Evening star., 1937-12-26

Uc!t, III washington or In Oe0n6WOOQ.
The beginnings of the store were
in a roadside stand, launched to dis
pose of the produce raised and grown
on the farm. The society rents
farm Of 106 acres on Richie road,
about 6 miles from the training
school. Vegetables and stock feed
were raised last year, in addition to
some live stock. At present the farm
is stocked with about ITS hogs and
with 400 to 500 chickens. Eggs av-
erage 80 dozen a day. Last year IL
hogs were slaughtered; this year the
number will approximate so. Volunteer
laborers are now building a smoke
house. Last year it was necessary
to buy grain Tor the live stock; this
years harvest obviates that necessity.
About so or go acres are being turned
over for spring planting. Three men
are employed regularly, but they are
assisted by volunteer workers when
more help is needed.
Cooperative Industries, Inc, rented
two-story frame building, once a
laundry, from the training school,
The building has been completely
renovated. The laundry equipment
is being reconditioned. Soon that
frame building will house several in
dustries. A bake shop, glass inclosed
to permit ready view of the baking
processes; hand laundry and can
merry, where farm products will be
preserved, will be soon in operation.
A broom factory, shoe repair shop
and chair factory are planned, not
alone to bring in revenue and jobs
to the members, but to train men
and women in these trades. A beauty
shop and school will be thrown open
to the women of the society.
The meeting rooms and Office of
the cooperative are located in the
same building. Meetings are held
monthly. An intensive educational
program has been going on in Deane-
wood since the early days of the self
help cooperative. Members of the
cooperative range from near-illit-
crates, who are being educated
through the cooperative study groups,
to college professors who see in the
study group the nucleus of new
and more democratic economic So
ciety. To the former group consumer
cooperation offers economic security.
They will not be dependent upon
business booms for jobs. They will
make their own jobs.
COME day the society will own the
farm. 1t will have its own credit
union. Its grocery store will have
branches in every colored neigh
borhood in the District. Vegetables
and pork sold will be comparatively
produced. But these dreams are not
interfering with the day-to-day prac-
ticality of the group. Progress is
being made slowly, but confidently
Consumer cooperation has been in
existence in Washington for several
years. Activities include grocery
stores, gasoline station, a women's
apparel store. insurance and group
buying and savings in fuel and in
other commodities.
From its humble start in 1874
among q group of English flannel
workers in Rochdale. England, con-
sumer cooperation has spread to A
countries. Since 1912 it has been
increasing steadily in the United
States. Few cities are without con-
sumer organizations. To what extent
cooperation grows in the country is
dependent upon today's Greenbelt and
DeaneWood.
An interested world is watching
Greenbelt. Can community oo-opera-
ton succeed? Quietly, and deter
minedly. Deanewood is finding out.