Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-09-13

the approval of those having the best interest Of the
community heart
The modern idea of the use of the school building
for political purposes consists in having gather
ing of the local politicians who amidst
clouds of bad tobacco smoke and much expecoration
be cleaned up before is fit for the
Of the children day, plan secret schemes
of personal interest but rather in using the school
building educational center from which will so
out knowledge of interest and benefit TO the entire
community 1t be utilized lecture hall where
men and women will gather to hear live discussions
of the different sides of the current political issues
The children taught that politics is really the
practical application of good citizenship, and they
carry home 10 their parents this idea and the pa
rents are glad to come to the school for further IN
formation. There is reason why the school house
may medium for the distribution o.
campaign literature provided it is done in an apsoc
uely nonpartisan spirit and all sides have equal ad
vantages. ,ssa -l.+
The advent of women into political circles already
is being felt in the rural districts and the
who are interested in politics are usually the ones
pay most attention to-, the interests of the
schools follows that many of the school improve
leagues making study of political ir
terests. school houses form the most convenient
meeting places for this study since the members are
most of them parents of children attending the
school. About two generations ago in many colnnu-
it customary to gather in the old-fashoneo
for lyceums. debating societies spelling
bees or just plain school house meetings" at which
matters pertaining to the good of the community
such the building of bridge or changing the
length the discussed by the peo-
pie who were to be most affected. That was before
politics assumed complex aspect Of the present
day. Now It believed that by the revival OF these
school house meetings the presentation Of poit
zeal issues by competent speakers representing all CT
the different parties, Of the strongest powers
against corruption and graft will be put into opera
tion Colorado the rural school houses have peen
used extensively for informal political meetings at
which the consideration of local needs has been
easily widened to include national subjects such
the tariff and the other political issues Il; sal
.t+ars $3.50 nGs $50 ~ r s-tea
In the southern states some especially effective
work has been done in the utilization of the
public school as social. center. the
work in Louisiana school the community win
soon have rural telephone company with the prin-
cipal of the school president Materials
the ground for constructing line into Provencal
the nearest shipping point where the families
nected with the school dispose of of their
ucts. This school house serves to provide the re-
,ligous education the community for it
the Sunday school which meets each Sunday morning
After the Sunday school the older scholars have
social hour with the principal A society called THE
Community Upbuilders" has grown from this school,
which its civic and literary
and already has brought about great increase
in the social life of tho community.
...-
The first meeting the School Social Center
association was held in Dallas Tex, in 1911. While
it attended chiefly by representatives of the
southern states, its Influence felt throughout the
country, and last spring similar gathering was held
IN wisconsin, which was the first state union
to have bill passed by its legislature provid-
ing that the school houses should be sociaI
and educational purposes other than their original
object At the meeting of the department superin-
tendence of the National Education association con-
siderable attention given to the matter of the
school social center both with reference to
and the rural community
So. ......
In the rural districts the social centers enter d-
rectly into the work Of the farmer. Many of them
collections of bulletins of the department of at
riculture which loaned when desired Sometimes
members of the local Grange forward and give
the results of their experiments in an Informal
manner that stimulates emulation. The cen
ter always enters into the community needs In one
the put in a solid day working the road
aside from the service required by the supervisor
order that the highway for mile on each side u1
the school house might be in better condition. The
of the commit nifty, with the aid of teacher
provided a lavish dinner and supper, which were
served in the school house, after which entertain
ment was given by the school The community gained
the value of $50 work being donated to- the public
and the social feature successful that
the School Center Road day is likely to become
ular event in that community.