The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-05-28

bers OF the clubs, but outsiders must
pay IS cents for each ADMISSION. me
pictures are carefully censored and
the men often bring their wives ano
daughters to see them
And then we have many lectures
at the clubhousea We have frequent
public debates and also high-ciass
musical entertainments Last year
there was an operate carnival MADE
up Of amateurs, which played the
various canal settlements. n the
oratorio, The Holy City" was given
by a large chorus composed OF canai
employees
Literary Societies
Nearly every club has its literary
society or discussion club. IN THESE
current topics are taken up. essays
are read and lectures sometimes
given. For instance, the discussion
club which met here last Wednesday
night had the topic, What Is Hap
pinesso" and that Of Gatun discussed,
What Is Failure?" while another So
ciety used the college Man as It's
subject of discussion. l doubt not
the political situation will be well
canvaSSed at these clubs. 1neFe are
now one hundred and fifty men en-
| rolled in the dramatic clubs. sixty
in the camera clubs and there are
| two hundred who serve on various
club committees. There are also
Bible study clubs. which meet to-
| gether on Sundays and which work
independent Of the churches.
Among the other institutions or
these clubhouses are the barber shops
| and pressing clubs. Good BARRIERS are
a necessity in the tropics n the
men know that they can find sanitary
shops at the c~lubhouses. Many OF
them pay SO muCh a month to have
their clothes pressed. the BARRIERS and
pressers bringing in something OF an
income to the institutions
A Talk With the superintendent of
Clubs.
During my stay here I have had a
chat with MT. A. b. Dickson, who
is the head Of the ClubhOuseS under
the Isth:nian Canal Commission. He
was formerly the financial secretary
of the Esd street Y. NJ. c. A. in New
York city. Among the questions l
men had been ruined by their life
IN the Canal Zone. To this he re-
Piled:
Il do not think so. The induce
nents to keep right are as strong
here as in any part of the United
States. Drunkenness and gambling
are quite as disgracefuI. and the men
who engage in them are regarded just
the same as at home. The clubhouse
has done much TO elevate the moral
standing Of the canal community. 1t
is the chief meeting place and the
men go there to loaf rather than to
the saloons. You must remember
that u canal employees are far above
the average Of mankin as to their
habits and ambitions. They are pick
ed men who are earning high wages.
They are now saving money and
planning as to what they will do when
they leave. They find that h club
house costs them practically nothing.
and that it axe the place Of the
more expensive and wicked amuse-
ments found in the saloons. Without
these clubs they would have nothing
to do except stay at home or go. to
the saloons. Their work is strenuous
and they need recreation. This need
has been supplied by the clubs. In
deed. 1 may say that the clubs are
an absolute necessity to efficient labor
on the canal. They have aided in
making the employees contented and
have also done much for the high
moral standing Of the American com
nunity."
The Boy Scouts OF Panama.
Connected with these clubs are up
!, lift movements Of various kinds and
among others that Of the Boy Scouts
+ We have now seven companies OF
: these scouts on the zone. ZACH com
: pany has a piece Of and for a club
. house which las BEE given by the
canal commission, and the boys have
2 erected their own clubhouses. the
! lumber being given by the canal au.
thorities. The most of them have
eight by ten foot shacks, very rough
9 ly finished. The scouts are to have
a charter from the national head.
v quarters Of New York and they are tt
be known as the Isthmian Scout Com
s mission. Not long ago Genera
Baden-Powell, the commander-in
chief OF the Boy Scouts. visited tn,
isthmus. A number Of the boys wen
Y to Colon to meet him.. and the gen
: eral went over the work with tn
: scout master and expressed himsel
pleased.
A good light with the devil IS beiD.
> waged by the Christian churche
e which have been organized since W.
began our work here. There are nov
forty on the ANAL Zone. The frs
building authorized was the Roma,