The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1908-01-15
COOPERATIVE LIVING,
Enterprise to Be Triad on Large
Scale In Philadelphia.
RURAL SCENES NEAR AT HAND

Each Family TO Live by Itself In Nine
Room Houss-coetins to Be Done on
Community Basis For Whole Block.
pssirability Of Children . Feature.
Although Upton Sinclair's famous CO.
operative colony at Helicon Hall went
up in smoke. the idea Will not die. and
q new colony has sprung, phenixllkc.
from the ashes Of the old, says the
New York Tribune It IL known as
Kingsley Center, located at Sixty-flrst
and Spruce streets, Philadelphia, and
Ii under the management Of an ex-
member Of Upton Slnclair's III fated
community.
The scene Of the present enterprise
sounds ideal. A block Of new houses
on one Of the old residence streets, but
on the edge Of the country. and yet
within easy access to the trolleys and
the Market street elevated cars, has
been fitted up with a big community
kitchen and central dining room. Each
family lives by itself In a house Of
nine rooms, exactly as it would else
where. except that there are 70 indi-
vidual servants and the cooking Is done
on a community basis for the whole
block. The meals are served in the
central dining room or in small prl-
vate dining rooms. DIS the tenants may
prefer.
All the complications Of domestic
service are done away with except as
regards laundry work. The manager
does not yet see his way clear to COM
pete with the city laundry service, but
all the other work Is to be performed
by trained assistants, provided by the
management, on par as to standing
with trained nurses, who will have
rooms in the upper part Of the block
and at fixed rate an hour will attend
to the work Of each house, leaving the
mistress of the house free to dispose
Of her time to her own advantage and
to that of her family.
It 10 not the aim Of the management
to compete with the type Of apartment
house that caters to the idle classes,
and the woman Of leisure "who is seek
ing some way Of casting on all home re-
sponsibilities that. she may spend her
time shopping or card playing" is dis
tinctly informed that she is not desired.
But the busy mother with lot of little
frocks to make and little socks to mend
10 Just the one who is wanted.
The most startling innovation In the
programme IL the clause as to the de-
STABILITY Of children. The little ones
are to be made welcome In every pos
sible way. From the woods and the
creek on the country side of the block
providing ideal facilities for healthy
outdoor life, to the kindergarten and
nursery within. where, under the di
rection of trained nurses and kinder.
gartners. the physical and educational
welfare of the children Is under con
slant supervision. nothing has been
left undone to make them happy and
good
Naturally 1t is desirable in place OF
this kind that there be some uniformity
In the scale of living; otherwise the
ideas of people accustomed to living or
terrapin basis will conflict with those
whose piece de resistance is generally
corn beef. For this reason only fam
lilies having an income of from $1,50(
to $4,000 year are invited to apply.
And the expense Of this manner Of
living is no more than family in these
circumstances would be under else
where. Nine room houses are rented
for $50 a month. Meals for the weel
are SO for adults and 8 for children
under fourteen. The rates paid thu
servants will amount to much less thar
where one family must employ then
exclusively. and, adding the cost o.
each family's laundry. 1t would seen
easier to keep the living rates within
definite bounds than is the case will
the more fuctuating expenses Of tn,
average household.