Deming graphic. (Deming, N.M.) 1903-1948, 1914-04-10
schoolhouse outside Of school hoursf
Are they closed and dark and desert

schoolhouse outside Of school hours
Are they closed and dark and desert
ed from four o'clock in the aftern
noon until eight the next morning. o
are they active, living agents in tn
community life, centers where tn
agencies which make for citizenship
and civilization are busy at work
The Woman's Club of Louisville
has opened the doors Of the school
houses, the property of the taxpay
ers, to their rightful owners. In Jan
uary. 1911, permission was obtained
from Louisvile's Board of Education
to carry on two experiments in th,
wider use of the school plant fol
adults: the Woman's Club to fnanc,
and direct the new work. and th,
Board of Education to furnish the
buildings. light and janitor service
Two schools were selected. differing
rs widely rs possible: one. the model
school building of the city, in II good
residence district the other. old. with
no modern convcnienccs. in n :iepress-
ed factory district. Thus two kinds of
communities were catered to: the one
of energetic. wcll-to-do. lcsiured pea
pie. able to find and pay for their
recreation elsewhere; the other. poor
ignorant. without ambition for the
most part, but with sprinklina Of
better people. But both of these
communities needed common meet
Ing place, n Social Center, neigh
borhood consciousness. And so both
schools were opened two nights
week. one night for clubs flor those
over fourteen) and the other for
public lectures, concerts and neigh
borhood entertainments for all ages.
Volunteer leaders were secured for
clubs of all kinds, civic, literary.
musical and social. and announce
ments were sent ont through the
school children to the communities.
The schools were also opened one
afternoon in each week for the school
children under fourteen. A stcrcop-
ticon and a photograph loaned by
the Board Of Education. the coopera-
of the City Health office. the Music
Department of the Woman's Club,
the Public Library and the people of
each neighborhood made possible H.
Illustrated lectures. music and other
Two other communities petitioned
last year for the use of their schools
H. Social Centers TO be directed by
the Woman's Club. 50 that Louisville
now has four full-fledged Social
Ccnters in her schools. three of which
are supported and governed by their
own communities. A Central Council
of Social Centers has been formed.
consisting of representatives from
the Board Of Education. the We
mems Club and the Social Centers.
with full power Ia govern the policies
aud activities of all the Center>. The
Womau'- club ha> thus driven in the
entering wedge of great system.
which will some day result in the
specialization of all l.oui>villc's
schools"
The quotations prove beyond pucs-
ton that this l. a live issue.
In order that We may have vivid
picture of the school as a social CEN
Ter. let ~ in our imagination go to
our own high school and there spend
an evening in the Center"
In a room one may be assembled
a dramatic club to rehearse a play
that is to be given in the auditorium
ut some near future date. In going
over the entire situation they dis
cover that the play has not been ad-
vertised. that they need to sell tickets
to cover the entire expense Of the
play and leave some funds for the
future use. so n committee of ticket
sellers and advertisers is appointed
at the rehearsal.