Evening journal., 1920-07-30
FOLKS LIVE
in MENOMONIE
Room and Board $50 A
Month There for Wound
ed Ex-SOldierS
URBANA QLL.) NEXT
WITH $3.50 MORE

WASHINGTON. July 30-Room and
board. $50 a month
These two luXuries Of modern eX-
istence can he had for that price in
at least one place on the North Amer
lean Continent. the Federal Board for
Vocational Education has found.
Among the reports on living costs In
more than 30 centers where veterans
Of the late war are undergoing voca-
tional training which the board has
asked for In order 10 guide 10 in
awarding increased compensation TO
the former soldiers that from Memo
monte. Wis. comes in bottom dog.
The director OF the Stout Institute
at which former soldiers are training,
dcposes and says so:
Room and board $50 a month.
To be sure, the Mayor Of Menem-
onie-the town derives its name from
the Greek. "Menin" llhe first word
in the Had after Homcr's's hy-linel
meaning hate. and Monte" meaning
mazuma. or Hate Of money" I'm com
binaton-the Mayor put 10 a little
higher. at s36 a month. But even
then Menomonie. the aptly chrisiened
has a lower livoing cost by sls9 a
month than the next contender, Ur-
hana. III. There The city officials and
the Chamber Of Commerce compute
the average price charged a month
for room and board 10 be Si3S9
s32i7 for board and sit.72 for room.
In working out the increases in
compensation TO be granted 10 its
pupils the Federal board was guided
by the provisions Of the so-called
DarroNv bill, passed at the last session
Of Congress, and by an opinion OF
Secretary Of Labor Wilson to the ef-
AnN b.. 20 rHnNnra1 RI g
I'm training could not be jumped TO a
uniform Si0O a month lthe maximum
for the single man under the law
but must be adjusted IN accordance
with the scale Of prices prevailing In
the localities where the men were
studying or working.
Accordingly, II sent out to Mayors,
chambers OF commerce heads, bank
ers, real estate men and others In a
position 10 know how much 1t costs
10 live in the various centers where
Il has its 4O.O76 men undergoing IN
struction and asked them for the real
e. dope on the situation.
Policy Adopted by Board
The board adopted as its policy In
determining on increases the follow
In cities and towns where the room
and board expense came TO under S4l
a month there would be no increase
in compensation granted. the $50 a
month allowed single men IN training
being deemed siffilcient. on the theory
that so per cent OF a mans salary
normally goes for food and lodging.
Where the room and board ex-
pense lay between $40 and $40
month an increase OF $40 a month, OF
a sum OF 500 for a single man, would
be granted
Where the room and board ex.
came TO Si5 a month or more, the ful
increase OF so a month. or SiOO Tor
single man, would be granted.
For convenience. it was decided e
divide the cities and towns where th'
board has pupils into $50 $50 ant
500 towns" and to so dub them.
Up to date, with al OF the SOuh
and a good portion OF the West 10 b
heard from. MeuOnlonie- Wis Is thi
only $50 town" IN sight, and Urbani
the only $50 town"
II NAV interest New York, Phila
delphia. Baltimore Milwaukee, Buf
faio. New Orleans. Cleveland: Port
land. Maine; Springfield. Mass.-yes
and San Francisco. whose low price.
tickled the visiting Democrats anC
Others who had TO be there for thi
oonvadti ion-to know that they ar
oflcially listed as hundred dollar
towns" But the Federal Board foi
Vocational Education VII never
never give away It's informants whit
allege that anyone can actually live X
any OF them for 500 a month.