HIGH SCHOOL Social Center HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION OF THE SOCIAL AND RECREATION WORK OF THE LASALLE-PERU TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL LA SALLE. PERU, OGLESBY. ILLINOIS F. W. MATTHIESSEN (1835-1918) HIGH SCHOOL Social Center HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION OF THE SOCIAL AND RECREATION WORK OF THE LA SALLE-PERU TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL LA SALLE. PERU, OGLESBY, ILLINOIS u"^*;!^' V Personnel and Population Township High School Board of Education George A. Wilson, Sr., President W. J. Clancy H. E. Hackman John R. Young W. T. Bedford Thomas N. Haskins, Secretary. Social Center Staff Thomas J. McCormack, M. A., LL.B Principal of High School J. Wyatt Marrs, M. A Social Center Director Alice R. Greene Instructor for Women and Girls Vincent A. Kogoski Assistant for Men's and Boys' Work Katherine Schalla Matron and Swimming Instructor Allen Vohs Attendant Fred Lakin Attendant Myron Kirsch Attendant. John Marshall Attendant George Hansen Attendant Albert Hasse Attendant Donald Harvey Attendant Lawson Lindsay Attendant Mildred Baker Attendant Wilda Vroman Attendant Mildred Gmeiner Attendant J ames Flannery Caretaker Population {1920) La Salle 13,050 Oglerfby 4,135 Peru 8,869 La Salle-Peru Township 28,133 Some Nationalities (Estimated) Polish 6,000 Italian 700 Other Slavic Races 4,000 Greeks 200 School Attendance La Salle Public 1485 La Salle Parochial 1234 Peru Public 803 Peru Parochial 847 Oglesby Public 905 Township High School 551 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS RECEIVED .itoMSiisMimsamm A HIGH SCHOOL SOCIAL CENTER Introduction The first published description of tlie Avork of the Town- ship High Scliool Social Center of La Salle, Peru and Oglesby was issued in October, 1915, just a 3-car and six months after the establishment of the Center. This original description attained wide circulation and attracted considerable attentioii from educators, social workers and students of civic prob- lems. The present publication contains, like its predecessor, the history of the institution, but aims further to describe and to characterize the work, now nearly eight years old. That work presents many points of significant interest — especially in its method of financial support and in the forma- tive effects W'hich it has had upon similar institutions as well as in the educational influences whicli it has radiated to this and to neighboring communities. The institution originated in the constructive civic imagination of the late Mr. F. W. Malthiessen, Avho, for many years having been pressed to establish a Y. M. C. A. in La Salle, and recognizing that the usefulness of such an institu- tion in this particular community would have been impaired by its corporate liistorical character, consequently decided to establish the required machinery for ])opular recreational work in connection with a recognized public educational institu- tion representing all three cities. Li order to assure the con- tinued interest of the i)ublic in the work and to perpetuate the existence of the Social Center as a permanent part of the political structure of the community, the condition of the donation of the Center was that it should be supported by public taxation. The history of this movement is given in detail in the text. In any event, the present description, in addition to its value as information to educators and social workers, will partly take the form of a memorial to the civic genius of its founder, Mr. Matthiessen; and to make this tribute both con- crete and emphatic the editors have published in an appendix the descriptive and eulogistic article which Mr. Graham F. Taylor wrote on Mr. Matthiessen for the October 1914 number of The Survey. Here the reader will find briefly out- lined the story of Mr. Matthiessen's life and of his construe- LA SALLE, PERU, OGLESBY, ILLINOIS tive civic career. Further descriptions of Mr. Matthiessen's foundations and contributions to our community life will be found in the Annual Reports of the Hygienic Institute, with its elaborate associated activities, which Mr. Matthiessen founded and endowed, and in the publications on the La Salle Peru Township High School issued by the U. S. Bureau of Education (Bulletin, 1917, No. 35, and Rural School Letter No. 21, June 13, 1914; see also Bulletin No. 4 of Bureau of Memorial Buildings, War Camp Community Service, 124 E. 28th St., New York City.) Persons further interested in the social work of the Tri-Cities may be referred to the activities of the Tri-Cities Associated Charities, the administrative ex- penses of which, with a large part of the sustaining expenses, arc defrayed by the entrance receipls to Deer Park, a part of the Matthiessen estate; to the Social Department of the West- ern Clock Company, I-.a Salle-Peru, Illinois; to the La Salle City Playground Association with its history of Hegeler Park; to the voluntary Sewing and Industrial Schools of La Salle, Peru and Oglesby; to the activities of the Washington Park Playground of Peru, Illinois; and to the Women's Clubs of Ihc three cities. Nearly all the preceding Avork began as the Avork of vol- untary associations, aftcrAvards to bo partly incorporated by law into the fixed ])olitical taxing structure of the community, lliis is usuall^^ the liistory of democratic progress. Progress begins Avitli small voluntary organizations and is then finally made part of the automatic machhiery of the state. Thus tlie story of the activities descri])cd or referred to in this ])amplilel Avill be found to form an instructive chapter in the liislorA' of the methods b^'^ AAdiich Democracy realizes it- self. As to tlie financial meclianism bA' Avhich the Social Center and the public athletic grounds of the Township High School are sunported it Avill be interesting io note that Avhile the funds for the buildings and the ecfuiimient Avere furnished by a private donor, yet the upkeen of the plant is provided for by public taxation from the High School educational fund, and that these taxes, representing the annual expenditure for the sunport of the Social Center, are equal to the interest on a fund as large as the original donation. The educational laAvs of the State of Illinois have made possible this extension of the facilities of the existing educational iTiachiner3\ A few Avords remain to be said regarding the AAdder educational influence of the Center. The immediate beneficent results of the activities of the La Salle-Peru Township High School Social Center Avill be A HIGH SCHOOL SOCIAL CENTER apparent to the most superficial reader of this pamphlet. These spring even to the untutored eye. But there are deeper and ulterior effects of tremendous import, not capable of being measured or weighed, unseen in their development, but ultimately forming the foundations on which the whole spiritual superstructure of civilization is erected. The education of a community proceeds not only through the direct activities of institutions formally devoted to this end, but also by the more subtle process of sociological dif- fusion. The ideas disseminated by a given institution affect first onty the small group of individuals immediately attack- ed. At the start the effects appear to be feeble and incon- spicuous. But the individuals affected, or as we may say, to use a medical similic, infected, act as carriers of these ideas and transmit by a species of intellectual and spiritual con- tagion the beneficent contamination they have received to all their associates. They act as foci for the spread of the new ideas, whether in education, citizenship, hygiene, recreation, or what not, and unconsciously pro]:)agate with hundred-foltl efficiency the influences we fancied originally moulded the conduct of only a few. There is a contagion of excellence as well as a contamination of evil, and the laws of sociological imitation, which cause individuals to mimic one another in their thought and conduct, care for it that the good we im- plant with our imperfect educational machinery in a few is transmitted with automatic certainty to increasingly larger groups. The little pebble that we cast on the limitless expanse of the great social water makes a slight impact, but its effect is progagated by known sociological laws in increasingly wider and wider circles to the farthermost bounds. This is the saving thought of all educational and welfare activity. Without it we should sink into irrevocable pessimism. TIk^. new welfare-institutions of this community, powerful and splendid as they are for so small a group of people, would otherwise be impotent, and the scratches that even with them we feebly make on the hardened surface of the great body politic would without its aid never sink into the hidden and sullen depths. In this thought the rankest disaffection may swallow solace, and the gloomiest pessimism see some light. It could be easily estimated that four such plants as the present High School Social Center would be requisite to meet fully the recreational and communily needs of the whole population of this Township. But at present this is financiallv and politically undreamable. A similar estimate, slightly modified, would be applicable to most of the other institu- tions above referred to. The extension of the full benefits of LA SALLE, PERU, OGLESBY, ILLINOIS these institutions, therefore, to all the people, even if all the people were disposed in will and mind to receive them, must ultimately he left to the slow operation of the laws of socio- logical imilalion and conlacl. All are called, hut not all suh- mit to be chosen. Numerous other subtle benefits to community thought and action might be attributed to the operation of these agencies. The very opposition that some of them arouse in stagnant and reactionary circles, the very quarrels and brawls that some of their activities have evoked, are of im- mense educational value, and have unconsciously illumined even the minds of their opponents, l^road-visioned men and women wdll see in these su[)erticial ripples only the operation of a power making for greater enliglilenment. Petty struggle and battle are the machinery by which democracy acquires repose for its idterior ends. The machinery, by its very creaking, finds and adjusts itself. The retroactive effects, further, of the recreational and community work of the High School Center, through its im- mediate benefits to children and adults not belonging to the school-group, are of incalculable value for the forming of a public opinion and sentiment favorable to the source from which those benefits emanate. Not only does the sense-satis- faction imparted by these activities to groups of individuals that might otherwise be disaffected or alienated react salutarily in the direction indicated, but the acquaintance thus uncon- sciously acquired under pleasant associations with an institu- tion of higher learning aulomalically results in the moulding of a sound public feeling in supi)()rl and approval of an agency that incidentally dispenses these benefits. And so Democracy again accomplishes, by reversion upon itself, its purposes. Many other collateral results might be cited as evidence of the wide-spread beneficence of the activities here catalogued. But it will suffice to indicate the principal tendencies. The more palpable of those left unmentioned will occur to the most casual reader. The pamphlet itself has been compiled for the informa- tion of educators and workers in the municipal and social ser- vice fields. The text has been \\'riltcn by the director of the Social Center, Mr. J. AVyall Marrs. I^ut man^^ unnamed, in years long past and in many places, have made contributions to the work fully equal to the laboi- of those who appear officially in the titles; and none more effectively than Mr. George A. Wilson, Sr., president of the La Salle-Peru Town- ship Board of Education, who has given years of quiet and unrequited labor to the consummation of a task before which 10 A HIGH SCHOOL, SOCIAL CENTER even the hardiest spirits might have quailed. All successful social and civic work is impersonal. Individuals are its mere passing agents. The real author is the creative heart of the community, inarticulate and seeking no reward of honor. THOMAS J. McCORMACK. La Salle, Illinois, September, 1921. LA SALLE, PERU, OGLESBY, ILLINOIS 11 History and Maintenance The La Sallc-Pcru Township Social Center at La Salle, Illinois, was made possible by the munificence of the late F. W. Matthiessen of La Salle. The offer of a recreation build- ing was made on the condition that the community would maintain it. In a special election the proposition was sub- mitted to the voters of the township and w^as almost unanim- ously accepted. As a result, in 1914 a building was erected adjacent to the Township High School at the north and con- nected wdth it by a covered passage. At the same time, the gymnasium on the ground floor of the high school building was converted into a modern, commodious auditorium, and the old High School structure in part remodelled and com- pletely renovated. These reconstructions, which included also a new central boiler house and heating plant, with new venti- lating and humidifying apparatus, made necessary a total outlay of over $100,000, of which $25,000 was covered by a public bond issue. The grounds on which the new building, athletic field and playground stand were also donated by Mr. Matthiessen, who himself did much of the planning. The athletic grounds were graded at Mr. Matthiessen's expense and represent possibly an additional outlay of some $25,000. Mr. Matthiessen gave originally $75,000 for the erection of the Recreation Build- ing, and later donated further funds for an outdoor swimming pool. This was followed by a sum of about $32,000 for the erection of an addition to the Recreation Building, and just before his death by $40,000 for a second remodeling of the High School Building. ITie Township Board of Education also made considerable contributions to the new enterprise, and the citizens donated money for the erection of a concrete grand-stand on the athletic field costing $2,500. The cost ofmaintaining the Social Center is borne entirely by the Township Board of Education, which is an educational taxing body representing the cities of La Salle, Peru and Oglesby and the country districts, or Congressional Township Number 33, Range 1, N. E., with a total population of 28,133. The cost of maintaining the Center is approximately $9,000 a year, which sum is paid out of the high school educational funds. The Social Center is essentially a part of the High 12 A HIGH SCHOOL SOCIAL CENTER School and no attempt is made to make it self-supporting. However, the activities, in large part, pay for themselves, and the rental fees collected for the use of the party room and gymnasium cover practically all of the incidental expenses. Advantages of Combining a Social Center with the High School The advantages of this combination of a community center with the high school arc obvious. In the first place, the building and equipment are used continuously from early in the morning until late at night. During the morning and early afternoon the gymnasium, swimming pool and dressing rooms are used by high school classes, and at noon high school students use the gymnasium, reception room, reading and game rooms. From 3:30 P. M. to 10:00 or 12:00 P. M., the building is open to the public. The High School and Social Center both use the same athletic grounds. A second advantage is the fact that members of the Social Center staff can also serve as high school teachers. The director teaches economics and sociology in the high school and together with his assistant has charge of the high school boys' gymnasium classes. The instructor for women and girls teaclies the high school girls' gymnasium classes. The matron and swimming instructor teaches high school girls as well as women and grade school girls. Another important advantage is the fact that the older high school boys and girls can be used as Social Center attend- ants. About fifteen of these students are employed. They are paid twenty cents an lioiir for the time they are actually em- ployed. This amount, small as it is, often enables deserving students to remain in school when otherwise they would be forced to leave. However, these attendants are selected not because of their need, but because of their fitness for the work. LA SALLE, PERU, OGLESBY, ILLINOIS 13 A Brief Survey of the Tri-Cities The three cities of La Salle, Peru and Oglesby are very interesting from an historic standpoint; but of greater import- ance in considering present-day conditions is the industrial aspect of the district. It is from this angle that much light can be shed upon the recreational needs of the community. The three cities are typical industrial centers, each presenting most of the intricate problems of industrialism. Moreover, the majority of the industries are such as demand unskilled labor, which accounts in the main for the large number of immigrants that have come into the three cities. The re- creational problem, however, is made much easier by the fact that there are no negroes. Briefly the industries located in the township are: three cement mills, two zinc smelting works, a well-known clock factory, a plow and wheel factory, a chemical works, and a number of coal mines together with many smaller manufacturing concerns. However, the dis- trict is not entirely industrial; La Salle County boasts of a most fertile soil and according to the 1920 census is the fifth richest agricultural county in the United States. As a result of this demand for unskilled labor, the mills and factories have always competed successfully against the schools, and the school mortality rate is exceedingly high. The demand for recreation has been particularly strong among this group of boys and girls, who have left school as soon as the law allowed. Until the establishment of the Social Center, however, no attempt had ever been made by the public to provide recreation, supervised or otherwise, either for adults or children. As a result commercial recreation grew and flourished, with little attention being paid to its character. 14 A HIGH SCHOOL SOCIAL CENTER Opening and Growth The Social Center was formally opened on May 21, 1914 by Governor Dunne. Since its opening the Center has grown naturally and spontaneously along lines best suited to local conditions, and under the watchful guidance and assistance of a trained staff, the Principal of the High School and a special committee of the Township Board of Education. From the start eveiy effort has been made toward perfecting a well-rounded recreation center for the community. The natural expression of the people has been sought and stimu- lated so that the acti\dtics of the Center would really be the activities of the people and not something superimposed from the outside. From the beginning the people took an enthusiastic interest in the Social Center. Much education was necessary, however, for the idea of the wider use of the school was strangely new. A policy of wide publicity has been followed consistently in the belief that if pays to advertise in public recreation work just as surely as it does in any business endeavor. This campaign has been carried on through every avail- able agency. Probably first in importance has been the co- operation accorded by the three daily newspapers. A most cordial relationship has existed from the inception of tlie work between the Center and the editors, and free space has always been at the disposal of the Center both for announcing approaching activities and for recording events as they occur. Probably next in importance has been the co-operation of the schools, both public and parochial. Whatever success may have attended the juvenile activities of the Center (and con- siderable attention has been paid to this phase of the work) must be attributed, in great measure, to the spirit of co-oper- ation displayed by the schools. The acquaintance of the adults with the Center, has, in many cases, come through the chil- dren who took home the first news of its existence. Then the fact that the clergy of the three cities have put their stamp of approval upon the work has been the means of bringing many young people and adults to the Center. The various factory and mill superintendents have also lent their assist- ance by placing placards containing announcements and LA SALLE, PERU, OGLESBY, ILLINOIS 15 schedules in conspicuous places in their plants. It is of interest to note in this connection, that many of the employers are beginning to realize that the use of leisure time has a definite bearing upon the use to which their employees will put their hours of work, and that the men and women who spend their leisure in healthful recreation are more likely to be efficient than the employees whose leisure is spent in more questionable ways. Co-operation with the Tri-City Health Department (Hygienic Institute) and the Tri-city Associated Charities has yielded results of mutual significance. The Health Depart- ment has been especially helpful through solving problems of sanitation, particularly in regard to the swimming pools, by examining swimmmcrs to detect weak hearts and communic- able diseases, and by administering First Aid in cases of accidents that are too serious for the Social Center officials to take care of. Mention should also be made of the help given by the women of the tri-cities, especially by the members of the La Salle Women's Club, the Women's Club of Peru and the Oglcsby Women's Club. The Commercial Associations of the three cities, lodges, clubs and various civic organizations have shown their interest by presenting trophies for juvenile com- petition in the Grade and Parochial School Athletic Associa- tion. And especially helpful has been the spirit of co-oper- ation exhibited by individual business men and merchants. Not once when recmested has assistance been refused, and while the fmancial help so offered has materially aided the progress of the work, the moral support implied has been unquestionably greater. 16 A HIGH SCHOOL SOCIAL CENTER Building and Equipment The Social Center Recreation Building includes a large gymnasium, an indoor swimming pool, a men's club room, a large party room, reading and silent game rooms, a meeting room, and an auditorium. In addition there is a director's office, an apparatus room, four large locker and dressing rooms together with five toilet rooms. Outdoors there is a large athletic field, a playground, an outdoor swimming pool and three tennis courts. The Gymnasium The most popular feature of the Recreation Building is the gymnasium, which is 53x106 feet. It contains a playing space for basketball 37x70 feet, an indoor baseball diamond and two volley ball courts. About twelve feet above the floor is the balcony, which is used both for spectators and as a running track. No part of the basketball court is underneath the galler3^ The gymnasium equipment is quite complete and consists of a piano, two parallel bars, one horse, two bucks, two horizontal bars, one horizontal ladder, a trapeze, travel- ing rings, flying rings, a punching bag platform, a swinging boom, stall-bars, a giant stride, two ropes and one pole for climbing, two score-boards and movable bleachers. The equipment also includes wands, Indian clubs, dumb-bells, equipment for two volley ball courts, jumping and vaulting apparatus, eight medicine balls, ten mats, balance rails, spring- boards, and paraphernalia for tug-of-war, shot put and for various games. The Social Center owns in common with the Hygienic Institute special apparatus for physical measure- ments, such as an anthroi^ometric scale, a stadiometcr, a spiro- meter, a manuometer, a dynamometer and chest and shoulder calipers. Adjoining the gymnasium is an apparatus room where the movable aparatus is stored when not in use. The rental fee of the gymnasium for independent basket- ball and indoor baseball games is fifty per cent of the nf^t re- ceipts, with a minimum of five dollars and a maximum of fifteen dollars. When the gymnasium is used for a public dance, the fee is ten dollars. THE SOCIAL CENTER RECREATION BUILDING AN INDOOR BASEBALL GAME 18 A HIGH SCHOOL SOCIAL CENTER The Indoor Swimming Pool and Showers Downstairs, beneath the gymnasmm, is the swimming pool which is 25x60 feet. The depth of the water varies from three feet to nearly eight feet. Every Saturday afternoon the pool is emptied, thoroughly cleaned, and fresh water run in. All bathers are required to take shower baths before entering the pool. The bacteriologist of the Hygienic Institute makes occasional tests of the water, and every effort is made to keep the pool reasonably free from contamination. A chlorinator and filter system are now being installed. Along the east side of the pool are eight dressing booths and eight showers. Locker and Dressing Rooms Adjoining the pool is the locker-cage, which contains locker-boxes arranged in rows and numbered according to the Kansas City system. This arrangement provides a small locker-box for every person using the gymnasium or pool, and in this box is kept the owner's athletic clothing. Open- ing into the natatorium are three large dressing rooms equipped with steel lockers and benches. The Towel System Bath towels are provided for all who care to use them. A deposit of fifty cents is required to cover the cost of the towel and to insure its return; a towel ticket good for twenty towels is sold for twenty-five cents. This ticket is kept on file at the locker cage, and every time a towel is taken the ticket is punched, and punched again to show the return of the towel. A refund is made on the deposit and unused por- tions of the ticket on demand. A soap vending machine pro- vides soap at a cost of one cent. The Men's Club Room Across the hall from the natatorium is a room 20x26 feet, equipped for a men's club room. This room is practically fire-proof, and is the only place in the building where smok- ing is permitted. In the afternoons the room is used as a gaine room for boys, but no boj^s are admitted in the evening. When the building was erected, a room downstairs, 16x86 feet, was reseiwed for a Dowling alley; but this plan was finally abandoned and the room is to be partitioned off into a store-room, a drying room for bathing suits, and a dressing room for the women attendants. The electric ex- haust fan which ventilates the entire building is located at the end of this room. LA SALLE, PERU, OGLESB Y, ILLINOIS 19 The Reception Room The Reception Room, which is 30x48 feet, is located up- stairs in the new addition to tlie building. It has a small cloak room adjoining, and a kitchenette equipped with a gas range, sink, table, cupboards and kitchen utensils. There are sufficient knives, forks, spoons and dishes for a party of fifty. The equipment of the Reception Room also includes a piano, a phonograph, a tea cart, six card tables and about sixty chairs. This room is easily the most beautiful part of the Social Center. It is artistically decorated, and the walls are a neutral tint, making it an ideal setting for art exhibitions as well as dances and parties. The rental fee for this room is one dollar up to ten o'clock, and a dollar for each additional hour until twelve o'clock when the room must be vacated. On special occasions the time may be extended to one o'clock by arranging beforehand wdth the Director. The Reading Room and Silent Game Room The Reading Room is also located in the new addition, and, like the Reception Room, is beautifully decorated. This room has been made as attractive as possible; it was furnished by the classes of 1911 and 1914 with the best of library fur- niture, the walls are hung with copies of several famous pic- tures, and trophy cups and shields add to its attractiveness. The Reading Room is equipped with three large reading tables, a newspaper rack, a magazine rack, an atlas stand, a bulletin board, an attendant's desk, book shelves and about forty chairs. More than twenty popular magazines and per- iodicals, several newspapers and a growing collection of books on all topics for all ages and sexes furnish adequate reading material for those who crowd the room. Opening into the Reading Room and serving as a sort of annex is the Quiet Game Room. This room is equipped with chairs and small tables, and a large built-in cabinet in which games and supplies are stored. None but quiet games, such as chess, checkers and dominoes arc allowed. The fact that these two rooms are connected by a large opening makes it possible for one attendant to supervise both. The Lecture Room One of the High School class-rooms, located on the third floor of the Social Center Building, is used as a lecture-room or meeting-room. This is a large and beautiful room, equip- ped with a piano aiid having a seating capacity of seventy-five. There are so many different groups and organizations using the Social Center as headquarters that the demand for a meet- 20 A HIGH SCHOOL SOCIAL CENTER ing-room is very great, and often it is necessary to use other high school classrooms for this purpose. Director's Office and Miscellaneous In addition to the rooms and equipment already men- tioned, the Social Center Building contains a Director's otfice, adequate drinking fountains, lavatories, toilets and janitors' closets. The Auditorium The auditorium is located on the ground floor of the main high school huilding and has an independent entrance to the street. It has a seating capacity of over six hundred, and is modelled after the Little Theatre of New York City. The large stage contains four complete sets of scenes and a handsome silk-velour draw curtain donated b}^ the classes of 1912, 1913, 1918 and 1919. There are also three pianos, one donated by the orchestra, one by the class of 1917, and one, a new Mason and Hamlin grand, bought by the classes of 1921 and 1922, which is used only for concerts and special occas- ions. The auditorium can be used by any organization or group for a nominal fee to cover the cost of light and janitor service. Matthiessen Athletic Field and Playground In connection with the Social Center Building there is a large Athletic Field of eleven acres. The field includes a five- lap cinder track, a baseball diamond, a football field, and jumping and vaulting pits. On the south side of the field is a concrete grand-stand with a seating capacity of five hundred. It is equipped with a drinking fountain and men's and women's toilets. Nearby are two tennis courts. Adjoining the Athletic Field, which is used mainly by men and older boys, and which has been named in honor of its donor, Mr. Matthiessen, is the Playground for the use of the smaller boys and girls. The playground is simply equipped and includes a baseball diamond, and basketball and volley ball courts. The Outdoor Swimming Pool Conveniently near the athletic grounds is the outdoor swimming pool, which is the most enjoyed of all the outdoor features. The dimensions of this pool are 50x100 feet, and the depth of the water varies from two to eight feet. The bath- house contains an attendants' office, showers, toilets, a store room, twenty dressing booths and lockers for one hundred people. THE OUTDOOR SWIMMING POOL THE TENNIS COURTS AND ATHLETIC FIELD 22 A HIGH SCHOOL SOCIAL CENTER Social Center Activities It is practically impossible to give a clear and compre- hensive account of the activities that are carried on by the Social Center, because of the fact that they are necessarily of such a changing nature. This is particularly true of the strictly non-athletic activities. Each runs its course, plays out in interest, and nuist be followed by another. The success of any activity depends largely upon the enthusiasm, endur- ance and creative power of the instructor, but also upon the whims of the public, the weather, and the athletic and social fashions of the day. One factor that has been resposible for the relatively small participation of older groups is the distance of the Center from the main residential and business sections. This dis- advantage of location has naturally operated, more or less, against non-athletic activities, for it is from among the older people that the majority of non-athletic groups of commun- ity activities are recruited. On the other hand, the Social Center has always attracted large numbers of the younger people, especially young men and boys. And with the wonder- ful facilities for athletics in all its forms, the emphasis has naturall}' been placed upon athletic activities. Organization has followed the line of popular interest. It is difficult to estimate the benefits that the public derives from the Social Center. For the most part they are of a very intangible nature. It is easy enough, for example, to see the wonderful physical development of the boys and young men who have taken advantage of the gymnasium and other athletic facilities over a period of time, or to understand the advantages of warm shower baths to people who are unaccustomed to bath tubs. It is more difficult to estimate the amount of good that is being done in the way of Americanization and socialization indirectly through sports and games, or to appreciate the educational advantages derived from the reading room, lectures and exhibits of various kinds. Certain it is that the Social Center fills a real need, and it is significant that the only discipline or punish- ment ever found necessary for misconduct or a breach of the rules is temporar>^ suspension from the building and grounds. Folk Dancing Class of Grade and Parochial School Girls. Meetings bi-weekly. Story Telling Class for smaller grade and parochial school girls. In these classes High School girls who are taking the Teachers' Course do the story telling. These classes have been imitated in the playgrounds throughout tho entire district. First Aid Class for adults and young men. Given by the officers of the Illinois State Mine Rescue Station. This instruction was also given to high school students as well as to citizens. Home Nursing classes have been given for women. 24 A HIGH SCHOOL SOCIAL CENTER SOCIAL ACTIVITIES Auditorium Events The Social Center is tlie logical place for conventions, lectures, dramatic performances, and educational work of a public nature. Hardly a week passes without a lecture or public discussion of some sort in the auditorium or lecture room. The Red Cross, the Associated Charities, the Women's Club, the University Club, the High School, the Social Center and other public and private organizations all co-operate to keep the community informed on the important topics of the day. The Polish and Italians frequently hold large public meetings and invite prominent men to discuss subjects of particular interest to them. Art Exhibits and Better Homes Exhibits are held, and some of the best musical and dramatic talent in the country is engaged. However, the community does not have to depend en- tirely on professional entertainers, for it is rich in dramatic and musical talent. The fact that so many races are repre- sented makes posible great variety in the form and character of "home talent" entertainments. The Poles, especially, are interested in dramatics and usually three or more plays in the Polish language are given annually in the auditorium. Community singing is quite popular and several success- ful "sings" have been held. There are two choral clubs which meet at the Social Center, tlic CommuniLy Chorus and the Polish National Alliance Chorus. Associated with the Com- munity Chorus is the Comnumity Orchestra. These organi- zations have done much in a musical way for the community. Dances and Parties Since the addition of llie Reception Room, the Social Center has become a Social Center in the fullest sense of the word. The demand for this room is constantly increasing and almost nightly it is the scene of a dance or party of some sort. In fact the Reception Room bids fair to rival the gymnasium in popularit^^ The small rental fee makes it possible for people of all classes to use the room, and this fact has had much to do with its popularity. While dances have not been conducted by the Center itself, nevertheless they are carefully supervised and a chaperon acceptable to the Director must be present. Parties are very often made up with the understanding that each person shall pay his part of the expense of the music and refreshments. When a group wishes to hold a larger dance, the gymnasium is used. There is sufficient dancing space in the gymnasium to accom- modate over one hundred couples, while the dancing floor of LA SALLE, PERU, OGLESBY, ILLINOIS 25 the Reception Room cannot accommodate more than fifty couples. Clubs A large number of clubs of varied kinds and purposes are associated with the Social Center, and make use of its meeting rooms. One of the most important of these is the Women's Club, which holds a number of its more important meetings and programs at the Social Center. The Mothers' Club is organized for social, gymnastic and educational work; it holds weekly meetings in the reception room. The Uni- versity Club is an organization of the college people of the three cities, the object of which is to promote civic better- ment. The High School Alumni Association uses the Social Center facilities for most of its activities which are mainly of an athletic and social nature. The Polish Falcons is an athletic and military organization of Polish men, who hold periodic meetings in the gymnasim. Three troops of Boy Scouts make use of the Social Center; these do not include the Polish Boy Scouts, not affiliated with the nationar organiza- tion, who have now become the American Boys' Club. There are twelve young men's and boys' Social Center clubs organ- ized for social and athletic purposes. Many other clubs make their headquarters at the Social Center and are dependent on it for athletics. Boys' and 3^oung men's clubs have always been successful and there is an unusual interest in clubs par- ticularly among boys of foreign nationalities. In most cases these clubs have developed from bo^^s' gangs, and this accounts largely for their success and permanence. And the fact, too, that most of the clubs have a Social Center attendant appoint- ed to aid them in their organization and athletics has contri- buted to their success. Most of these clubs are represented in the Junior and Men's Athletic Leagues; and in practically every case athletics is their interest. Girls' clubs in the Social Center have never been so suc- cessful as boys' clubs and have usually been short-lived. Festivals A Christmas festival and a May festival are given annually by the Social Center. The Christmas Festival is held just before the holidays in the gymnasium, which is appropriately decorated for the occasion. The lights are dimmed and a large tree, electrically lifhted, furnishes a brilliant background for the Christmas story winch is portrayed by singing, danc- ing and pantomime. The solo and group dancing does much to make the Christmas Festival the most beautiful and artistic of all the Social Center events. 26 A HIGH SCHOOL SOCIAL CENTER The Social Center and the La Salle Playground Associa- tion co-operate for the May Festival. This is held outdoors and is characterized hy the usual May-pole dances, drills and singing games. Usually several hundred children take pari in this festival. Reading and Quiet Games Even' effort is made to make the Reading Room as attrac- tive as possihk". The hooks and periodicals are largely of a popular natiu'c, and reachng is encouraged particularly among boys and young men. Books on gardening, poultry-raising, simple mechanics, accounting and various other vocational snl)jects are featured. The bidletin-board is used to call atten- tion to new l)ooks and interesting articles in the periodicals. Opening into the ReatUng Ruom is the Quiet Game Room, ^^'here games such as chess, checkers and dominoes are played. This room is esi)ecially i)()i)ular (hiring tlic winter months. In order to make the games more interesting and to furnish an incentive to belter playing, a series of chess and checker tournaments are held yearly. As a result of these tourna- ments, many excellent phiyers have been developed. Playground Activities In June, 1921, tlic new Social Center playground was opened to the public. Among the activities which have been (]c'vek)ped and which have been pkmned for the future are: a baseball league for older boys, a playground baseball leagne for younger boys, basketball leagues for both boys and girls, vohey ball games, horse-shoe tournaments, track meets and badge tests for boys and girls, folk-dancing, singing games, sand play and story telling for the smaller children, and vari- ous games and play on the apparatus. Picnics and Outings For several years an annual picnic has been held by the Social Center to conclude the summer's activities. Over eight hundred children attended the last one. This group was so large and unwieldy that it was difficult to handle; and the cost assumed such proportions that it was necessary to call upon the citizens for contributions, a practice which the Social Center is trying to discontinue. On this account the annual picnic has now been discontinued in favor of small picnics and outings, self-financed. Many of these small picnics are held during the summer, the size of the groups varying from fifteen to fifty. These are much easier to handle and are more enjoyed by the children. KITE MAKING A SOCIAL CENTER PICNIC 28 A HIGH SCHOOL SOCIAL CENTER Community Gardening The war necessitated many changes in the activities of the Social Center. In addition to the First Aid and Home Nurs- ing classes, a course in raido telegraphy was organized and a room equipped for this purpose. Classes in mathematics were also held for young men who were preparing for the S. A. T. C. Community Gardening was undertaken by the High School Agricultural Department in co-operation with the ininois Valley Manufacturers Club and the La Salle Chamber of Commerce. This is the only war activity that has survived. The work has been so successful that plans have been made to make it a permanent activity of the community. In a single year as many as one hundred seventj^-seven families have worked community gardens, cultivating in all over thirty-five acres of land, and producing $5,000 worth of vegetables. Public Hygiene The hygienic work is, of course, under the direction of the Hygienic Institute, but the Social Center co-operates in every way possible. A series of home nursing classes was held at the Social Center under the direction of trained nurses. First Aid classes under the direction of trained men from the local Mine Rescue Station and the Director of the Hygienic Insti- tute are held. Frequent lectures are given on health and social hygiene topics; exhibits borrowed from the State Board of Health are shown, and government health pamphlets are distributed. Indeed every effort is being made to aid the gov- ernment in its social hygiene campaign. ATHLETIC ACTIVITIES During the Fall and Winter most of the athletic activities center around the gymnasium. On school days the gymnas- ium is used from 9:00 to 3:30 for high school gymnasium classes, and the remainder of the afternoons is for the most part turned over to high school activities. At night the gymnasium is used entirely by the Social Center. Monday is women's night; the rest of the evenings Avith the exception of Sunday and sometimes Saturday are taken up by men and older boys. Each evening, except game evenings, is divided into three periods: 7:00 to 8:00, 8:00 to 9:00, and 9:00 to 10:00. Hours are assigned to different groups, who have exclusive use of the g>^mnasium for that hour. Saturdays are devoted entirely to grade school boys and girls, the boys having the mornings and the girls the afternoons. In summer the gymnasium is partly closed, and prac- tically all the athletic activities of the Social Center are con- LA SALLE, PERU, OGLESBY, ILLINOIS 29 ducted on the Athletic Field and Playground. The Athletic Field is used by the men and older boys and the Playground is reserved for the girls and younger boys. In the fall the Athletic Field is used for high school and independent foot- ball teams' practice and games. In the spring it is used for high school and grade school track and field events. Men's Athletic Activities Men's Indoor Baseball League One of the most popular games at the Social Center is indoor baseball. Every fall three indoor baseball leagues are formed; one for men, one for youths between the ages of 13 and 17 years who belong to Social Center Clubs, and a third for grade school boys. The most important of these is the men's league. It usually consists of eight teams representing industries, athletic clubs, and local organizations more or less permanently organized. Usually more than eight teams de- sire to enter the league and a series of games is played to eliminate all but the eight strongest teams. Early in Septem- ber each team is given a weekly practice hour in the gymnas- ium, and the regular schedule is opened early in October. Two games are played every Tuesday and Thursday evening, this enables all eight teams to play one game each week. A small admission fee of ten or fifteen cents is charged to cover the cost of baseballs and bats, paying umpires, buying a trophy for the championship team, and other expenses of the league. The games are well attended, for each team has a host of sup- porters who never fail to show their enthusiasm. These annual leagues have developed some very good indoor base- ball players, and each succeeding year the games are better and more closely contested. In addition to the regular league games a number of match games are played in the gymnasium between various local teams and out-of-town teams. The season extends up to about Christmas when basketball lakes its place. Men's Basketball League Judging from the number of participants in the game, basketball is probably the favorite sport at the Social Center. Every winter a men's basketball league is organized. This usually consists of six to eight teams made up of the best basketball players in the tri-cities. The league is organized along the same line as the indoor baseball league; three games are played every Tuesday evening, and a small admission fee, usually fifteen cents, is charged to purchase a trophy and cover the other expenses of the league. There are several in- 30 A HIGH SCHOOL SOCIAL CENTER dependent teams not conncted with the league who use the Social Center gymnasium for their practice and games. Among the more important of these are the High School Alunmi team and the Social Center team, representing the league, and the Social Center league. Men's Twilight Baseball League As an outgrowth of the Daylight Saving Law the Men's Twiliglit Basehall League was organized, (iames are played from the latter part of May to the heginning of September. The league usually consists of eiglil teams and games are played four nights each week; Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, starting at ():15 and continuing until dusk. This usually gives plenty of time for a seven-inniiig game. No ad- mission fee is charged, but, in order to fmance the league, a collection is taken during eacli game, l^sually about sixty games are played during the season and the attendance varies from 350 to 2',0()(). Althougli tlie repeal of the Daylight Sav- ing Law considerably shortened the time for the games, the Social Center Twilight Leagues were so successful that there are this summer (1921) three men's twilight leagues in the tri-cities; a La Salle playground league, an Oglesby industrial league, and the Social Center league. Junior Athletic Activities Junior Indoor Basehall League The Junior Indoor Baseball League is organized at about the same time in the Fall as the Men's League and is usually made up of eight teams representing Social Center clubs. Three games are played everj'' week, usually on Saturday night. The fact that most of the boys who take part in Junior League events are employed during the day makes it neces- sary to hold their activities during the evening, Sundays and holidays. Each team is required to make a small deposit, a part of which is retained to buy a trophy for the champion- ship team. Admission to the games is free, and the small boys and supporters of the teams take advantage of this fact and crowd the gallery on game nights. The balls and bats used in this league are the old ones saved from the men's league, so that the expenses of the league are practically nothing. Junior Basketball League Usually about eight Social Center clubs enter teams in the Junior Basketball League. All boys belonging to Social Center clubs between the ages of 13 and 17 years are eligible to play in this league except boys who are members of the 32 A HIGH SCHOOL SOCIAL CENTER High School first team or class teams. Three games are play- ed every Saturday night and alternate Wednesday nights. As in the case of the indoor baseball league, the admission is free and the championship trophy is provided for in the same way. Basketball is so popular among the older boys that in order to give teams who can not take part in the regular league an opportunity to compete with other teams, num- erous match games are arranged by the Social Center, and at the end of the season a tournament is held. Usually about fifteen teams are entered, and the winning team is awarded an athletic banner. Junior Indoor Track Meet The Junior Indoor Track Meet is an annual event held in the Social Center gymnasium some evening during the last week in April. About seventy-five boys usually enter this meet. The events are as follows: 20 yard dash. 440 yard dash. Standing broad jump. Shot put. 220 yard dash. Half mile run. Running high jump. Tug-of-War. 3-Lap (800 yard) Relay Race. Junior Outdoor Baseball League The Junior Outdoor Baseball League is organized in May and continues until late in the sumilier. The games are played on Matthiessen Athletic Field, and because of the fact that most of the boys are employed, practically all the games are played on Sunday. The boys of each team furnish their own balls, bats and gloves, so that it is not necessary to charge admission or take up a collection at the games. Junior Miscellaneous Activities The above leagues and meets by no means comprise all of the athletic activities for older boys. In the Fall when football is the favorite sport, a series of match games is held on the athletic field between different club teams, but no regular league is organized. There is also a great deal of rivalry among these clubs in swimming and in tennis, and many impromptu matches are held. Grade and Parochial School Activities The nine grade schools and seven parochial schools of the three cities are organized into an athletic association LA SALLE, PERU, Q GLESBY, ILLINOIS 33 under the direction of the Social Center. The superintendents of the grade schools and the rectors of the parochial schools together with the Social Center Director form an advisory board. This board meets annually in September and at any other time that the Director deems advisable. There is also a Boys' Committee made up of one representative from each school to take care of minor details. This association in- cludes all Social Center activities for the grade and parochial school boys and girls of the Township. The trophies for the different leagues and contests, usually shields and loving cups, are presented by some local club, civic organization or busi- ness firm. A school must win these trophies three times in order to claim them permanently. Besides gymnasium and swimming classes for both boys and girls, the activities of this league consist of an indoor baseball league, a spring outdoor baseball league, athletic proficiency tests, swimming proficiency tests, an indoor track meet for boys, an indoor track meet for girls, a boys' out- door track meet and many other activities as the sequel will show. Boys' Indoor Baseball League Usually ten schools of the tri-citics enter teams in the boys' indoor baseball league. The season extends from tlie latter part of October to early Spring. Two games are played ever}^ Saturday morning and one on alternate Friday after- noons. There is no admission fee for the games of this league, and all are well attended by the boys and girls of the schools. The expenses of the league are borne by the Social Center. Boys' Outdoor Baseball League As soon as the indoor baseball season is over, an outdoor baseball league is organized. The games are all played on Mallliiossen Athletic Field. This league is similar to the indoor baseball league except that the boys of each team furnish their own bats, balls and gloves. The season extends from the latter i)art of April until school closes in .Tune. Boys' Indoor Track Meet The Boys' Indoor Track Meet is an annual event held on Washington's Birthday in the Social Center gymnasium. Usually from eight to ten schools enter teams in the meet, and the rivalry between the different schools is very keen. In order to give the smaller boys an incentive to participate the contestants are divided into two classes. All boys over 4 feet 10 inches are put in Class A; and all under 4 feet 10 34 A HIGH SCHOOL SOCIAL CENTER inches are put in Class B. The events for both classes are as follows : 20 Yard Dash. Running High Jump. Standing Broad Jump. Chinning Contest. Potato Race. 3-Lap Relay (240 yards). Tug-of-War. Five points arc allowed for first place, three for second, two for third and one for fourth. The school scoring the largest number of points is awarded the trophy, a silver loving cup. Girls' Indoor Track Meet The Girls' Indoor Track Meet is held annually the latter part of May in the Social Center gymnasium. Usually about eight schools enter teams. The rivalry and interest in this meet equals that of the boys' track meet and the gallery is always crowded with spectators on this occasion. The con- testants are divided into two classes: all girls over 4 feet 8 inches are put in Class A, and all girls under that height are put in Class B. The trophy for this event is a silver loving cup usually presented by one of the Women's Clubs of the three cities. The events for both classes are as follows: Running High Jump. Basketball Throw (Distance). One Lap Race (80 yds) . Traveling Rings. Standing Broad Jump. Rope Climbing. 2-Lap Relay Race (160 yards). Boys' Outdoor Track Meet An annual Boys' OuUloor Track Meet is held on Malth- iessen Athletic Field in the Spring, usually the first week in June. Practically the same number of schools enter this meet and the class divisions are the same as in the boys' indoor meet. The events are as follows: 100 Yard Dash. 220 Yard Dash. Running High Jump. Standing Broad Jump. 8-lb. Shot Put. 50 Yard' Dash. Half Mile Relay. Athletic Proficiency Tests Since inost boys and girls are not able to compete on their school teams, a set of athletic proficiency tests with gold, silver and bronze medals as rewards are given monthly. Dur- ing the summer the standard athletic tests of the Playground and Recreation Association of America for both boj^s and girls are given on the Social Center playground, with the regulation medals as rewards. From September to June athletic tests LA SALLE, PERU, OGLESBY, ILLINOIS 35 devised by the Social Center are given in the gymnasium. Any grade and parochial school boy or girl is eligible to compete in these tests. These "medal contests" enable boys and girls to know how they measure up in comparison with other boys and girls of the same age and give them an opportunity to note their own development from month to month. A result of these tests has been the appearance of home-made apparatus for high jumping and chinning in many backyartls where the boys of the neighborhood get in trim for the next medal contest. The following table indicates the standards that the boys must reach to win medals in the gymnasium athletic tests: 1-Lap High Broad 3-Lap Race Chinning Jump Jump Race Bronze . . . .13 sec. 5 times 3 ft. 4 in. 6 ft. 40 sec. Silver .12 sec. 7 times 3 ft. 8 in. 7 ft. 38 sec. Gold .11 sec. 10 times 4 ft. 2 in. 7 ft. 9 in . 36 sec. The standards for girls are as follows: Basketball Throw, l-Lap High Broad Traveling Ten Race Jump Jump Rings Trials Bronze. . . .1.3 2-5 sec. 2 ft. 8 in. 5 ft. 6 in. 8 3 goals Silver . . . .12 2-5 sec. 3 ft. 4 in. 6 ft. 6 in. 16 5 goals Gold ,11 2-5 sec. 3 ft. 9 in. 7 ft. 3 in. 24 7 goals Girls' Afternoon Classes Three afternoon classes are held weekly for grade and parochial school girls. These classes meet on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 4:00 to 5:30 o'clock, and on Satur- day afternoons from 2:00 to 5:00. The Tuesday afternoon class is for girls from the first to the fourth grades, and the program consists of story plays, folk dancing, singing games and story telling. The Thursday class includes girls from the fourth to the eighth grades. These girls are given calis- thenics and drills in addition to folk dancing, games and story telling. All grade and parochial school girls are welcome to the Saturday afternonn classes where they participate in games of all sorts in addition to the activities mentioned above. The girls of these classes take a ])r()minent part in the annual Social Center festivals. During the simimcr the program for these classes is more varied. Much of the time is spent outdoors, and many picnics and hikes arc enjoyed. At various times sewing, raffia ^vork, clay modelling and scra])book making have been popular with the smaller girls. Usually two big parties are given annually for these groups of girls. The attendance at the Tuesday and Thursday classes average about sixty, while considerably more attend the Saturday afternoon class. 36 A HIGH SCHOOL SOCIAL CENTER Women's Athletic Activities Soon after the opening of the Social Center swimming became so popular with the girls and women that it was neces- sary to employ a special swimming instructor for them. And ever since swimming has been the most attractive feature for women and girls. Women's gymnasium classes have also rapidly gained in favor. In fact women's activities have be- come so important that it has been necessary to turn Monday evenings over almost entirely to the women. On this night only women are allowed in the indoor swimming pool, and women's physical training classes are held in the gymnasium. The popularity of these classes is shown by the fact that more than 150 women are regularly enrolled. The program con- sists largely of Swedish gymnastics, folk dancing, and such games as volley ball, basketball, indoor baseball and various less organized games. Gymnastic work, however, is not the sole attraction, for these classes are also of a social nature. In fact many women who have not the slightest interest in gymnastics attend these classes in order to spend a pleasant evening. These women are from all walks of life and vary widely in age, but a very democratic spirit prevails and such a thing as snobbery is practically unknown. Probably the most enjoyable social features of the classes are the three big parlies which are given annually; the Hallowe'en party, the St. Valentine's party and the S])ring ])arty. A picnic early in the summer usually concludes the activities for the season. Swimming In the summer lime the large attendance at both |)ools indicates that swimming is the most popular Social Center activity. The outdoor pool is used exclusively for men and boys. Boys' classes are held from 9:30 to 11:30 a. m. and from 2:00 to 5:00 p. m.; men's classes from 5:00 to 6:00 and from 7:00 to 9:00 ]). m. The classes in the outdoor pool are an hour in length; this includes time for undressing and dress- ing. Foiu- life-guards and attendants, who must qualify as expert swimmers, are employed during the Summer for the outdoor pool. During the summer, the indoor pool is used exclusively by the women and girls. There are classes during the morn- ings, afternoons and evenings for women and girls of differ- ent ages. In the evenings the pool is used entirely by women, with the exception of one hour each week which is devoted to a married couples' swimming class. When the outdoor pool is closed in September, a re- 38 A HIGH SCHOOL SOCIAL CENTER arrangement is made in the schedule so that the indoor pool can accommodate all. During school hours the pool is used for high school classes. After 3:30 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, the i)ool is used hy girls and women until 5:00 o'clock. On Wednesday night from 8:00 to 9:00 a married couples' class has the use of the pool. Swinmiing classes for boys are held on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, Friday evenings, Saturday mornings, and on Monday and Wednes- day afternoons from 5:00 lo 0:00. Men use I he pool on Tues- day and Thursday nights. The classes during holh Ihe sunirner :uul Ihe winter are always well attended, and, as a result of this intensive use of the pools, practically every man, woman and child who frequents the Social Center is able to swim. Swimming Proficiency Tests As an inducement to grealer proficiency in swimming a monogram of white felt composed of the letters "S. C." is awarded to boys who swim 200 yards and to girls and women who swim 60 yards. A monogram is also given to men and older boys who swim 200 yards in four minutes and live seconds. Swimming Meets Early in June a women's swinnning meet is held, with the married women competing against the unmarried. Strange as it may seem the married women usually win the meet. This event always draws a large crowd of spectators, and, to pay for the handsome monograms which are given as prizes and to cover other expenses, an admission fee of ten cents is charged. Late in the summer a swimming meet is held in the in- door pool for grade and parochial school girls, and another in the outdoor pool for grade and parochial school boys. The contestants enter the meets as individuals and not as repre- sentatives of their schools. There are always a large number of entries and some fine records are made. Point winners are awarded appropriate monograms. An especially interesting feature of the children's swim- ming is the numlDcr of little girls who dive. The fearlessness with which the^^ do all sorts of fancy dives and their ease and confidence while in the pool are a remarkable sight to those adults who are not at home in the water. The Shower Baths On account of the great popularity of the swimming pools tlie importance of the shower baths is apt to be lost LA SALLE, PERU, OGLESBY, ILLINOI S 39 sight of. There is always an abundance of warm water, and large numbers of j)eople, both grown-ups and children, lack- ing other bathing facilities, depend entirely on the Social Center showers for baths. During the influenza epidemic and later at the time of the coal miners' strike, it was neces- sary to close the Center for several weeks; and, when it v/as reopened, the appearance of many of the small boys who came to swim showed plainly how dependent they were on the Center for their baths. Soap was distributed and it was a most amusing sight to see these boys trying to get tliem- selves clean enough to satisfy the swimming pool attendant. Tennis In the past tennis has not been a popular game in the tri-cities, but owing largely to efforts on the part of the Social Center, its popularity is rapidly increasing, and, during the summer there is a great demand for the courts. Even bare- footed boys are taking up the game and some exciting matches are played with home-made wooden paddles and rubber balls from the variety store. In order further to stimulate interest in tennis two annual tournaments are held, one for high school students in the Spring, and another in mid-summmer for adults. Every year there are a larger number of contestants, and the playing is of a superior type with each succeeding tourney. The most coveted trophy is that of the men's singles, a beautiful silver loving cup presented by the Western Clock Co. This cup must be won three times to become the property of the winner. J. WYATT MARKS. 40 A HIGH SCHOOL SOCIAL CENTER Attendance The Social Cenlcr Direclor issues monthly and annually altendance reports which indicate the attendance according to age, sex, group and activity. These reports arc compiled from estimates filed twice daily l)y niend)ers of the staff in charge of the diticrent activities. The following statistics are oil'ered to show the extent to which the Social Center is used by the community, and to indicate the seasonal variations from month to month. Total attendance for year (1920) 206,072 Average monthly attendance (12 months) 17,173 Average daily attendance {'SASi days) 592 Total number of men 22,496 Total number of women 15,255 Total number of boys 61,944 Total number of girls 41,871 Total mixed juvenile attendance 10,568 Total adult and juvenile attendance 38,575 Total mixed adult attendance 15,363 Total number of groups 5,320 Average number of groups per month 444 Average number of groups per day 15 Attendance by Months January 13,760 July 22,371 February 14,746 August 18,724 March 15,464 September 9,468 April 15,027 October 18,321 May 19,625 November 19,564 June 19,552 December 19,450 42 A HIGH SCHOOL SOCIAL CENTER BUILDING A CIVIC CENTER AROUND A TRI-CITY HIGH SCHOOL. BY GRAHAM TAYLOR.* A Tribute to Mr. F. W. Matthiessen. What a high school may be to a town is being more broadly under- stood and more widely discovered. But real inventive genius was required to create a civic center for three cities arounJ one high school. This could be done for La Salle. Peru and Oglesby, 111., because the three munici- palities are all included within the six square miles which constitute one of those "congressional townships" into which the United States survey divides each section of land, and because Illinois law authorizes a high Bchool board to levy taxes upon and for a congressional township. The natural rivalry between towns growing up sepai'ately so close together long delayed that co-operation through which each of them could only hope for modern equipment and service. Thei-e was ona citizen, however, who had groAvn up with the towns whose democratic hope for united action to promote the public welfare was undaunted. [This man was Mr. F. W. Matthiessen.] He had come to America in 18.53 at eighteen years of age from Schleswig-Holstein to investigate mineral resources with a view to their development. Returning to Ger- many, he devoted three years to courses in metallurgy and mining at the Technical School of Freiberg, where he met his future partner and life- long associate in business, the late E. C. Hegeler, who developed in- ventive genius and masterful yet democratic management. After another year's study at Heildelberg, the two young students In 1857 located at this point in Illinois because it was the nearest reliable coal deposit to the Wisconsin zinc ore fields and had available transporta- tion facilities and possibilities by water and rail. Here they planted the ]\Iatthiessen-Hegeler Zinc Works and with their scientific equipment, thus patiently and thoroughly acquired, they laid siege to nature in planning and developing their half century's Avork together. Their great success was achieved, not by any "luck" or speculative chance, but by foresight, which was even more scientific than prophetic. They knew what could be done with tlie natural resources, the rare combination of which prompted the designation of this region as "nature's demonstrating plant." Whoever thus designated it calls attention to nature's "wonder- ful foresight in using as a foundation a deposit of stone, which should remain untouched for thousands of years, while on and over this founda- tion she prepared those things which would in turn draw to this spot men who would develop her various forms of Avealth, including this very foun- dation itself." Cropping out at the surface alongside the veins of coal are the deep underlying rocks supplying material for three great Portland cement works and also for the manufacture of glass. These quarries furnish labor for 750 men and produce annually 4,639,396 barrels of cement. The coal deposits have developed 21 coal mines noAV supporting 7,544 mine ♦Reprinted with permission from The Survey for October 17, 1914. THE HYGIENIC INSTITUTE 44 A HIGH SCHOOL SOCIAL CENTER workmen and their families. Including three zinc plants these industries and the rich soil productive of the staple crops valued annually at $12,- 000,000, support within a radius of ten miles a population ot 55,000, very cosmopolitan in birth and language. Waterways and hydraulic power were supplied by the Illinois River and the Illinois and Michigan Canal. Steam and electric railways connect this industrial garden of the gods with the Great Lakes and the Mississippi Valley. The work of this pioneer captain of industry was from first to last for others as much as for self, for the whole community even more than for his family. Well aware of what he owed to education, Mr. Matthiea- sen coveted for his fellow workers and townsfolk the best schools avail- able. After the grade schools were well established, he first suggested a township high school for the three cities. When the bond issue for it was voted down, because of the rivalry of the three cities, he quietly and uncomplainingly awaited the next opportunity to suggest and support the proposition again, telling his neighbors that "the children should not suffer for any failure of their elders." In 1898 their parents thought so too and voted to erect the La Salle-Peru Township High School. Five years later Mrs. F. W. Matthiessen erected a Manual Training and Domestic Science Building. Both are finely equipped with every mod- ern appliance from a physics laboratory to all the apparatus of a practical agricultural department, from a forge and lathe to a gas stove and a needle, from microscopes and dissecting instruments for biology to an art studio and a fine collection of pictures and statues which overflow the museum upon the school room walls and into the hallways. An assembly hall seating 600 people, modeled after the Little Theatre in New York city, is shared with the community. Loving nature, the family have always let their fellow townsfolk share the rest and recreation which they have had in their beautiful Deer Park, surrounding the summer homestead outlying the towns. In re- sponse to the inviting forest, the cool canyon, within whose rock-wall corral the Indians rounded up the deer, and the charming vistas of lawns and harvest fields, a great multitude from near and far resort for their evening or week-end outings. The 2,200 or more employes of the zinc and clock works, and many more thousands who work in the mines and plants of other employers have ever been held in mind. To bring recrea- tion nearer home all the year around to these hard workers and their chil- dren a $75,000 building for a social center was recently erected and deeded to the high school trustees. Its design was taken from the Great Lakes Naval Station building. Attached to the main school building by a covered passage, it con- tains a spacious gymnasium, which is also used for large assemblies. Shower baths and swimming pools, library and reading facilities, * * * * * * * * rooms for classes and clubs, for music and art, are on a generous scale. Away from this recreation center, and perhaps the most important part of it. stretch the twelve acres of land, awaiting the development of its fine possibilities for a playfield and an open air amphitheater. To this civic center group has recently been added the most original and far-reaching agency of all— the Hygienic Institute. The health offices of the three cities had been only what the average town provides, which was far below the standard of community service set by the high school and its annexed agencies. Again the veteran promoter of public welfare proved adequate to the possibilities. His past experience as mayor of his town demonstrated the need and difficulty of combining the three cities in close co-operation to promote public health among an immigrant and shifting population increasingly in need of sanitary safe- guards. The only legal provision was for a health officer in each city. To increase the facilities for their service beyond the resources at the command of any of the cities, he established the Hygienic Institute alongside the high school, equipped with a bacteriological laboratory, a specialized library on medical and sanitary subjects, and a small staff 46 A HIGH SCHOOL S OCIAL CENTER of experts. Then he offered to furnish the salaries of the health officers of the three cities on condition that they should be appointed on the nomina.- tion of the director of the Hygienic Institute and should work in co-opera- tion under his direction. This offer was accepted, and now one tri-city department of health serves the entire township. . . . School nurses and the local health officers visit the schools once a week to inspect the pupils for contagious or infectious diseases. Milk and food supplies are tested. Dairy herds and plants are kept under surveillance. Stagnant water is drained off. Drains and toilets are inspected. Sanitary police officers safeguard the streets and alleys. Physicians and druggists are supplied with tubes and smears, with directions for taking cultures in cases suspect 3d of diphtheria, typhoid fever and tuberculosis. The re- sults of labors tory tests are returned promptly to physicians. Posters and leaflets are circulated, containing "hints on fly extermination," and other sanitary instructions. A fifth co-operating agency in this remarkable affiliation of volunteer and public institutions is the Infant Welfare Station, founded as a mem- orial to Emma Matthiessen Chancellor. All these undertakings have been attempted and achieved in private co-operation with and under the final authority of the public administra- tion of the township high school and the city councils. The federal Bureau of Education has signalized this achievement as uniquely significant, by telling the story of it in Rural School Letter Number 21, under the title, A Township Community Center in Illinois. To realize all it means, however, one must not only read about it, but Bee it in action and talk with the people who got together to make it a reality. To sense it all one must feel the atmospheric pressure of the presence and personality of that silent, single-minded, simple-hearted man who exemplifies the democracy of wealth. As much as, it" not more tnan, any other man he is rounding out what Prof. Charles S. Nash terms "the mighty day's work" of democracy, "to face all that is disagreeable and problematic in democracy, concealing nothing, blinking nothing away, and at the same Mmc to keep the will strong and temperate, so that its edge will never turn; to meet all social obligations properly, to pay all political debts joyously, never to throw a glance over the shoulder to the monastery."