Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1915-11-19
COMMUNITY INSTITUTES
By University Of Wisconsin Extension
Division.

You'll be better neighbors. You'll
learn that you havea common interest
in making your town or city the very
best possible place in which to live
and that making the towns business
your business is pretty profitable bust
ness all the way around
Thus did shrewd Wisconsin BUSH
ness man sum up the psychology of
the community institute, which has
come to be such a popular feature of
civic life throughout the state, and
the reason why its lasting influence is
seen in practical improvements for the
common good and in a public spirit
which results in one improvement
leading to another, an endless chain of
benefits developing itself from one
original link. For the aim of the well
conducted community institute is to
make every man, woman and child in
the community realize that it is a con-
ference of the stockholders in the
community, assembled for the pur-
pose of administering the community s
affairs so that the best interests OF
the stockholders will be served.
''Our people are still singing the
community songs" writes Mrs. j. A.
Strathearn, of South Kaukauna, for
mer president of the Wisconsin FEEDER
alton of Women's clubs and general
federation secretary, months after
the holding of the Kaukauna institute,
''and the spirit of community loyalty
permeates the streets. homes and
schools of our city. l wish that every
county in the state could have one or
more community institutes during the
year because l believe that by means
of these Institutes the interests of our
state oan be promoted and a strong
sentiment for state loyalty be engend-
cred"
The big need OF the town or the city
as the center of the community which
includes all the surrounding district
for which ii is natural trading or ship
ping center is the fundamental idea on
which the program of the successful
community institute is built. That
need may be the developments of better
trading relations between the farmer
and the storekeeper; it may be the
establishment of new water or sewer
system, the disposal of garbage, the
consolidation of schools, medical in
spection in the schools, a better ad.
ministrated health department., the
paving of streets, or the building Of a
bridge over a river dividing the two
districts of the town, as was the case
at De Pere which has just held its
second community institute. What
ever the need or the problem, large or
small, with which the residents of the
community are most concerned at the
time. that need and it's problem are
the center around which the entire in
stitute revolves. Expert speakers in
that specific line are secured and prac-
tical solutions of the problem are dis
cussed so thoroughly that definite ac-
ton by the community generally fol-
lows the close of the institute.
Bloomington, for instance, gives
the community institute credit for the
incentive which resulted in its new
water system. For years effort to Sc
cure system had failed through con-
f1ict of opinion. Then came the COM
munity institute and the get-together
spirit. An expert engineer from the
University of Wisconsin Extension
Division studied the local situation and
suggested the program, fitted to
Bloomington's special needs, which re-
suited in the new plant.
In New London the business men
were stimulated to action to meet the
mail order problem. Osseo has fine
new consolidated school due they say
to the influence of two institutes and
it is likewise giving attention to the
subject of sewage disposal. Amsry
established public Fairgrounds, COM
pleted plans for sewer system, and
secured the development of better
business relation between the farmers
and the business men. lCuba City has
consumated a street paving plan and
Menomonee FalSs has organized a
social center, a choral union, and a
home economics study club. At Miner
al Point the Woman's club organized |
a movement for identifying the city
and opened rest room for farmers
wives in the library building.
This cooperative interest in public
affairs is not only result of the com
institute however. Several
farm homes throughout the state now
have model laundries of their own and
many other time and labor saving de-
vices have been installed in both eoun-
try and city homes following practica
made by university ex-
perts at the institutes, Many matrons |
with families as well "a younger ones
TO whom the experience of mother