The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1912-08-01
THE SCHOOL SOCIAL CENTER.

In the August American Magazine ap-
pears an article about Edmund j. Ward.
creator of the school social center idea,
which has spread to many States. Fol-
lowing is an extract from the article:
'The Rochester School Board had in
hand an appropriation of five thousand
dollars to pay the expenses of beginning
the wider use of the public school build
ings and grounds, for a blind man could
see that all that half-idle, conveniently
located public property should be put to
some larger use, and they were looking
for man to take charge.
"Mr. Ward had been director of the
toughest recreation field in Buffalo and
President Of the Directors Association
there, acting pastor of the Church of the
Convenant in Washington, organizer of
the Mems Club in Silver Creek; had seen
eight years of football and other athle-
tics; had won highest oratorical honors
at college and thrown the champion
heavyweight of Cornell. He spoke of
some of these experiences Then-he
remembered. I'D walk across the CONT
nent to work on that job, he said, but |
can't take it; I'm black-listed And
he told why he was off the faculty at
Hamilton.
THAT would be the end of the story
if the president Of the School Board
hadn't been George M. Forbes. DR.
Forbes looked at Mr.. Ward. Then he
said: You We had the training. You see
the possibilities. If in addition to these
qualifications we can get a man who is
willing to sacrifice himself for what he
believes, think he is the man we want.
II you'll prove that last statement as to
why you're leaving Hamilton, l will
favor your appointment by the Board
''That was how Mr.. Ward became the
hired man of all the people in the city,
not simply the hired man, the minister of
one variety Of the good people, the
professor of few selected youth, but
the community hired man, on the job of
serving folk in getting their money s
worth in acquaintance and understand
ing, in wholesome recreation and the Joy
of democracy.
"And at the end of two years the peo-
pies school buildings all over Rochester,
some of them equipped with gymnasium,
library, games. motion picture machines,
were being used as common citizens
common council chambers, centers of
neighborhood; and it was being demon.
strated that people of all creeds, parties
and incomes are just folks, and enjoy
getting together as they used to in the
little red schoolhouse back home. The
American institution had developed: the
Social Center.
cit was at about this time that Cover
nor Charles E. Hughes spoke at citi
zens' banquet in Rochester and said Of
Mr.. Wards work:
so am more interested in what vol
are doing and what it stands for than il
anything else in the world. You ar,
buttressing the foundation of democra
cy.'"
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