Deming graphic. (Deming, N.M.) 1903-1948, 1920-02-03
DEVELOPING THE ,,.

II ever town NEEDED TO develop the
social instinct, IL Is Deming. Deming
citizens have almost lost the art OF
playing. Where are all the good times
gone which the peOple-all the people
used to enjoy together Now one
group wants TO limit social entertain
ment To church ice cream sOciable'
and another wants tn dance with all
the extravaganza of the "shimmy' ana
cheek" One bunch wants to play
cards with enough ON the side TO
make IL interesting" and another looks
with disfavor on girls playing basket
ball in boomers. Instead of drawing
together in their amusements they are
wrenchng apart, IL is only at play
that people really treat each other
with naturalness and sportsmanlike
courtesy. With competing businesses,
differing religions and politics, Dem
ing citizens are getting 10 hate each
other with the hate born Of ignorance
OF each others lovable qualities. Yet
there is a natural yearning to meet on
common ground and a general feeling
tnNt nOlnllE kb'h Nuh N'ih' Va '
attitude Of distrust and dislike.
No person can say that he has solved
the problem Of amusements when he
has failed to provide adequate recrea-
ton for every member Of every family
I'm the CITY. When not at work, the
natural thing and the healthful thing
Is 10 play. To he Of any benefit play
must he in groups, for, unless re-
pressed, there is an urge To mingle
with ones kind. II play does not de-
generate into debauchery II must be
guarded well by the cOnyentions-the
will Of the group 10 enforce decorum.
With John Barleycorn dead and buried
one great difference Of opinion as 10
decorum has been removed. But II
doesn't seem To help.
The forces that make for companion
ship In Deming for the most part lie
idle. The devil has not been slow TO
take advantage of this fact. Young
people now find amusements In pool
halls and unregulated dances. Pool
halls NAV be. and some Of them are.
decent enough places, and substantial
business men while away the time they
can devote TO recreation in friendly
games Of pool. but likewise youths who
ought to be In school. at home or work
/ ing. waste their time there learning
| the rudiments Of gambling and some
other vicious rudiments. You can
Ilegislate these places into something
more high and nobel than what they
intrinsicaily are, though they should
be. certainly. regulated to meet the re
guirements Of common decency. The
dances held by the young folks OF
Deming are not 10 vicious as thay arr
sometimes credited with being, but the
crowd that goes to them skates on TIM
ice. II is believable that II some OF
the young people could see themselves
I'm the ridiculous postures which they
assume. they would cut that sort Of
thing. There are only a few that sin
against good taste, but the tendency II
not i'm the right direction. Dances will
proper chaperonage should he provided
for them--for they will dance, ant
don't you forget It,
Community Service maintains tha
the young people OF community
boys and girls-shOuld eb able to NEE
together and enjoy the companiOnshil
which they crave with all the vim o
biological urgency. The community !
mot doing its duty IL II fails 10 pro
vide adequate opportunity for them {
meet and play together as their Make
intended that they should, with all tn
safeguards which high standard o
morality provides In other words
sOcialize the forces which Deming IN
allowed to go TO the devil. II Is no
sufficient that the young folks mus
be told that they must stop this, tina
and he other. Provide them with tn
means Of gratifying their social In
stincts and they will not have tim
10 indulge an ingrowing curiosity {
take a fling In amusements that ar
! said to be naughty but nice"
2 Community Service In Deming has
? plant that would do credit TO cit
Of dozen times the size Of Deming
r II has fallen heir TO the equipment a
2 the armory and II has the swimmin
D pool on a dollar a year lease-all bu
! gift. A number OF organizations ar