The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1914-01-15
EDUCATIONAL.
(BY G. w. MEISNEST.)


lily one Of community organization.
The great rural need is an organiza-
tion in each community that will in
clude the whole interest and enlist the
united energy Of the people.
The aims Of such an organization
may be stated as follows:
First; To INCREASE PRODUCTION,
.) through improved methods Of culti-
walton; (2) by diversifcation; (3) by
seed selection; (4) by conservation of
soil and other natural resources.
Second: To INCREASE PROFITS, U
by cooperative marketing; (2) by COOP
erative manufacture; (3) by cooperative
use of improved implements; (4) by
preventing waste; (5) by providing
cheap working capital through rural
credit associations.
Third: To INCRENSE THE LENGTH
OF HUMAN LIFE, Q) through nutriti-
Gus food; (2) by sanitary, comfortable,
and attractive houses; (3) by education,
study, investigation, demonstrations;
(4) by community efforts for moral and
mental progress; (5) by the use of mod
ern convenences in the home; (6)
through religious and social efforts.
In a number of important directions
the school, If properly administered,
will prove the most effective agency
for community organization.
The school should have, besides
room for each teacher, workshop,
kitchen, aud an auditorium of sufficient
size to accommodate comfortably all
general community meetings, and
should be designed for comfort, proper
heating, lighting, and ventilation. 1t
should be located on five to ten acres Of
land SO arranged as to allow ample
Fairgrounds, shade trees, flowers, a
home garden, and demonstration plat.
The community school unit should
be large enough to Justify the employ
nent CT not less than three teachers.
This is necessary to do The work de-
manded of an organized community.
The district should also be large
enough to form au efficient socia! and
economic group with common interests.
1t has been the policy Of the promo
tors Of boys and girls clubs to organ
ize them through the schools, but this
feature OF community organization
needs strengthening from the school
side. The club should be an integral
part Of the school, just as the literary
aud debating society are part OF our
high schools and colleges.
There should also be farmers clubs
and womens' clubs. The farmers club
should have as their purpose coopera-
tive production, cooperative buying
and selling, cooperative rural credit,
and cooperation for cultural opportun-
tiles.
The womens' clubs should concern
themselves with cooperative study of
household management, cooking, sani
sary, and hygienic problems; labor
saving devices; and enterprises of soci-
al, literary, musical, and artistic in
terest.
The first and most important common
interest Of the community Is health.
Through the assistance Of the county
health officer and the State board Of
health every community ought to learn
how to prevent the spread OF infectious
and contagious diseases. Systematic
instruction should be given in the
school in such practical, concrete
way that the laws Of health, as affect
ing the individual, the home, the
school, and the community, should be-
come common knowledge. The school
teacher should either lead in these
matters that pertain to the complete
organization Of the community or dis
cover and stimulate the necessary
leaders in the COMMUNICATION U. s.
Bureau OF Education Letter.