The Havre herald. [volume] (Havre, Mont.) 1904-1908, 1907-04-12
SINCLAIR HOME COLONY
Socialistic Settlement Finely
Housed Near Englewood.
LADY oooK' CORNELL GRADUATE

Newspaper Woman to Serve as Laun-
dress at Helicon HALL For Assoc
ciates of tThe Jungle" Author.
Children's Establishment Is nm Inn
Dortant Branch of the Settlement.
Upton Sinclair who wrote .sThe Jun
GLE" has created at Englewood, N. j.,
what he calls a home colony, says the
New York World. This Is a socialistic
settlcment-the gorgeous antithesis Of
the squalid tenements described SO
;vividly by Mr.. Sinclair in his novel.
Helicon Hall is the Greek name Of
Mr. sincla!r's establishment. It is a
dong, low picturesque building, stuc-
coed and white paneled, and embower-
ed among trees. When you enter the
hall you are in maze, for there on the
left Of you is plot of green grass and
palms, and on the right is an open
crate fire. 1t perplexes and delights
one.
EYES," said Mr. Sinclair recently,
''this colony is on its feet. We are
ready to begin. Already there are
fourteen persons in the house, and we
have some 400 bona fde applications
for rooms. In fact, all Of the rooms
have been practically engaged
When asked as to the character Of
the colonists he had secured Mr.. Sin
clair said: "Well, the lady at present
In the kitchen is graduate Of Cornell.
Her intention is to complete her degree
OF Ph. D. at Columbia. How's that?
can tell you this also: There's a news
paper woman coming all the way from
Chicago to take a position with us as
aaundress.
Mr.. Sinclair went on to say that
there will be no servant problem" at
Helicon Hall. LET me tell you," said
he. I'that / am Socialist and that !
consider that the private affairs Of
most individuals constitute the most
important public affair now existing.
"A few years ago the solution was a
simple one. Then all my wife and /
ever dreamed of wanting was one
room cabin In the country solid enough
to keep out the rain and the cold. But
now for numberless reasons this is i'm
possible. We have learned more about
the world. We have been to Packing
town, which means that we can never
again eat meat without a qualm. We
have lived two years on a farm, but
even there the problem of living was
mot solved for us. So I have estab-
Ilished this colony. The move has been
quickly made, all accomplished, indeed,
. within fortnight. want to say that
If you object to servants you ought
never to have been married. But is
imam to be denied the privilege of par
ienthood just because he happens to
possess an intellect? And is it for the
best interests Of the race that its fu-
Iture generations should be furnished
exclusively by the ignorant and cal
'lous? And if authors, artists, scientists
and philosophers are to reproduce their
kind what is to be done? Shall they
have to marry their housekeepers? I
have made many sacrifices for my art
but that one staggered me. In this
building we shall be happy co-opera-
tive colony Of Socialists. Everything
today looks rosy
Certainly Mr. Sinclair's surroundings
were luxurious. Inside and outside
FHelicon Hall seemed more properly to
appertain to prince than pauper.
MIR. Sinclair explained that after the
favorable reception Of his prospectus
for the Home Colony association an
appointed committee proceeded to esti-
mate upon the basis of q summer hotel
within one hour Of New York city. The
1 price Of suitable hotel was put at
100000. One-half acre Of land was al
lowed to each of sixty prospective cot
tages, twenty acres for schildrens col
ony and fifty acres for the common
buildings and recreation grounds, max
Ing hundred acres in all. The price Of
the land was estimated at $500 an acre
The consideration Of farm land for the
colony was omitted for the present.
The estimate for the children's estab-
'lishment was prepared by q physician
who has had many years experience in
the charge Of hospitals and similar in
stitutions. 1t was estimated that the
doctor would need to give only four
nOurs a Gay TO tne colony, the charge
for this being divided with the chill
dren's establishment.
His children's colony Is main and
pet feature of Mr.. Sinclair's co-opera-
tive housekeeping experiment. He
gave these important details: First"
said he, there Is a kindergarten estab-
lishment for forty children between
the ages Of three and seven. Charged
to the account of this establishment
are the services of two kindergart-
ners and three assistants, one house
keeper and an assistant, two trained
nurses and four nurses helpers, cook
and assistant and physician. The
total expense is 1920 year. Then
there Is school establishment for for
" children between the ages of seven
and fourteen. Here the staff, besides
nurses and helpers, the doctor cook,