The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1916-12-20
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THE CITY
MRS. KATE WIGGIN AIDS
VILLAGE IMPROVEMENT
She Has Started Vacation School at
Her Summer Home.

Kate Douglas Wiggin. who has Il
summer home at Hollis. Me, does a
good deal toward aiding village inl-
provcment in that locality
The nuthorcSs is interested In a va
cation school, for which she brings
over from New York u trained teacher
u suggestive enterprise along the line
OF village Improvement. The school is
conducted at the village library and in
Quillcotc barn, which, by the way, Is
quite the most wonderful place about
Quillcotc. the writer's country home.
Here barn dances are held ut which
Mrs. Wiggin herself calls out the or
ders for the square dam es" and also
In the barn authors readings and musi-
calls are given during the summer
In adapting IN old dwelling house
near the bridge Mt Salmon falls to the
needs Of library, Kate Douglas Wig.
gin and her sister. Miss Nora Archi.
bald Smith. left the lower floor vacant
for tea rooms. took out partitions on
the second floor so that the whole front
Of the house should be book room
and the same space ut the back should
be devoted to the children
There is mating here, bright ere.
tonne hangings at the windows, big
closet for working tables and materials
and eighteen or twenty small chairs,
the elder children flowing over into
the adjoining library room, since they
are big enough with some swinging
OF short legs) TO occupy seats intended
for their elders.
Here on Wednesday mornings the
little people gather for Kindergarten
handiwork and on Tuesday afternoons
Tor stories. poems and exercises lead
Ing to the future enjoyment Of books.
In Guillcote barn OH Thursday after
moons there is Il gathering Of the clans
for singing. games. marching and ira
ditlonal folk plays. ali this under the
direction Of the trained teacher.
"1f village Improvement begins any.
where" so Mrs. Wiggin says to casual
visitors, 1T certainly begins at the be-
ginning. If this village is to live ut
oil or hold It's own and thrive it will do
80 by force Of these budding citizens.
I'VE are trying to do some Of the
things impossible to accomplish In
the district school, with its ever
changing teachers and It's too long va
cations. There are other issues in life
besides the multiplication table, the
agreement OF verbs with their sub
ects, the height OF Mount Washington
and the length OF the Mississippi river.
I'VE want our children to know the
never failing joys of reading, the de.
lights OF music and harmony and the
exhllarntion Of moving In tune and
rhythm. Al This means an opportu-
nifty for self expression and dcvel-
opment Of the sense of beauty, the In.
fucncc OF which is often undcrratcd
I'VE are willing, indeed anxious, thar
our children should be able to bound
the states OF the Union and grapplc
with fractions but there are other
kinds Of knowledge. gracious. soften.
Ing. refining, cicvatn~. stimulating
that add greatly to the charm and
zcSt Of life.
Among these aCc good manners,
gentle speech, Il smiling face. ready
acceptance of the desires of the ma.
lority. consideration for older people,
Kindness to younger ones. JOY in a
bodily activity. from which all that
IS boiStcr0uS, noisy. uucOuth or clum.
sy has been banishcd by music, pleas.
urc In Fellowship and cooperation,
glad acceptance Of the superior gifts
OF others when put into the common
stock.
"Thc school that develops these
qualities while 1t teaches the three
RS Is serving the state or the ma.
hon. II 1t ncglects them 1t Is false to
It's greatest responsibility"