The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1916-04-20
Rest Room Statement

The ord day of April completed the
first year OF the existence of the
Resi- Rooms for Women. and no one
who. with a free unprejudiced mind,
investigates the work done by these
rooms. can fail TO come to the con-
clusion that they will repay the eX-
pense ard effort which they have ne
cessitated. 1t first they were open
afternoons and evenings only, but as
the need for keeping them open all
day became increasingly evident, ar
rangements We're made for having the
rooms opened al Il. m. for the day.
Many people Who come in from the
country to do their shopping prefer
the morning hours. and make use OF
the rooms II that time; few school
girls and women who work down
street and I've at a distance bring
their lunches and eat them there at
noon. Women with little children
are especially appreclatiVc OIL the
value of having attractive, sanitary
rooms to which they may take the 1T
tie ones when tired or frctful, for a
little rest or short nap. 1t would be
an mpossibility to give exact Stats
ties of the number of visitors, as very
few are willing to register; but in
spite of the hindrance the fact is,
nearly every village and community
in Somerset County is listed on the
/ registration books. During seasons
of bad weather and bad roads, very
few women come into town, but UNI
der favorable conditions the number
will sometimes run as high as thirty
five in one day. Merchants Day
nearly POO women were in the rooms,
many of them with little children.
The condition of the rooms has been
the subject of much favorable com
ment from out-of-town visitors who
have frequented such rooms in other
places; they have never failed 10 con-
trast the clean. sanitary condition and
attractive appearance of the SkoW-
hogan rooms with that of others they
have visited. II is not an easy mat
ter 10 keep public rooms in such CON
diiton. and means work by the ma
irons.
1t is the aim of the Philathea Class
to keep these rooms open rs Il pub
lie, community service, and any
committee of women or church class,
guild or circle which meets evenings
is welcome 10 The free use of the
room. Contrary to some unjust state !
ments which have been made. the
Philathea Class makes no use of the
rooms. except to hold an evening
meeting there every second Nednes-
day and even this was not done until
months of experience had proved that
| they were not used by the public dur
| ing the evening hours, and that no
one would be deprived of the Use of
the rooms if they We're given over toI
committees. etc. The Community
Teacher Training Class meets there
every Monday evening; other classes
and committees have met there at
various times during the winter and
spring. and it is hoped that more will
do so in the future. and that the peO-
pie of Skowhegan will come to regard
these rooms as they are intended to
be. a public institution, as free TO the
use of any Skowhegan woman or girl
as the Public Library or any other
town institution.
A general statement of receipts and
expenditures for the past year fol-
lows:
Received from subscriptions,
supper, cake sale and benefit
at Bijou Theatre ...........4l74.SS
Taken from box at rooms. 49,. 1875