Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1909-01-07

euort OF that committee to conduct the
hall after the eleanest and most upright
manner possible. The work is hard and
the problems are many. The difficulty Of
finding that which viii amuse or instruct
and still be entirely free from hurtful
features is larger than anyone realizes.
The amount Of work necessary to carry
on the ball may be partly understood by
the following
Aside from the general overnight. Il Il
the duty OF the manager to keep in con-
stant touch with the amusement world
for information. Then there il an almost
Unlimited amount OF work to Be done IN
order that the attractions be properly ad-
vertised. The correspondence involved
would amaze you, for anywhere from
three to four hundred letters are written
every year By the manager. The hall is
never opened save as the manager 10 un-
Der the necessity Of giving from half a
DAY to two days Of bis time, regardless OF
his own business demands. Ali this ana
more, aside from the worry and anxiety
occasioned BY the desire to keep some sort
OF balance in the treasury, makes that
position anything but a sinecure. The
duties Of the treasurer are little less con-
hning for they involve something more
than the selling Of tickets at the box Of
ice and the settlement Of accounts with
the disappointed business manager of the
attraction for the night, for there are
hours Of bookkeeping involving number
less small accounts and the adjustment Of
tie tickets before they are put on sale.
meaning three to four hours Of tedious
work every time the hall Is opened. Add
to this the general work Of the COMMITTEES
which demands attention to q hundred
incidentals and the effort to keep from
bankruptcy and you get some notion Of
the situation. You win be able to un-
derstand something. of the expense in
yoived when you learn that Il cost the
SUNDAY school Just for lighting and heat
ing the hall for the Christmas cantata.
the sum Of &f1.4S. This did not take in
to account the salary paid the ianitor. nor
the care OF the power house. nor repairs
nor any Of the incidentals. say ali this
because 1 believe that the church and
community ought to know the real situa-
tion and see that this Is being done for
the benefit Of the community and not for
tue benefit Of single organization or q
few individuals. The charge has been
made BY unthinking people that the
church gets revenue from the hall. The
iact is that Il was necessary a few months
ago for q number Of the members Of the
church to agree to meet any deficit that
might be incurred BY future policy Of
opening the hall for fewer and the best
entertainments to be procured. From the
very beginning did what 1 could to get
this hall under the management OF the
church, believing then and still believing
that such management could control the
amusements Of the hall for the pleasure
and good Of the community. n, after q
fair trial. this is proven impossible. I
shall work Just as hard to get the hall un-
der other management as in the begin
nln4 worked % Get control oi T.
But there y another part Of our work
which Is the delight Of my heart and that
is the work centered in the Parish house.
Here Is another institution. the working
OF which is largely misunderstood. This
work is managed by q special committee
Of three, g subcommittee Of the general
church COMMITTEES and reporting to that
committee. This COMMITTEES and the
treasurer have responsibilities and work
that cannot be fully appreciated BIZ those
outside. The work done here makes the
janitor virtually my assistant, and I want
here and now to express my appreciation
OF service which the small stipend be gets
can never cover. He is on duty in this
building from eight in the morning to
ten at night, and busy most Of the time.
beg the privilege Of explaining the
workings OF the Parish house. Our pleas-
ures and amusements have been 50 long
alienated from our religion that Il has
come to an open fight between the two.
In the ritual Of initiation Of our young
mems and young women's organizations
is this clause which expresses our attitude
TO this sort of thing--tsWe believe that
our pleasures need not conflict with our
religion" Ny purpose in making this
ststement is TO afford opportunity for
branding the general impression that the
Parish house is 3 place Of amusement as
fundamentally untrue. A part OF the
charge made TO the candidates for admia-
sion into our young peoples organiza-
tions is this-stThe main purpose OF our
organization Is the development Of char
acter and we believe that this Is accom-
plished as the lifsand teachings OF Jesus
Christ are followed. You are therefore
asked to make his teachings the rule of
your life. Our weekly meetings take the
form OF Bible study" This Is virtually a
confession on the part Of every young
man and woman who comes into our or
ganizations. / meet these young people
once week in such personal contact as
n