homecroft Gid has other plans
in immediate contemplation. Near
Amador ledger. (Jackson, Amador County, Calif.) 1875-19??, 1906-08-03

the worker in direct contact with his
land. These plans are being prepared
by Mr.. Allen w. Jackson, the archi-
tect.
Something over fifty acres of land
have already been purchased for subdi-
vision, and improvement. This will be
sold to workingmen for homes for prac-
tically what it cost in large tracts, plus
the cUst of division and improvement.
A special plan is to sell homes to in
dustrious working men on a long
time, on the monthly instalment plan
at rate which will be no more than is
usually paid in rent, but which will
create a sinking fund that will pay
the purchase price and in the mean
time carry what will amount to an in
surance policy covering the amount of
the purchase price remaining due, so
that if the purchaser should die the
property would go to his family with
out further payment.
FOLLOWS SUCCESSFUL ENGLISH
PLAN.
The movement is not intended to be
an isolated one as the shops and
gardens are open to any one who will
use them in the right way. Mr.. Max
well feels that isolation has been the
cause of failure in such attempts and
that the people Of the community must
themselves become a part of such a
movement if it is to succeed. Here
again the scheme resembles that of
Bournville. There, though practically
all the houses have been built by the
management, only forty-one and two
tenths per cent. of the occupants work
in the village. Eighteen and six-tenths
per cent. work in villages within a
mile and forty and two-tenths per cent.
work in Birmingham. Fifty and
seven-tenths per cent. of them are en-
ployed at indoor work in factories,
thirteen and three-tenths per cent. are
clerks and travellers, and .thirty-six
per cent. are skilled workers and pro-
fessional men. By this arrangement
normal community life is main
tanned. The Homecroft Gid is being
developed along the same lines.