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Show SOCIAL CENTERS SUCCESSFUL Rochester Doing Much For the Enjoyment of Her Citizens. SCHOOL BUILDINGS ARE USED City Has Equipped Them With Gymnasiums, Gym-nasiums, Libraries, Baths and Assembly As-sembly Halls Men, Women and Children Attend Nightly Sessions. 80 much lins been snd uud -written ' v on the movement to provide piny- 1 grounds or other recreative centers for children thnt the older generation has been almost entirely forgotten. Not so In llochestcr, N. 1. where what are I known as social centers have been es tablished. School buildings splendidly equipped with gymnasiums, libraries baths and assembly halls are being utilized by old and young alike. ,' It Is significant of the spirit of the social centers that their beginning was I due to the efforts of no one person or group of persons. The board of edu- 1 cation hnd absolutely nothing to do J with the organization of the move- ' ment, but merely assumed the duty of 1 administration because it is by law the custodian of all school property and therefore responsible for Its protection and proper use. Tim opening of the school buildings for social and civic i purjwses was duo to 11 growth of popu- lar sentiment resulting In n petition .pl being presented to the board of educa- tlon by a committee representing eleven organizations of citizens. Upon their urgent roquost the board of estimate recommended and the common council made a special appropriation ap-propriation to provide for the expenses. Such appropriations bave been made for three successive years, and nil ex penses of social centers and civic clubs have been paid out of them. Not I PIiAYiNO JIABKITl'llALIi AT A HOCIAr.i (JENTKK I n dollar of money appropriated for it school purposes has been expended for II this social and civic use of the school rs-cs buildings. The board of education has Insisted from the beginning that every dollar as!:cd for and appropriated for school purposes was Imperatively needed need-ed for that end and for no other. Accordingly Ac-cordingly the continuance of this privilege priv-ilege depends upon the desire of the community to make special provision for its maintenance. Within these social centers arc found many nonexclusive clubs carrying on their varied activities. These are I termed civic clubs. A library and a gymnasium nre at the disposal of their members when the regular attendance for two mouths has reached a certain arbitrary number, fixed by the board of education. Thus there are girls ' clulw and boys' clubs, men's clubs and I (startling Innovation) women's clubs. iI each to further its special Interests In I its own way. Ilach sex has Its separate I organisations, and the meetings rir held on different nights, but with on.1 general meeting each week, at which the memLers of all the clubs, girls, boys and older folks, come together -V for n ltcture or otnc'r amusement. ' This is followed by a social hour of fc' dancing, etc. jp ?f The direction and cdntrol of these i social centers and civic clubs He with i r uio noaru or euucation. wulch appoints ; lf the supervisors and librarians. Expert ?V lupervlslon might be termed the Uey- note of the Idea. livery urdctaklng ilv of the arIous clubs comes under the f ' 1 direct oversight of tactful men nnd wo 'ly uiou. They enforce the rule of pood I' fa behavior, the one requirement for ad- f , mission to u civic club. The super $1 visors are In no sense d(mlneerlng I .Je'n They take the same active part In thf . jfe4 adults' clubs as do the other member 5$g! nnd form an advisory council to assist In ninny ways, such as the preparation of programs and the conducting of the meetings. It is of course of prime Hfi importance thnt the direction of the ; l club's wtivitios should be In none but $sjt ronioetent hands. Here, under the supervision of train cd, loving women, the girls meet in nn almost Informal way, hold their club meetings, listen to talks on various vari-ous subjects, perhaps a travel talk; dance, sing and. best of all, learn hOw to play. Here, too. many women who cannot nfford membership In the expensive ex-pensive women's club outsldo And hu opportunity to enjoy many of the benefits bene-fits of club life. The women's chic clubs are federated with the Federation Federa-tion of Women's Clubs of (Aa city, bo that the members meet nil the other clubwomen. |