Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1916-05-17

Of the society. They were sent by tbs
society to the colleges at which they,
were graduated. All their college e1-
pense was borne, by the society. One
even was sent to Europe to study.
And when they completed their edu-
cation they came back to Amana and
became community physicians. Fe
members of the society their servi,E5
are free, but outsiders are charged q
fee. This fee, however, does not go
to the physician. 1t goes to the So
ciety.
The physicians are the envy Of
Amana, although none Of the Amana
residents will admit that there is such
thing as envy. When the physicians
pass on the road the Amana house
wives turn their sunbonneted heads
and the Amana boys and girls look
with, open admiration for the Amana
physicians have automobiles. They
are the only people in the society
who have them. The machines were
purchased by the society and they
are the only machines in the .Amana
villages.
Work in the Amana villages is par
celed out by the elders. If man
likes machinery he may go to the
mills as nachinist If he Is fat and
cheerful he may be assigned to run
one of the Amana hotels. The elders
see that the tasks are done and there
is little complaint Of laziness. There
is rumor that on one occasion years
ago a man who refused to work and
on whom suspension from church had
no effect was expelled from the so
ciety.
In the Amana villages there are
prayer meetings every night in the
year. There are no ministers. The
elders conduct the services in church,
at funerals and at weddings.
Marriage is neither encouraged nor
discouraged. Mr.. Heinemann, the
president, is bachelor.
The Ten Commandments are the re.
ligious and civil laws Of Amana. Oaths
are forbidden, averments and confirma-
tions are made by affirmation. No at
tempt is made to follow styles in
dress. Hair ribbons, mustaches, neck
ties and other adornments are banned.
Games and "all frivolous and worldly
amusements are not countenanced.
Cards are unknowl.
To the outside it would seem that
life for the ANNA children must be
something Of ! burden, for school is
conducted six days a week, flfty-two
weeks in the year, all sports are
banned, dancing is unknown and each
child must learn sixty-two rules OF
conduct for children" The teachers
are men, members of the society.
Despite the simple life in Amana the
children, most of them, stay in the
society. President Heinemann and
other officials estimate that go per
cent Of the children stay in Amana.
Can Leave IT ihey WISH
Sometimes they go away" said Mr..
Heinemann. "They seek excitement.
But many Of them come back We
let; them go If they wish. There is no
cohpulsion here" ~
Women in Amana villages work in
the mills, in the stores, in the fields
and dairies. The stores are general
merchandise stores, one in each vii.
lage. They are kept like the Amana
houses, absolutely clean, and many
people from outside the colony trade
in the Amana stores.
Four members Of the society, includ.
ing Metz, came to America in 1S42.
They were given full power to act for
all the membels and purchased land
where they thought it best.
The travellers decided on 5000 acres
Of land on the old Seneca Indian reser'
vation in New York. They sent word
back to Germany and in three years,
from 1S43 to 1S46, some 500 persons
came across the sea and settled on the
societys land. The society was then
known as the "Ebenezer" society.
Here the community idea was begun,
says Louis L. Collins Of the Mime
apolis Journal; but it was not until
1854, when the move to Iowa *as
made, that the present system of COM
munism was worked out in detail.