The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1920-07-22

in the rural sections and smaller towns Of the
country. The amount of money invested in these
buildings varies according to the population and
wealth. OF the community and the method OF imam
cling, and ranges from few hundred dollars in
sparsely settled communities, where considerable
amounts of labor and materials often donated,
to $4,000 in the small cities.
The methods OF financing these buildings may, in
a general way, be divided into classes: those
which financed through individual subscrip-
tons, those financed through club or society
initiative, those financed by local government, and
those financed through community endeavor. The
last is by far the most numerous group, and IN
der this plan money is usually secured either by
the sale of stock in a community organization or
through the solicitation OF general contributions.
Both of these methods are often supplemented by
the giving of entertainments Of various kinds the
proceeds of which go into the construction fund
and part of the amount required to pay the
cost of construction is often borrowed the Sc
curity of the building ITSELF to be repaid later
with money derived from dues assessments or
rentals. Contributions of labor or materials as
well Of cash, often secured Where funds
secured through the sale of stock, the incOr-
pOrated stock company of course owns or con-
trolls the building; and where funds are secured
through general contributions the ownership and
control rest with permanent community organi-
ZatiOn formed for the purpose
The simplest of these buildings generally con-
tain first auditorium, the movable seats of
which permit it to be transformed into dining
room, athletic room, or a hall for dancing;
second stage, with curtains and dressing rooms
for theatricals; third, a kitchen, equipped with
stove, utensils, dishes and cutlery. Often the as
sembIy is the first floor and the kitchen
and a separate dining room in the basement
Farmers buildings frequently contain special
rooms for the use Of cooperative economic en-
terprises.
In the smaller towns, besides these rooms
there are often a library and reading room a
game ROOM women's rest room, and rooms which
serve meeting places for various organizations
In the county seats and larger towns the build
ings often quite complete having besides the
usual and office room, special rooms for
banquets, cafe, gymnasium, billiard and bowl
ing rooms, agricultural exhibit room, and
rooms for the county agricultural agent the coun-
ty home demonstration agent, secretary of the
commercial club and the visiting nurse. The Red
Cross stands always ready to help.
Equipment in these buildings varies from the
plain chairs and tables, cook stoves, utensils
dishes, and organ of the simpler structures to the
fine furniture, opera chairs, stage scenery, gym
nastie bowling. billiard, athletic and game-room
apparatus books, magazines. piano. moving picture
machine and irst-aid facilities OF the finer ones
Those in the open country generally heated by
stoves, lighted by oil gas lamps, and on,
while those in the towns have furnace heat cleo
tric lights running water, inside toilets. and hot
md cold baths
These buildings have become the oenters of