New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1911-02-04
| HE ENTERPRISE
AND O9 SERVER. CONSOLIDATED
WIDER USE OF SCHOOL
BUILDINGS.

Dallas, Tex. Jan. 3O.-B alicy-
nc that this nation annually y
wastes millions Of dollars III the
idiSu>c Of its public sct5oI auild-
ings, Col. Frank 7. Holland, prs
Iidcnt Texas Farm and Ranch Pub
fishing Co., today issues Il call for
conference in Dallas. February
II. + discuss fracly the use Of tar
pubic school as Il social center.
This can is addressed t. every cIti-
zen Of the Southwest. The confer
ence will be strictly non-parizan ;
and Col Holland urgaS every one
with the welfare oI. his community
at heart TO attend.
Wides Use CT the School Plant
Wider use Of the school plant
has becoma the demand Of educa-
tors and social workers over all
the nation. One Of The most IN
portant phases of this demani IS
that the public school be the Socla.
center Of the communitN-a kind
Of clubhouse for the neighbOrhooi.
The cities of RncheS .er \. Y.
Columbus. O.. milwaukee,, MIS-,
Chicago. New York City and 9th
ers opened their public schools out
side school hours as social centers.
The centers have become regular
institutions they have met and
satisfied "a popular demand. Al
these public school centers debat-
inc clubs. sewing and cooking
clubs. cIvIc improvement societies.
etc. nNet rcgul larly SoHal d.
versions form an important part
Of the evenings. These centrrs
have opened reading rooms and
paced rooms and placed at tn"
service of the people physical
training for both men and women.
Results in these cities have sur
passed the expectations OF those
who originated the movement.
People have responded 10 the Idcn.
The moral tone Of tne nnlghbor-
hoods has improved. Gangs OF
bad boys have become ambitious
young citizpns.
The social center idea for coun-
try communities is beng tried out
in Wisconsin and thu Southwest.
Results already warrant a fighting
faith in the idea.
The social center idea has set
the educational world a-thlnklng
and put in motion forces that
promise to create in the people
new ideals Of democracy.
Call For Conference.
Col. Holland S call to the South
west follows:
"To every educator and teach
er minister Of the gospel, worker
in social reform, newspaper man;
to every holder of public office con
nected with the public free school
system; to the organized club Wo-
men and members OF mothers
clubs. to organized labor; to all
farmers organizations; to any or
ganization or individual having at
heart a sincere interest IN the prog
ress of the Southwest.
"There is need for the people
of all classes and occupations to
become better acquainted. Far
mars. bankers. and business men,
wage workers and employers must
realize that their interest are IN
common. We must draw closer
the members of communities. We
must fight prejudice and the ef-
fects of isolation. We must seek
to bring about a more neighborly
feeling between co-residents OF
communities.
.'Today the Southwest stands in
need of a greater number of chll-
dren attending our schools IN day
time: Of more commodlous and
modern school buildings to house
them; and of a greater number OF
grown people using these instliu-
tions outside school hours. Our
section needs more high class read
ING matter. And in the rural dis
tricts We especially need the coun-
try high school.
at is waSteful public business
to keep school buildings shut up at
night. Let us get our money $
wortb out of them.
"Therefor. | ask that everyone
having the good Of the Southwesv
at heart come for a days confer
ence in Dallas, February II. in the
auditorium Of the High School, to
discuss the problems of both city
and country neighborhoods; to
formulate practical ways for wild
ening the use of the public school
plant. and making it the people s
social center.
Prominent Speakers Will Come.
son February II, Edward J.
Ward adviser on social centers to
tho University of Wisconsin. the