Smyrna times., 1922-11-29
SCHOOL AS COMMUNITY CENTER
Should Become HarmOnizing and So
cializing Force Says Supt. Schantz
of Smyrna Special District

In order that the pubic ScnoOlS may
function to their maXium efficiency,
the limits of the classroom must be
the limits to the district; the pupils
of the classroom must be all the peo-
pie in the district, says Supt. c. w.
W.. Schantz, of the Smyrna District
Schools. "The true ideal of democ-
racy is the free and harmonious work.
ing together of the whole community.
One of the most important human IN
stincts is sociability, therefore, some
kind of social center, where all can
meet on a common level of sOciable
and cooperative effort to realize a
common aim, is greatly to be desired
in every community. Since there are |
in the religious world many creeds, IN
economic life great diversity of inter-
est, in politics many parties and opin-
ions, it seems evident that the public
school could become great harmOmz-
ing and socializing force in every COM
munity Thousands of people fritter
their leasure time away in pool rooms,
card parties, moving pictures, and on
the street corners, or those who have
no special ambition for self-improve-
ment, stay at home spending ther
time at desultOry reading, random
conversation, smoking and the like.
For many such people, if not all, some
kind of social center meets real
need.
Public Schools Fundamentally Center
"The general nature of the public
schools in a fundamental sense sug-
gests that institution as par excellence
the social center of the community.
Here is carried on the greatest of all
social work, namely, that of educating
the coming generation, for here CEN
ters the interests of all who have a
deep regard for their welfare. In
looking over the community we find no
other institution which can carry on
community social work with more
promise that the public schools. The
Church would only be a center for a
part of the community. The school IN
its work of educating the children OF
the community uses the building and
equipment only fraction of the time
This expensive outlay by the taXpay
: ers could be used to its full capacity
. for the social work of the cOmmunit!
: with very little additional equipment
The wider use of the schools as a cen
ter would lead to increase the interes
of the people generally in the activ
| tiles of the school. Since the children
:, spend a large portion of the day II
:. school this forms a point of contac
: between the home and the school, an
e as a result should form an agency t
), unite the community in healthful SO
S cial life.
: Adult Population Offered OppOrtunit
"To the adult population of com
y munity, the school should offer an eN
j cellent opportunity for recreation, fo
u social intercourse and for education
d With new high school building unde
e construction, including an auditorium
y and a gymnasium our school plar
e should offer an excellent opportunit
l. to the adult population as recres
n ton center, for lectures, entertain
ments, debates, and athletic contest
1t also could be utilized for readin
al circle or quiet games and meetin
n place for clubs, improvement associ;
If ton or civic forum, political meeting
D. concerts, mass meetings, banquet
D. parents-teachers associations, and az
:" ricultural or grange meetings. An a
)" tempt should be made, however, to n
" strict the recreational activities
j. those which stimulate the develop
re ment of the mind as we'll as the bod
Of in other words, everyone of these a
in tivities should possess an education
s. value. The social, the cultural, ar
ne recreational aspects should be mo
ne emphasized. Any such effort to NAL
ce this wider use of the school plant po
m sible should be Systematically admir-
On istered and controlled altho vOluntal
i'll should be encouraged, for the pri
s. ciple of self-activity applies to Il
on adult as truly as to the child. Und
this arrangement the public sche
plant would tend to bind all elemen
: of society more closely together. Ce
\ tain obstacles which makes this d
- velopement of community centers di
ficult, age, class barriers, intoleran
human inertia, lack of adequate lea
&c ership and isolation. The idea tn
u the school should become the cor
~ ~ munity center is supported by the ia
- that the very character of the scho
gu makes it a natural center of comuni
interest.
on Teacher Always an Important Fact
PC "In the matter of the administr
be ton and control of the plan, there
he as yet no uniformity throughout t
ON country. Four general stages of d
ad velopment may be observed: Fir
al