Greenbelt cooperator., 1942-10-02
MIR. Braden's Message
(Continucd from Pace II


move from Greenbelt and 26l have
transferred from one home to
another, practically all because of
a change in family status. This
means a total of 923 moves among
our occupants, or an average of
more than one for each home.
Greenbelt has numbered among the
personnel of its citizenship excel
lent people, most of whom are
young couples, the average age of
the adults at one time being less
than 33 years.
"The planners envisioned the
community of the future before
any construction work actually be-
gan. They foresaw community ac-
tvities, cooperative merchandising,
and group living as a successful
Venture and yet they were very
anxious to see how it would work
out in actual operation. 1t meant
to most Of our people a change
from individual PHILOSOPHERS to
group living, andI believe we have
met the challenge and are proving
that it can be done. The many
activities that have been fostered
by the people themselves have
given an opportunity for their de-
velopment which is not possible in
some communities. When we think
of the many activities and organi-
cations in Greenbeit and see how
successfully they have been operat-
ed, it gives US a feeling of salts
faction to know that the people
have responded so well in develop
ing the ideas about which the
planners dreamed. 1t has been
interesting to note that of the $40
families who have lived in the COM
munity that more than 900 or
go per cent of them have purchas-
ed some Greenbelt furniture. Their
interest in this service has demon
strated the advisability of its being
made available. We have been
especially pleased at the interest
shown in the adult education and
recreation activities. The many
courses that have been sponsored
through the Department Of Educa-
tion have been well attended and
we believe a great deal has been
accomplished through this pro-
gram. The recreation program
has proved one of the most in
teresting and beneficial of all. 1t
has been a program that included
within the activities all ages in
some form or other. We have also
been pleased to note that the re-
llgious life of Greenbelt has not
been neglected and our people have
not forgotten this important part
Of their lives. The community
Protestant Church, the Catholic,
the Hebrew, and the Mormon con-
®atious have all conducted their
own services almost from the
date Of the first occupancy of the
community. The people have
shown an interest in governing
themselves, in electing their own
Council which is the sole law
making body in the community,
and they have shown fine spirit
of cooperation in general approval
of the actions of the men and wo-
men elected.
at was not too easy, this idea
of bringing about complete oc-
cupancy within one year with
people from all over our country,
of various trades and professions
who were transplanted here almost
overnight and left to work out a
new pattern of life among people
whom they had never known.
Many intricate problems developed
but all were able to cope with them
and to have enough vision to un-
derstand that it was for the COM
mon good to go forward, working
together for the common interest
of the community. We are no
longer an experiment. We have
our feet on the ground and our
faces to the future, and as soon as
the troubled conditions now con-
fronting the entire world are once
settled We have no fear but that
Greenbelt will go forward and
prove to be a pattern for others
to copy. In five years, we have
done well; in the future we will do
better"
Roy S. Braden,
Town Manaper