The Washington herald., 1914-12-09
SOCIAL CENTERS
MIGHT BE HEARD
Miss Wilson Tells Teachers
Pleas to Congress May
Benefit District.
PEOPLES IDEAS WANTED
Says Reason Congress Rejects So
Many Views Is that They Come
from Few Men.
PEOPLES IDEAS WANTED

The establishment of social center or,
ganizations in the neighborhoods of the
| District, where citizens might discuss
subjects OF vital interest to the whole
community in addition to the usual work
! of social center societies, was urged
/ upon the school teachers of the District
/ by Miss Margaret Wilson, in addressing
/ the Teachers Association of the District
| in the Franklin School yesterday.
Il believe the teachers profession Is
| the greatest in the world because the
teachers are such unselfish idealists. !
! believe they are the ones to carry out
properly my dream of social centers in
Washington" said Miss Wilson.
Il imagine that when organizations
like citizens associations go before Con-
gress with a plea for something. the mem
bers say to themselves: These men rep
resent only certain per cent of the peo-
pie of the city. and therefore they do not
speak the wish OF all the people With
such organizations as / speak Of, Ques-
tions of interest to all the people could
be taken before Congress with the plea
that they represent the wish of the peo-
pie. and,I am sure Congress would then
recognize them.
Il want to distinguish between social
settlement and social center and l fear
that without the aid OF you teachers the
social settlement plan will creep in. l get
greatly excited every time l think OF the
idea of charity being brought into the
social center Plan. The social center
should either be supported by public
funds or by the contributions of the peo-
pie of the neighborhOod.
Limit Use of Schools.
Unfortunately. the bill now before
Congress to allow the use of school
buildings for meeting places does not
empower the Board of Education to
limit the use of the school buildings to
certain organizations. l believe the
school should be the clubhouse OF the
neigh borhood. and should be limited
to the people of the neighborhood.
= suggest that an assistant to the
superintendent of schools be appointed
to plan these social centers in each
neighborhood. He shall do all the hard
work OF launching the movement; the
rest will lie with you teachers. The
principal of the school should have an
organization of his neighborhood. who
would keep the ball rolling. as it were
But do not think he should have any
authority over the organization. l be-
lieve the people should be allowed to
say in what activities they shall en-
gage.
I'm solving the problem OF keeping
outside organizations from meeting in
the clubhouse of your neighborhOod.
l can only suggest that you keep it
occupied so often that they will not
have a chance to use it.
Could Exchange Views.
Il see no harm. however. in having
the organization of a neighborhOod in
vite as part of the evenings program.
another organization to share each
others views on a subject.
while urging the discussion of civic
activities. l do not want the children
forgotten. l happen to know that Mr..
Martin. superintendent of Fairgrounds.
and several other civic playground
workers are now engaged in investi-
eating the playground facilities of the
different neighborhoOds with a view
to improving them where possible, and
1 suggest a hearty cooperation be-
tween the social centers and this work.
Il have great faith in your Board
of Education. and l appeal to 1t to aid
in carrying out my dream, which. il
realized. will bring wonderful results
to the city of Washington. 1t may
seem a dificult one to carry out. but
you will find It practicable and its re-
suits astonishing"