The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1922-06-07
BOZEMAN'S HOSPITALITY

The citizens of Bozeman will have a splendid
opportunity this summer to demonstrate the
hospitality of this city.
The Federated Woman's clubs will meet here
this month las will also the Order of Eagles OF
the state. The National Editorial Association
will visit here in July, and the Roundup will be
held in August. People who come to Bozeman
in attendance of these and other events, will go
away either with the idea that Bozeman has a
splendid hospitality or that Bozeman's hospitality
is of a very inferior kind. Which shall it be?
The responsibility for the city's reputation
for hospitality lies very largely with the indi-
viduaI citizen. Unless the individual takes 1T
upon himself to assume his share OF the respon-
sibility of being hospitable to the stranger within
our city, then Bozeman's hospitality will be far
below that of other Montana cities. The job OF
doing the hospitable things on behalf of the city
cannot be left to a few. It is too big a job. Hos
pitality costs but little. 1t is one Of the fine
arts. It's practice benefits the giver as much as
the receiver.
How many of us take any interest in the
stranger who comes to Bozeman? AS a matter
of fact, do not most of us take him for granted?
We would not harm him; we think he is alright.
But it some times takes him a long time to find
out that we are alright. There is nothing so
Frightening in life as the discovery that some
fellow being is interested in you when you are in
a strange land: 1t makes you feel at home. AS
a matter of fact, the fine art of being hospitable
consists almost entirely in making other people
feel at home.
Bozeman's hospitality should not be the kind
that is placed upon parade, when we have con-
~ventions and other public gatherings. 1t should
be that genuine hospitality which is extended to
every stranger who comes to our city-especially
that stranger who comes here to make his home.
The chamber of has taken a COM
mendable step, in that it has appointed this year
a welcome committee, whose duty it will be to
seek out all strangers coming to the city and
make them feel welcome. This, however, applies
only to the man.
What is going to become of the woman
stranger who comes to Bozeman? 1t is always
the woman who suffers most in going into z
strange city. The conventions which surround
her prevent any effort on her part to make
friends, and to overcome the loneliness which
always accompanies the stranger. Convention
requires that she must be content to sit still
until the ladies of Bozeman have made a forma
call upon her.
There is certainly a great field for helpful
constructive work that might be done by tn
Womenis organizations of Bozeman along thi
line-a work that would not only add much t
the reputation of Bozeman, but it seems to u
would give great pleasure to those who perform i
Why would it not be well for all of the OF
CARNATIONS of Bozeman and for every individu;
citizen, to constitute themselves a welcome con
mittee, to make strangers feel at home in Boz,
man?
A strangers day has been adopted in SON
cities with great success, wherein all ladies WI
are not acquainted are rendered a reception b
the women of the city organizations. They al
introduced to each other and to the ladies of IL
city. This gives then a feeling Of friendline
toward the city and impresses upon them tn
they are at home. One such day each month W
add greatly to the reputation of the city as OF
extending hospitality to the new conner.