The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1916-03-09

" = a. oONANSys AMY W0lO 6OAAI Wy Az
society to the colleges at which they
were graduated. All their college ex-
pense was borne by the society. Ono
was sent to Europe to study.
And when they completed their edu-
cation they came back to Amana and
became community physicians. To
members of the society their services
are free, but outsiders are charged a
fee. This fee, however, does not 60
to the physician. 1t goes to the 30.
ciety.
The physicians are the envy Of
Amana, although none of the Amana
residents will admit that there is such
a 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 .Amans
villages.
Work in the Amana villages is par.
celed out by the elders. II a man
likes machinery he may go to the
mills as a machinist. If he is fat and
cheerful he may be assigned to run
n of the Amana hotels. The elders
see that the tasks are done and there
is little complaint of laziness. There
is a rumor that on n 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 MOI
discouraged. Mr.. Heinemann, the
president, is a bachelor.
The Ten Commandments are the re-
ligious and civil laws of Amana. Oaths
are forbidden, averments and conirma.
lions 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 r. not countenanced.
Cards are unknown.
To the outsider 1t would seem that
life for the Amana children must be
something Of a burden, for school ia
conducted six days a week, fifty-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 60 pei
cent of the children stay in Amana.
Can Leave If They 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
compulsion here"
Women in Amana villages work in
the mills, in the stores, in the fields
and diaries. 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 1912
They were given full power to act fol-
all the members and purchased land
where they thought it best.
The travellers decided on 5000 acres
of land on the old Seneca Indian reser
walton in New York. They SEM word
back to Germany and in three years
from 184S to 1886, some 800 persons
came across the sea and settled on the
society's 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 wal
made, that the present system Of com,
munism was worked out In detail.