The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1914-07-31
CAIRO VISITOR
MAKES TALK ON
SOCIAL CENTERS
Suggests Using School Houses as So
cial Centels in the Evening
for III People,
(by julius KOptjn J

tby JULIUS hOplili
During MY visit in Cairo, H.. |
have had occasion to notice that so,
cial centors are uncommon in this
city.
The proposal to have in every city
IN America institutions wherein pe0-
rle may gather, regardless of opin
ion, need. ard income, upcn a cCnl-
mon ground of interest inG un.
selfish duty, is not new project.
This movement which will give to
every hoy and girl the tuan AMI
/" "oman OF tCmorrow-aL opp nnity
20 obtain proper recreation under u
t;u eful supervision has been tria |
for many years in our large cities.
In Chicago, New York and Cleve-
land, philanthropists have given
freely so that an organization and
building Of social centers could be
made possible tor the gathering and
recreation of the community, es.
pecially the young.
II may be Impossible to erect build
ms for this purpose in cairo, YET
that would not mean that YOU would
he denied the right to social centers
The taxpayers Of this city support
system of schools, that has as a
school day, a period from nine
o'clock in the morning until four
C'clock inf the afternoon, meaning
therefore that the schools are open
but eight hours a day and for sixteen
hours the building are unused.
Would it not then be advisable to
Use the schools, which are situated
SO, that everybody may have an op.
portunity to use them, as social cen
ters in the evening, for two or three
hours, say for example three or -four
times a week It may mean extra ex-
BeDse but who can successfully main
tain that it would not be worth it.
Later enough money could be ap-
rropriated for buildings wherein
social centers would be established.
If the school has nc assembly hal.
the Railways to the rooms could be
used instead. In Chicago the hall
ways have been put to use for many
purposes. The young people dance
to the music that is also in the hall
way, When buildings would be built
II could then be possible to build
assembly halls.
The assembly hall could be used
as meeting place for the voters
Just as they did in the hygone days
when the people met to discuss pub.
lie questions. Every voter at that
time knew Just how laws were made
land enforced and they obeyed them
Every voter knew the qualifications
let every candidate. But in these
days he or she must trust in Provl-
Idence for who can tell whether or
not the representative of the people
will not hetray his trust. At these
meetings in the social center's as
sembly hall the voters could meet
and personally Investigate the can
didates and their platforms. During
the last election in Chicago candi-
dates of all parties for the same
oifice spoke on tho very same even
ing before the voters in the public
school assembly halls.
The program OF complete social
center development presents a field
for numerous other activities. The
use OF the school house as plhl!e
lecture center Is an important e(c-
|mcnt. An0ther branch of The recre.
Ietive lilt'y is ptav;tei in a game
ro0m and library for others. Perhaps
the most important feature of the
social center is found in the clubs
for boyt and girls which are govern
ed by duly elected officers of Their
own selection. Here the club mem
bers obtain practical demonstration
of all the principles OF parliamentary
practice in their spirited meetings. Tt
teaches them the principles of self
government thereby paving way an
latenue which shall lead them "a