Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-12-17
A "Father and Son" Movement.

Social centers and their Importance
to communities, was the subject OF
Sunday night meeting at Ford Hall,
Boston. Miss Mary p. Follett was
one of the speakers. Her topic was
THE Social Center and the Demo-
cratic IDEAL" She advocated opening
the public schools in the evenings for
a wider fellowship and common life,
declaring that the keynote of the
twentieth century is the passion for
solidarity.
"A new Democracy is IN sight" said
she. but it is not a Democracy for
the glorification of the individual. 1t
| is for the subordination of the in
/ dividual by himself for the welfare OF
all" Civic and social responsibility,
she said, are developed in social CEN
tiers by group activities, self-goyern-
ment, frequent discussion of ethical
and political questions, and by the
people acting as one community. So
cial centers are never successful II
conducted by the school committee or
its agents, because they must have the
community spirit.
DR.. John Levejoy Elliott of New
York, spoke on Direct Action" OF
the things he said, We're:
Democracy must begin in our own
neighborhoods. The real problems
| that we have to face are near at
home" The speaker pleaded with
| the women present to unite in neigh
borhood groups to better conditions,
claiming that to be a good mother
woman must get out doors and fol-
low her children into the schools,
dance halls and other places OF
amusement. He urged the formation
of buying clubs among the women of
| a neighborhood, more community
amusements, and more dispensaries.
We fear that the above quoted
speakers had not consulted with GER
tain Maine makers of public opin-
ion." They probably did not know
that they were encroaching on the
domain of vested interests. Any sort
of a welfare movement must be dis
couraged at the start or, sometime,
they might interfere with the rights"
of the makers and sellers of habit
forming commercial poisons. Such
movements" must be squelched
They must be sneered at ridiculed
and made laughing stock for the IL
/ tho ba the Iorud
and those who promote evil bust
ness. 5iss=sz -.#=s4
For instance down in Cleveland
o., "A father and son" movement is
to be inaugurated. The object is to
promote a closer understanding and a
spirit of comradeship between fathers
and their sons. Robert e. Lewis,
president of the Cleveland Young
Mems Christian Association will issue
call some time this week for a
meeting at which plans for the move
ment will be arranged. He will have
the assistance of Mayor Newton D.
Baker and other leading citizens.
The aims of the movement are:
To help fathers and sons to UNDER
stand each other.
To interest fathers in the outside
interests their sons meet so they can
| help them to avoid evils.
To break down the barriers that
often exist between fathers and sons.
To make fathers understand that
they must go outside the home to
best bring their ideas to bear upon
their boys minds.
OF course you, dear reader, would
| fail to discover danger in such a
movement; but there is. You would
think it quite a commendable enter
prise, the working out of a high ideal.
as DR.. Elliott suggests for mothers
and daughters. You would think
that fathers who talk of good COM
pany" to Their sons would better be
companions for them. Then the boys
would not fall in with evil COM
panions; and the fathers themselves
might refrain from doing some things
which they would be ashamed to have
their sons know social traditions
| forced them into.
But, as We said before, there is a
danger. and it is here:
Commercial deviItry, such as sa
looms, gambling places, obscene liter
allure, Iewd pictures, debauched as
sociates, white slavery patronage, and
all other branches and outerowths Of
the saloon interests would receive less
Patronase--if fathers and sons were
companions.
If you think no one would dare
openly to discredit a father and son
movement, or mother and daughter
movement, just read the following
editorial from Tuesdays Waterville
Sentinel, and remember that other
) public educators" which promote the
same interests are putting forth their