Palisadian. [volume] (Cliffside Park, N.J.) 1906-current, 1919-06-21
COMMUNITY HOUSE
Address by
Charles T. Logan
June 16, 1919
Delivered at Mass Meeting

IFOfll any ulSCuoSlOb VI IiiV ~
house proposal for no particular rea-
son than that | wished TO see what di-
rection the movement would take.
Now that | see just what you are after
and the way you want to do it, l am
going to give expression to few
thoughts on it. But permit me to say
at the outset that it is no presumption
on my part to believe that every per-
son in Palisade knows exactly where L
stand on the general public welfare
here, and particularly on all that re-
iates to the good, the comfort and the
amusement of the children. No COM
munity is ever going to get its children
to look back upon it in the future as
the one longed for place in their hearts
above all others unless there are at
least modicum of attractions to make
it worth while. | have preached many
sermons of my own on this subject and
have put into practice some tangible
evidences of what feel and believe in
and what | have always been willing
to do for them. l believe in no princi-
pie of municipal guardianship that
makes for the happiness of all children
more than this. l believe they should
have Fairgrounds, gymnasiums and ev-
erything else we can give them for
their development as growing units in
the community, that will make them
feel the love of home and that will in
still into them the meaning of loyalty,
xr,bi oh 1ovn and natrintin 1ffnH-
ton for country. l have lived up to
this principle in every breath | have
drawn in Palisade. Chance made me
the first citizen to call Palisade home,
and have myself loved it with all the
ardor of my soul. have wanted to see
it in forward going condition all the
time and that is my hope today. When
the little town paper was started in
1906 the first editorial we had, next to
the "Polte Bow" in explanation as to
why the paper was born, was one on
''Wanted, A Town Hail. And, if | am
not mistaken, our friend, Mr.. Carson.
wrote that little effusion as his contri-
button to our maiden effort Anyhow
the fact remains that no one thought
has been closer to my heart than this,
and because of this fact | have not
heard anything in years that did me
more real good than when Mr.. GuhSe
first preached this matter and got ac
lively into its purpose and feeling.
The progress you have made, from
what am told, appears to be consider
able, and | feel that Palisade should
make this effort the very greatest of
her career. Really, outside of giving
always most generously to every pub
lie cause and function, Palisade has
never done a great deal for herself in
building of our beautiful little church,
which is an honor to the community
and an everlasting credit to it's orig
inal promoters and those who have so
literally supported it all these years.
The borough has given us this hand
some little school, large enough at the
beginning but far too small for general
purposes today. A man of large travel
once told me that this Palisade school
was larger and finer than the majority
of public schools of London.
Now, Mr. Chairman, l am not here
to say one word of criticism over what
you have already accomplished From
what | have been told your committee
has done well in these opening chap
ters of the work, all looking towards
the goal of your endeavOrs which is to
see the fruition of the towns hopes in
an active, modern, operative commune
ty house. No other more fitting enter
prise could hold your attention or your
labors to better, nObler purpose.
So | say Palisade needs TO do some
thing more than she has ever done.
You have started on a long road to
make the thing you are after perma-
nent success and living reality. You
do not have merely to put up a build
ing. You may be able to get lot do
mated for that purpose. You may be
able to get the money for the house.
but where is your sustaining fund? 1t
is no easy matter to bring this about
just as would be desirable, but there
should be ways and several of them
May / nominate just one way that
desirable? Palisade now pays more
than one-third of the taxes of the en-
tire borough Those of us who have
no children or automobiles pay for
what we get with not the slightest per-
sonal benefit, but we have to pay just
the same We have to support the
government Now, why not have a
referendum on this matter? Why not
go before the voters of the village of
Palisade and ask, "Will you vote for d
community house, to be paid for and
maintained in our annual tax bills?"
There is nothing out of the way in the
proposal. If we choose to say to the
borough "Give us what we want for
our own use, tax us for it, but let us
have it now" why should they not
grant it without moments hesita-
ton? When Palisade donated to the
borough over 100000 in sewers and
lilxn cuyn in fipa roo Two fhou yrop,