South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-04-25
SCHOOLS URGED
TO OPEN FORUMS
Civic Federation in Annual
Dinner Advocates New Con-
Stitution Discussion.

To turn the schools throughout
| the city and county this summer
/ into open forums for the purpose Of
| discussing matters pertaining TO In
diana's new constitution Will be the
endeavor Of the Civic federation.
Decision in the matter was made at
the annual dinner at the high
school Tuesday night. Mayor Fred
Keller. members of the council, the
school board and the municipal rec
reation committee were among the
200 persons present at the dinner.
Edward ]. Ward, father Of the
community center movement and
director Of this department of the
bureau of education, Washington, d.
c.. was the principal speaker of the
occasion and emphasized in his talk
the opportunity presented TO South
Bend through it's community center
system, which. he said, is the best
in the state. 10 take the initiative
in this section in promoting inter
est in the new constitution and the
constitutional convention. The
Sdlllt III was III ONtSAA NNA III
the talk of ]. 3. Gereesing OF Ko-
komo, an organizer of the Citizens
League of Indiana. Bishop John
Hazen White also gave a brief talk
at the meeting. Rev. John Cavan-
augh. c. s. c.. the POSTMASTER, was
introduced by w. c. Erler, president
Of the Civic federation. Mrs. Har-
~ Barnes rendered a trio of songs
in a most delightful manner; there
was a violin solo by Frederic In
gersol and Miss Hazel Haverstock
and community singing led by f. w.
Morse. Harry LipsHy. another
prominent social center worker,
who was scheduled to speak at the
meeting. was unable TO be present.
Mayor Offers Resolution.
After the talks of Mr.. Ward and
Mr.. Gereesing on motion OF Mayor
Keller a resolution was adopted 10
the effect that the civic Federation
should work through the civic cen
tiers and the community centers Of
both the city and county make every
effort 10 encourage and promote in
terest in the new constitution and
the constitutional convention. A
committee will be appointed to ar
range for the holding on cOnstitu-
tional discussion meetings.
Brief talks were made by Judge
l.. NJ. Hammershmidt, L. c.. Man
ming, Mayor Fred Keller, Mrs. Fred
Keller, John Henry Zuver and F. b.
Barnes. Miss Margaret Wilson,
daughter Of Prest Wilson and a
prominent community center work
err. will be invited as a speaker for
another meeting of the Civic feder-
alton 10 be held sometime later.
Miss Wilson had been asked to be
present at the annual dinner Of the
federation but could not come.
Home of Democracy.
The schoolhouse is no longer the
cradle of democracy: 1t is the home
of democracy" said Mr. Ward in
his talk. the subject Of which has
been given as The Schoolhouse
the Cradle of Democracy" The
schOolhouse that is used only for
the children is only half used" he
continued. The school house is the
the common meeting place and har-
mOnizer Of the men and women of
| a community. 1t holds something
the same place in the community
| that the child does i'm the family"
Mr.. Ward then went on to show
how the community center move
ment has grown until it has become
nation wide and how yearly thou
sands of communities are beginning
10 get full value from the school
building by using it as a cOmmu-
nifty center. He was of the opinion
! that this is one of the most hope
/ full signs of our democracy and was
strong in his emphasis OF the good
politically and socially that can
come from the community center
! movement
Would Vote i'm SchOolhouse.
"One Of the things which should
come up for consideration in the
constitutional convention in Indi-
ana" said Mr.. Ward, lis the feast
bility of utilizing the schoolhouse
as a voting place" The speaker
| was Of the opinion that this would
make for better politics.
Mr.. Ward touched at some length
upon the possibilities of using the
/ community centers for the discus
sion of questions connected with
/ the new constitution and urged the
I Civic federation of South Bend TO
! take the initiative in this regard
and set an example TO the rest of
/ the state. This idea was brought
out to fuller extent in the speech OF
/ Mr.. Gereesing. He told the Civic
federation that it could rely upon
the Citizens League of Indiana 10
| cooperate in the matter Of furnish
/ ing speakers 10 appear at constitu-
tionai convention meetings TO be
/ held here and asked that local