The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1916-12-01
MILL WELFARE WORK
IMPORTANT MOVEMENT

nome ana community betterment in
tkA mill villages of South Carolina
Much that is fine is going forward
Citizens OF greater opportunity have
come to see that opportunities must
be made for citizens of lesser oppor-
tunity if the average level of citizen
ship in South Carolina is to be rails
ed. There is responsiveness all along
the line which il is good to see.
There is an experiment being tried
out in South Carolina which is uni
que The United States department
OF agriculture has set aside a small
portion of the Smith-Lever fund for
use in stimulating mill village com
munity work. This work is a part
ot the extension service Of Winthrop
College, cooperating with Clemson
College and the United States depart
ment Of agriculture.
This fund is used to stimulate the
work in mill communities by Offering
one hundred dollars toward the sal
AIRY OF a local agent in a given com
muuity. The rest of the sum neces-
Sary to pay for her services is raised.
Usually the mill president bears the
expense of the salary Of the worker.
and the cost of maintenance of the
work. all but the 500 above refer
red to. In one single instance the
mill operatives have formed an or.
lgan,zatiOn and contribute their dues
towards Il portion of the salary of
their worker This is the ideal way
and we hope ere long to have every
mill village do likewise.
The work in the village takes the
following lines: instruction in cook
ing and sewing for children. the girls
%ho work in the mills and grown
women: this instruction includes
Eeaching how TO cook foods common.
ay eaten: what foods are best for us.
aud why: the cost of foods i'm time
and money and the cost of garments
made. from the same standpoint. We
intend that this work shall play no
small part in vanquishing pelagra
from the mill villages in South Caro-
alma. 1t is to help the folks to wiser
spending and be n factor in bring
ing to pass better health conditions.
In every instance the mill presi-
dent gives quarters for the work
for much of il must be done indoors
and n every instance he also gives
ground TO be used as a playground
Nov usually il is mill cottage which
rs set apart for the community CEN
ter and, if possible, it is the geog-
raphical center of the community, as
we'll as the spiritual one. In every
Snstance the mill cottage is remodel
ed TO suit the work which is to so
forward. Usually it is a four-room
cottage. The partition is taken out
in enc side between the front and
back rooms. and this large room is
fitted up for indoor games. with ta
DIes and chairs and window seats
and parches and crocOnole boards
dominoes, etc. The young folks take
to these games as ducks do to water.
This room is used for club meetings
also
The coIors for the walls OF the coz
tace are chosen with care Lovc'y
co'r"s in paints cost no more thar
crude ugly oaes.
The front room on the other sic
of the cottage is used for a reading
room. 1t has its book tables with
magazines. and built-in book shelves.
Usually some books are given by the
company, and after the work is start
ed. others are contributed by various
entertainments by the folks them,
selves.
TIE bac': room is the hub o, he
building. for it is the kitchen, and a
weII-equipped kitchen is a JOY to all
ages and sizes. In it is a built-in
kitchen cabinet. which any one of
the husbands in the community can
copy. In it is its freless cooker and
ice!eSs refrigerator, its uncovered
table and sensible equipment in the
small things which may be brought
from the five and ten cent store
Girls and women surely enjoy the
work done in the kitchen and the
men and boys enjoy the results of
TIE work done there and all profit by
it,
The playground surrounds the
community center building if condi-
Eons are ideal Much that is fine
receives an impetus from the play
ground work Foika can not