Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1915-01-14

in the community is subject to kitchen
duty. The rule, however, is two weeks
work and one week vacation.
In connection with each kitchen Is
an allotment of three acres for the
production of vegetables. The hard
work here is done by the men, but the
maintenance, such as wedding, sprink-
ling, etc, is part of the women's work.
Women also work in the factories and
even some in the fields. Each family
is allotted home, where is absolute
privacy, but all eat at the common
kitchens, excepting when there is ILL
ness
Then the meals are taken to the suf-
ferer. 1t is set rule for women and
men alike that coffee and "kuchen" is
served in the middle of forenoon and
afternoon. In the factories small stoves
and coffee pots have been installed to
make this lunch convenient. In the
common kitchens every utensil neces-
sary for the preparation of meals is
provided. The bread and cake is baked
in the community bakery by men and
distributed among the communes.
Each kitchen, occupying a whole
building, is large and airy, with its
own supply Of hot and cold water and
sanitary drain. Along one side of the
room is the low brick stove, back of
which is highly polished sheet of tin
against which hang kettles and pans.
The tables stretch along the whole
length of the room, the women sitting
OF hn 9th In,
the summer time breakfast is served
at 6 and in the winter at Z, dinner is
at 1880 and the supper bell rings at
$3.50 in the winter and Z in the sum-
mer.
The Amana community Is absolutely
communistic. There is no individual
property. The all is owned by all. To
each member is accorded certain credit
for clothes and necessities at the COM
munity store. A physician, educated
by the community at one of the leading
universities, looks after the health Of
the members.
Quite naturally there is no great in
centive among the members to develop
along modern lines. Here the inter.
urban electric car is yet unknown and
transportation from village to village
Is by the old-fashioned ox-team. This
beast also is used extensively in the
/ fields to pull the single-handed plows.
The simplicity OF the homes, which
from spirit of economy, are unpaint-
ed, is carried out even in the churches
The house of worship Is as plain as 1t
can be made. The seats are simple
,.,;tb han
plain wooden table serves as a pulpit.
The services consist of singing and
reading from the Bible and the revela-
tions Of Amana prophets. Some of the
principal beliefs of these people are:
! There is eternal life, for which this
! life is but preparation.
! There is no purgatory, millennium In
this life or predestination.
There will be a resurrection-reward
for the good and punishment for the
wicked.
That baptism Is purely spiritual and
submersion in water unnecessary.
That public feet washing after the
example of Christ is necessary to prop
er humiliation of spirit.
That celibacy is the highest ideal Of
life.
That God reveals through visions
and revelations toLay.
That any strife between men is wick
ed-hence they forbid lawsuits and
war.
Possibly the secret Of the long sue
cess of this community lies in It's
name. When these people first arrived
on the undulating plairie they now call
home they sought q name. 1t is re-
lated that at service held on the
hilltop they opened the Bible at will
and found the passage describing the
hill of Amana. The word means "re-
main true"