The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1942-10-16
By DR.. HAROLD TASCHER


Editors Note. The following is
the ninth article by DR.. Harold
Tascher on the work of the Social
Work Laboratory at the University
of Montana at Missoula.)
In October, 1910, the Social Work
Laboratory completed 46-page direc-
tory of statewide associations called
"One Hundred Montana Builders"
The project was set up as a research
project to see how many private
statewide associations there were in
Montana, how many memberships
they had, what their chief purposes
and activities were, what publications
they issued and what policy they fol
lowed about conventions, their fire.
quency, purposes and place in the
social life of the state The work
was done by students assigned to an
NYA project and supervised by stu
dent in the Laboratory. Grace Jean
Wheeler of Roman deserves special
recognition for carrying the project
State Association often Have
Common Detectives
In defining the project, more than
d research goal was anticipated The
Labs program was definitely prac-
teal 1t wanted to render specific
services to the community and to help
the students working on the project
to become increasingly aware of the
various social groups in the state. By
working on the project they could
gather valuable information about
Montana, and especially about the
value of these associations to Mon |
tana. Also the value of the finished |
product, the directory might be ap-
preciated by some of these groups
which might foster growing num-
Der of cooperative relationships be-
tween the university and these asso-
Citations or between the various as
sociations by their own choice.
Social Action Produces Inspiration
These rather vague possibilities of
the project should not be assumed to
be impractical. Rather, they should
be viewed as very real possibilities
which gives direction to the activity
and which enable it to expand with
more services accruing to the COM
munity. I have often sensed the fact
that people are usually skeptical Of !
ideas. Perhaps this is a sign of help s
lessness and cynicism. Imaginative {
flights are not necessarily impracti-
cal. They contribute to a clearer pic {
ture of the possibilities of venture t
The problem is to use these imagina-
tive flights and give them the acid
test of whether they have any practi-
cal value. They can be applied and !
more imaginative flights can take !.
place. Sidney Hook in a recent book
Reason, Social Myths and Democracy
says social action is the mother OF =
Inspiration and beliefs, convictions,
ETC., do not necessarily provide in !.
5piration. The activity inspires and :
The test of use makes the inspiration !
zeal and practical. People who can't :
% inspired can't be very creative and 2
can't be worth much to the demo- :
,ratic community. President Melby
,ften talks about Creative Living"
am sure he puts high value upon ii
activities and the inspirations which p
follow. The problem is to c.
Use these inspirations as much as e.
possible. If more people could parti- Il
ipate in purposeful activities, we k
would see more inspired peo- a
lie and have better social results. The el
dea of the directory certainly gave 81
Use to much Imaginative speculation c.
n our part. However, we did not b