The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-02-24


 high sums to live in the same house with people less congenial than our ser vants?' No, thousand times no! Rather that socialism be shattered to thin air than that even one or them should associate with any one else.
 Pages follow. one equally as interest ing as the other and out of 1t all grew Helicon Hall the Sinclair Utopia.
 A building on the outskirts of Engle- wood, N. J., was purchased for the nome of the folks who shudder at the bare mention of the possibility of having to associate with other folks. Helicon Hall stands on an eminenee and IS reached by climbing terraces, as far as the proletariat Is concerned. For par Tor Socialists who can afford to spend dollar the journey may be easily made by cab. The structure Is long, barrack- like, square jointed and square should cred, and it has roof which has so little of an angle that II is hard to tell where its hypothenuses are. Most or the top side is green glass. The hall It. self consists of two stories and a base ment as far as the eye can see, although there Is about a quarter of story con cealed somewhere under the caves and given up principally to store rooms. The entrance to the building which Is com monly used Is at the side, although there is a state door at one end which is reached by an impressive flight Of stairs But at Helicon Hall everybody goes in at the family entrance
 This Is not, the first time that the building has Sheltered the pioneers of a new venture In it's palmy days the structure was fashionable school. A rich man who had some original ideas about teaching the young idea how to shoot put up the money and a school- master who cared more for his own pocket than art carried out the ideas as 1a1 faA ThA mental principle of the school was that no one was to be punished. The dis grace of not learning was supposed to be adequate punishment for young men who had rather play football than study. Another innovation was that the teach CTS and professors were never referred to as teachers or professors. They were called influences" When a pupil de- sired to designate the professor of Greek he said the Greek influence" the French influence" etc. All the young men ate in one dining room and all wore evening clothes at dinner. But the rich man tired of his hobby, the ''in fiuences are now plain teachers and professors and the place Is inhabited by persons who seek to solve the servant problem.
 Needless to say there are no servants at Helicon Hall. The work ordinarily done by paid servants is done by breezy, entertaining who can, if they progress be treated on terms of equality no matter what they do. There are two classes of inmates, members and workers. The workers may shovel coal and sift ashes and clean clothes with gasolene and for so doing receive a regular wage. If they read their Tolstoi alright they may In time become members of the colony should they be acceptable to all persons con cerned.
 Meals are served on the cooperative plan in large room You. pay for what you get. Mrs. Davis, head of the ki-ch- en, is a Cornell graduate who found herself forced into the wage earning class. She had a young son, whom, if she accepted a position in the school room, store or office, she must consign to the care of servants. She elected to manage the kitchen of Helicon Home. She not only knows how to cook, but she can keep books, and Helicon Home demands an intricate system of book keeping. If you want meat diet, you are charged for that. If you prefer vegetable fare, you come under another rating. If you will wash dishes or wipe them or pare vegetables or sweep the living rooms, at the end of the week the work you have done will be credit ed on your bill at regular rate per day. The woman who went to Helicon Hall as head laundress was found so ef- fcient that she was made member of the Board of Directors of the colony.
 One of the interesting features of Helicon Hall is the training of the chill dren. Just now nearly two dozen in- fants are being trained in accordance with "The Jungle" authors views. One of his principle rules is that they shall not take up too much of the time and attention of their parents Another rule is that they shall take air baths which means that they scamper around in the open all together, getting close to na- ture as the colonists call 1t.
 In taking care of children properly Mir Sinclair thinks that there should be separate departments for children, whom he classes under two heads, Tn fants who like to sleep" and children who like to run and shout" Both, he says, should be scientifically construct ed and ventilated and kept as clean as an up-t date hospital. Of course any mother should come and play with and care for her own chill dren just as much as she pleased, or take them home as she chose, though l think that no one should care to assist this plan who did not think that chill dren should be cared for in accordance with the principles of science and pre- served from the corrupting influence of grandmothers and aunts. Of course, any mother who believed that her work in the world was caring for children, and who wishes to care for her own and others, according to the methods of the Commonwealth would be free to do so."
 Some of these things have already | happened at Helicon Hall and the oth- CTS are going to happen if young MT. Sinclair has his way. MT. Sinclair means eventually to have a cottage col | ony instead of housing the Socialists in one building. Here is what he says of his plans, beginning with the children's | colony.
 First, there is a kindergarten estab- | lishment for forty children between the
 ages of three and seven. Charged to the account of this establishment are l the services of two kindcrgartners and 1 three assistants, one housekeeper and
 an assistant, two trained nurses and
 four nurse helpers a cook and assist l ant and a physician. The total expense | Is $3,220.
 Then there is school establishment l for forty children between the ages of | ' and IA Here the staff besides nurses | and helpers, the doctors. cook, house.
 keeper ct al. includes four teachers ! and a head teacher, and the expense is 1 estimated at $3,650 MT. Sinclair said that tho total capi- l talization of the home colony would be something like $275,000, the children's
 building representing about $20,000; the | ,,,itI, lie enuipnaDt m e