Text
.,
'
;.,.,
'
.......- ...
'
...
.~
:,,,
•'· •
;
I'
'•
•,
'-
.
'
.. •,.
---. :-.::r·.. •
,·'
··.,, .,
_.--
J
r
J
.:- _:,
0
:._...,.-----_.
·,
,.·
.
..
.
--
• /d~
.- j"··-:~:--·~~
--~.. ·- - ~_-:: ,.·
~
p f-f F
jfor~ 'Hall jfolhs
-~
!)
- /G.~
~
A MAGAZINE OF NEIGHBORLINESS
VOLUME
3.-0ne of the most interesting
1ad at Ford Hall was that on
Hyslop was the speaker and
73e Proved.2" the subject. Science
with faith on this platform when
'osTER of Worcester gives his
, "Can Religion Be Made
)Ster thinks it can and those who
1is paper of his agree with him.
er you do. The questions ought
:resting, because Mr. Foster has
;turer and a newspaper man as
Mr. Coleman calls him a "live
rman knows "live wires" when
!on
rhe
ho
lfy
he
nd
1g
:s.
es
ly
1e
Sunday immediately preced:tion and, very appropriately,
e up for discussion. What
l bas been done in Fitchburg
•elfare teachers" will be told
SLATTERY, the well-known
n, turning to the immediate
)mm unity, as Dr. Elliott so
do if we are ever to make
5. SusAN W. FITZGERALD
.""=".. , ... 1 - ·-
II
NUMBER
9
DECEMBER 21, 1913
PRICE FIVE CENTS
THE SOCIAL CENTRE AND DIRECT ACTION* ,
l·,
v
HEN~VER I spea_ of this subje<:t
k
I thmk of a section of the Amer1.·
can desert in which I once lived.
That land is absolutely sterile
, ,hout irrigation. A man can nearly kill
h., aself carrying buckets of water all day,
and yet irrigate only a very small portion.
Th·e only real
way
to
get
water is either
to stop the rivers or to dig
an
irrigation
well.
.'\. good
deal the same
sort of thing
has got to be
done if ever
the time comes
when
our
American cities
are fit places
in which to
live. In other
words,
the
wealth we need must be provided from the
inside-by the peo ple themselves. In <leali:-~ with this problem I believe in direct ac•'.:,n.· The direct action of the I. W. W. may
oe destructive sabotage, but at least they
have been working directly for the people
of the abyss, now. The philanthropic associations have been like the man who runs
With a bucket of water to irrigate the desert. The social reformers are s low.
Soc_ialism is gradually granting more and more
time fo r its ideals to be realized. And yet.
these conditions are here, and we are tired
~r living under them. There is getting to
e_ more a nd more in our communities the
spirit of restlessness . . This restlessness is
~oing to continue, to grow, to be more a nd
ore of a forre.
The People of the abvss are sayino- "We
! ~!!'e r. we clie. now : mt;st we wait f~~ vnn
Ith ,· n,,,~ . ,. _
By ] OHN
LOVEJOY ELLIOTT
you and me in our neighborhood. To paraphrase Matthew Arnold, I have sometimes
thought that social reform was a vocabulary
tinged with passion.
For the man who
stands on the street corner shouting for social reform till the windows rattle, and
then goes home and does not practise brotherhood on his wife or his own brother, I
have little use. The kind of fraternity that
cannot stand the test of kindness to one's
own neighbors is false.
In twenty years I have found out from my
neighborhood several things, and one is
that the women of the community were
good at looking after the ct·ildren of that
community, and that there was need of
them. You can't do all your duty indoorsnot any ;i10re.
To be a good mother you
have got to be - out of doors-in the dance
halls and the saloons. The young fellows
hanging before the saloons of any community are a challenge to that community to
open some other kind of amusement for
them. (Applause.)
In our neighborhood
the women are away ahead of the men. The
tenement house burden is being carried on
the backs of the women. And, just as fifty
years ago the word wen t through the world,
"Working men, unite! " today there should
go through the slums the cry, "Women,
unite and organize!'' Xot just for the sake
of the ballot, though I believe in that, too
(Applause), but for tte purpose for wl1ich
the ballot has got to be used, for the sake
of the children and the home. The women
are doing the work today, and never will
there be any great progress until the women organize. Without organization they are
fighting mothers of the tenements, splendid
but futile.
Above all things the social centre is tryign to make a rti culate the living God in
men and women- t rying to bring out lheir
s piritual power right in th p rh1rkn o oo " ' " ' ~
together as neighbors and help the big influences to be made real things. Open your
schools, open these centres, and if the right
standard is raised there and the right spirit
predominates, the men and. women will
come together and work so that it will
create centres of light in the darkest places
of this or any other community.
THE SOCIAL CENTRE AND THE DEMOCRATIC IDEAL.
By Mary P. Follett.
HE Social Centre movement is, as
you all know, the movement for
opening the public school buildings
evenings for community purposes.
But I wonder if you all know how rapidly
this movement is spreading throughout the
United States, from Wisconsin to Texas,
from the Atlantic to the Pacific. City after
city, town after town, is throwing open its
schoolhouses evenings. And this rapid development is not surprising, for everywhere
it has been the same fundamental need in
the community which has brought about the
Social Centre movement, the same hunger
we have all felt for a wider fellowship and
a common life.
If I were asked to name
the most striking ctaracteristic of the present time, I should say that people are doing
more things together; they are coming together more than ever before in municipal
movements, for national purposes, in labor
organizations, in co-operative societies, in
associations of employers and employees,
etc. The keynote of the twentieth century
is the passion for solidarity. That this is
so is the great hope of our future democracy.
Industrial democracy gets nearer, and political democracy is becoming more real with
T
changes in thP fnrrn
n ~
,....,..._ • •.
*
/
. . ·_.,
,.
·
'
f
·
· ·
liately precedippropriately,
ssion. What
in Fitchburg
'' will be told
e well-known
he immediate
)r. Elliott so
,ver to make
fITZGERALD
Dijficulty in
I be sorry if
:ept Saturdays
Place
,
m
~
. ., -,. .
_eg.......,.
,,_
American cities
are fit places
in which to
live. In other
words ,
the
wealth we need must be provided from the
inside-by the people themselves. In tleali::..!;' with tliis problem I believe in direct act,on. The direct action of the I. W. W. may
be destru ctive sabotage, but at least they
tave been working directly for the people
of the abyss, now. The philanthropic associations have been like the man who runs
with a bucket of water to irrigate the desert. The social reformers are slow.
Socialism is gradually granting more and more
time for its ideals to be realized. And yet,
th~se conditions are here, and we are tired
of-living under them.
There is getting to
be more a.nd more in our communities the
spirit of restlessness . . This restlessness is
going ·to continue, to grow, to be more and
more of a for ce.
The people of the abyss are saying, "We
suffer, we die. now : must we wait for you,
with your theories?" You h-ave got to save
-nen and women alive! (Applause.)
And
there is no use in waiting for this or that
theory to be fulfilled.
This restlessness
1,ill never be satisfied until people are
,aken into a complete partnership. There
has got to be a new form of partnership,
unless this restlessness becomes anarchy.
(Applause.)
► We do no t want to see an y great change
come with destroying fire ; and yet we are
very tired of seeing the hearse and the am·llance earn· off to the scrap-heap tt·e chil·
.1ren who are our personal friends. ·what
are we going to do ? Well, we have said,
wopen the school houses, and let the people
from the tenement houses come in and
begin to work." vVhat can they do? In the
first place, we all need a great deal more
knowledge about our government than
many of us have.
·we must learn to vote
11 · intelligently.
\Ve must above all gain a
1 sense of local responsibility for the things
I have heard the village wise1 near home.
• acres, whose bleared eyes could see no
1 nearer than the Capitol dome at Washing•
l.
•1 ton, · discussing the tariff. and · utterly
j
neglecting the pr~ssing problems of their
own community. Democracy must begin for
-
.
°The speeches and tlle questions and answers
!'e.Ported by Miriam Allen de Foril.
····- -··~ ,w: :,a.1uuu~. 1·ne young fe llows
hanging before the saloons of any community are a challenge to that community to
open some other kind of amusement for
them. (Applause.)
In our neighborhood
the women are away ahead of the men. The
tenement house burden is being carried on
the backs of the women. And, just as fifty
:vears ago the word went through the world,
"Working men, unite! " today there should
go through the slums. the cry, "Women,
unite and organize! " Not just for the sake
of the ballot, though I bel:eve in that, too
(Applause), but for tt.·e purpose for which
the ballot has got to be used, for the sake
of the children and the home. The women
a re doing the work today, and never will
there be any great progress until the women organize. Without organization they are
fighting mothers of the tenements, splendid
but futile.
Above all things the social centre is tryign to · make articulate the living God in
men and women-trying to bring out their
spiritual 11ower right in the darkness of the
present conditions. You and I never will
live to see the perfect time fulfilled and
Boston a City ·of the Light, but we can get
t111s movement is spreading throughout the
United States, from Wisconsin to Texas,
from the Atlantic to the Pacific. City after
city, tow n after town, is throwing open its
schoolhouses evenings. And this rapid development is not surprising, for everywhere
it has been the same fundamental need in
the community which has brought about the
Social Centre movement, the same hunger
we have all felt for a wider fello wship and
a common life.
If I were asked to name
the most striking ct.-aracteristic of the present time, I should say that people are doing
more t hings together; they are coming to•
gether more than ever before in municipal
movements, for national purposes, in labor
organizations, in co-operative societies, in
associations of employers and employees,
etc. The lreynote of the twentieth century
is the passion for solidarity. That this is
so is the great hope of our future democracy.
Industrial democracy gets nearer, and political democracy is becoming mor•~ real with
changes in the form of government (like the
-'
initiative, referendum, etc,), with the introduction of social programs into party platforms , and with the lessening of the power
,
of the machine. But more striking evi,.1
dence still of the new democracy is the,...-',- · ·
1
change in all our hearts. Never before has
.- . ~
I
THE PRAYER.
the idea of union, of brotherhood, been so
Help us to find Th·e e, 0 God, in the
prominent and so permeating in our life as
\ -i!" i
hearts and lives of the men, women
at the present moment. Democracy in the
and children that are all about us.
past bas been taught as the philosophy of
May we break down every barrier
t he individual. That is why it has not made
~
more progress, that is the trouble with our
that hinders us from really knowing
;
industrial system. Some people define deone another. Bring us together, we
· ·•'j
pray Thee, in friendly intimacies, in
mocracy as equal opportunity, and then
mutual enjoyments, and in common
think of opportunity as every man having a
aspirations. Let those who are privichance to get to the top and rule others!
leged bring gifts of leisure and cul·
Democracy is not the glorification of the
. ·, 1
individual in any form, but the subordinature. Let the distressed and the unJ
tion of the individual, by t-imself, to the
satisfied bring gifts of eagerness and
desire. Let the powerful lift up the
well-being of all. (Applause.) ..'- We used to
talk of liberty and equality..,,_they seem
weak and the light-hearted bring
empty and selfish words to u·s. now comcomfort
to
the
over-burdened .
pared · with that.. living, throbbing thing
T1·ough we come from the ends of sowhich is .passing- from you to me, from one
ciety and are separated by injustice,
prejudice, and untoward circumto. all; . joining us together indissolubly in
stances, help us, 0 God, to seek out
tli.af'biggest bond of all-the brotherhood of
one another in love. aw_ patience- ..... man: lt.'.-is the realization and expression
and to rest not until, through· fellow- '
of this bond which is going to make us alive
· in every part of us, in every part of our soship and friendliness, Vf>. have · reaJ: 1
ciety, which is going to heal our political ·
ized a large measure of · the relation'='.
and social sickneses, our industrial and
ship of brothers and sisters -of a com·
economic evils.
mon Father. Amen.
(Continued on Page 4.)
·il
. ·.ti
,~
'j
I
··: :1-:::-~ -.:
-7
.
.
·_
• -- j' -_: ".-
:(;··\~:"•·.
-
-- . . ':),;_.h¥1:~.
\ _.·,._-t-~/~ .>:\-;
:
;
''. -~. •__ \ ~-~. - : ,_'
.'·-:,:__ -. '~
- --·-
·"t}·~-~--
,.
~-.·:. ,:
- ,- i~, :I.
(
7,_
. -~
·:·1.
,
(.... . -
·1/~i- :';, . " }: -~ "'""="
'.,.;•
. \· • .!· ·-·
----- -·; /<l'-
·.,,. J
. ,.
... ...'.:
/
~
'·
.
·,
.'
\
. -~
·
\ .. 1.,,.....:.
. '.
-
~~
.-:
;. ··-~. :.}
;..:
"\_ .
7 -.,
;,
_,
(
- ..>·_•,,,.
l.
:~: :-:·~
..
-.
~- .>I ••··..
-
.: I
• ·-
_/"
.'"-
, ,.
',i.
.. .'t:
,,
y
.'fc:
4
-~
FORD HALL FOLKS
2
THE Alf,.:-:
{, •.>
1'.·
--
.
II
.
THE QUESTIONS
.
"l\-Iv bi ·::"- ,
< (
,,
- .....
,.
. ,c'-
. '"
.·
;,,,
~
:...: ~--
r
~
'.-.:'T.:.
~-·-
~~-t
,.
rr'._...'
..:J,:
~
·... ~.:...
/,
-
o~ the B _;' :\
pire. I ._. ..
half yea ;·
I acquir• · . · .
cal infoF :. ··
,of Germ .;,_;-,
teacher .·--:: "-:Struct nr ' .:1:his cou .•: {
-d_ partm ::, . .. i!
e
1:lOn to ;,
noble, o • -· ·
-way of :.~-.
sonality ':,--., · ·'
·more u,·~; .
father ai ;•
"is good ,->.y
experie: :·-:.~
spark c •
of bein :-- ·
Wher ,,~,c-tled in : ~·:.
public ;. -·studies -~::. ···
:half af( :.
1893 0( . • ..
·.and ha -~~ ..
were r
-them y >': s·
up
"i:ng sh . •
,t ions- _:· :
You c: ::=,--; ..
ness o "'. ··
unbea1
:able
young
·and h . _ ._
rernerr .
and i1 _,· ; '1
distrit : .. 1
meeti1 .-;· :
Social :.. :·· f,
or tw · ·,
-:.Ince; · ·
:trinsi1
1:inuo1
m ")·
y<
All
,
Q:· What do you think of the German
. emperor's decorating Adolphus Busch, and
Harvard's accepting a gift from him?
A (Miss Follett): I don't know anything
about it, I am sorry to say.
Q: Don't the settlement houses of Boston furnish an example of the social service idea?
. • ~I \
A (Miss Follett) : We haven't enough
settlement houses to go around, and besides,
we want the initiative to come from the
inside.
Q: What effect have the settlement
houses had on our cities?
A (Mr. Elliott) : They give good training
in co-opera tion and organization.
Q: We have seen the efforts of the women in England and of the miners in this
country; how can the people overcome
brute force and the powers that are above
them?
A (Mr. Elliott) : I think that in the long
run fights of this sort have been successful,
and never more so than they are now. Those
that have lost have been gone at in the
wrong way.
.
Q : Ara not the saloons the foundation of
most of the evils that exist?
A (Mr. Elliott) : I do not think they are.
I think that they aggravate every evil in the
world. Ti:J.ey are a terrible irritant.
Q: How are you going to get the working class together when the struggle for
existence takes all their energy?
A (Mr. Eliott) : People will get a good
deal better bread and butter when they do
unite.
Q: How do you regard the man who is
good to his family and immediate friends,
but who oppresses his fellow men in the
economic life?
A (Mr. Elliott): Both he and the social
reformer who does not practise what he
preaches are equally public nuisances.
Q: Will not too many social gatherings
encourage idle gossip and destroy valuable
inrl iviiln :::i l nn~liti o ~ ?
j
Q: Do you advocate the teaching of sex
hygiene in social centres ?
A (Miss Follett): Not at present.
,
Q: Does not the saloon when prohibited
cause a greater desire for drink than when
not prohibited, just as when religion was
prohibited, people wanted. it?
A (Mr. Elliott): No, it seems to me that
the further you can keep it back the better
it will be. There is no natural craving for
liquor.
Q (Miss Rogolsky) : What made people
start these social centres-to do away witl..:
evils or to begin a new democracy ?
A (Miss Follett) : For both these reasons, and many more.
Q : Has not the military spirit in the
19th century been predominant among us
all?
A (Miss Follett): When things are at
the worst they are always at the-. best. Of
course we are talking more about war than
ever before--but also about peace.
Q: Aren't the public officials whom the
struggling people elect to represent them
absorbed in their own interests, instead of
serving the people?
A (Mr. Elliott): Yes, with most officials
it is themselves first, the party next, and
then, after a long space, the people. Butthe people who elect them are tarred with
the same brush.
Q : Why don' t both the speakers join the
Socialist party and help along the things
they advocate? (Laughter.) •
A (Mr. Elliott): In many important respects Socialism stops just when the real
work begins. I do not object to any of the
practical measures of Socialism.
(Miss
Follett did not reply.)
Q: How do you expect the people in the
centres to organize when they are exploited
for profit?
A (Mr. Elliott): I want people to get t J.
gether and work with each other so that
they w ill not be exploited for profit.
n .
n r 1... ......
..::i ....
_ __ __
.. , . ! .
~-
A (Mr. Elliott): They do.
Q : How often do these meetings in the
schools take place?
A (Miss Follett): Our full social centres are held in the high school buildings,
By GEORG:
and we have them three times a week, when
the evening high schools do not occupy'- (!:II=======
them.
a:;
Q: How can we have social centres when
The Trustees <
the forces above are so opposed to them?
ial Union gave
A (Mr. Elliott): We never will change
ours last Monda
the spirit above until we get the spirit of
he free use of E
democracy among the people underneath.
e week during
Q : Do you believe that organized social
on for our ne w!:
cent,es will gradually do away with poveeting.
And i
ccompanied by l
erty?
A (Miss Follett) : I don't know whether
ill. It only re1
we shall ever get our social centres as ef·
uperint endent of
fective as that, but organization can do anys the most fav<
t will be either
thing.
Q: How can we gPt the people together
vVhat a fine thiJ
in a united effort when they are divided so splendid co-aper
sharply religiously?
ftJ nion Trustees.
A (Miss Follett): Religious differences
dded security ai
are no longer so important as they once ,all the brighter..
doubt that we ar,
were.
Q : Wouldn't it help a lot of the sJ-.:ort- : work which in
a
lived organizations which spring up contin- grow like a bany
ually if they had a good leader?
*
A (Miss Follett): At first, but we don't
want a leader from the outside ; we , ~t
co-operation from the inside.
~~
Q: What do you think of the various ~
~ bit from the ne
izens' associations in Boston as social ce~ ;~ ~ ed The Watc
tres?
~.;:"·~ New York, a1
A (Miss Follett) : I think some are bet-"
aptists through
ter than others.
until very recen
Q: What do you think about the Arcadia
nothing about tb
fire?
1 Boston. The art
A (Mr. Elliott) : I see no connection be·
was written by Di
tween what does happen and wh-at ought to
the very beginni.J
happen, in this world.
1riend oi ours a1
Q : Does not the operation of the social
days of our mee1
centres as now constituted show that the
•truction. After .
upper classes, which most need training of
the history of thE
this sort, do not get it?
t elling of :\Ir. Fo1
A (Miss Follett) : Let us work hard for
tion of the Fo1
th~~•-J B~-.,,
goes _on to say t1:
,<•'t,: -;:~(-G3'azer) : Have not the newspap·
con tnbuted to 1
~ ~oston been a great help to Ford
ln~re famous t ha1
Hall?
uni que and wide!•
A · (Mr. Coleman) : Yes, indeed. . (Mr.
ings." He admit
F.llintt) ·
T iln ,...,,.., ;. ,_...,, ,.._ ._,..
• k .-.
"
--• - -
- -
.Jlnt
.1 Uil
l
.J
... ·..·
,:~
:-:-._
i '-~/~ 1·~--·---~ . ~·/
Yr,.l·..
~
-~J. -
l.,'/L• - ':
~ ./~~~
i" './ .:- :~ ..
r_., ''·
·~)·;~.
.·S/}·."
f!', .
. ,,//....
: \
J.Ji::,J.J.~~
~.
.._.,.,
V4
._,
..,..,,.. .,
-- ,
-
....
\ .
-'if
~
r·:. ' "
:-.-•i··
{~
•
•
•,, ~
>~f~:~~
J.: : ,::, :..,
•
••
Q: Aren't the public officials whom me
and never more so than they are now. Those
that have lost have been gone at in the struggling people elect to represent them
absorbed in their own interests, instead of
wrong way.
serving the people?
Q: Arc not the saloons the foundation of
A (Mr. Elliott): Yes, with most officials
most of the evils that exist?
A (Mr. Eliiott) : I do not think they are. it is th-emselves first, the party next, and
I think that they aggravate every evil in the then, after a long space, the people. Butthe people who elect them are tarred with
world. Tney are a terrible irritant.
the same brush.
Q: How are you going to get the workQ: Why <ion't both tl:te speakers join the
ing class together when the struggle for
Socialist party and help along the things
existence takes all their energy?
A (Mr. Eliott): People will get a good they advocate? (Laughter.)
A (Mr. Elliott) : In many important redeal better bread and butter when they do
spects Socialism stops just when the real
unite.
work begins. I do not object to any of th·e
Q: How do you regard the man who is
(Miss
good to his family and immediate friends, practical measures of Socialism.
but who oppresses his fellow men in the Follett did not reply.)
Q: How do you expect the people in the
economic life?
A (Mr. Elliott): Both he and the social centres to organize when they are exploited
reformer who does not practise what he for profit?
A (Mr. Elliott): I want people to get topreaches are equally public nuisances.
gether and work with each other so that
Q: Will not too many social gatherings
encourage idle gossip and destroy valuable they will not be exploited for profit.
Q: What do you think of the work of the
individual qualities?
A (Miss Follett) : I think you haven't sociologists?
A (Mr. Elliott) : I don't like to work
understood what I mean by social gatherings.
I ?Lean every place where people with sociologists; they have too many nomeet together, no matter how serious the tions it takes years to knock out. We have
not yet had any great sociologist.
purpose.
Q: Does not our present system of eduQ (Mr. Brown): Are not many of the
hindrances to our coming -together due to cation entirely neglect th·e older people, and
people's holding themselves aloof and not what does the social centre contemplate
doing for them?
being willing to meet other people?
A (Miss Follett) : That is one of the
A (Miss Follett) : Just acquaintanceknowing each other-is the first basis of de- most important reasons for starting the so<'ial centre. We hav-e a large number of
mocracy.
groups for older people, and hope to have
Q (Mr. Hogan): Can brotherhood be
promoted by Mr. Coleman's "conundrum" in many more.
Q: How <io you expect to arrive at de- .
last week's Ford Hall Folks? What effect
mocracy -when people today are so selfish
will that have?
A (Mr. Coleman): That remains to be that they will snatch the bread from each
other's mouths?
seen! (Laughter.)
A (Mr. Elliott) : I hope th-at doesn't hit
Q: Is
industrial democracy possible
everyone.
I have known a good many
under private ownership?
A (Miss Follett) : I do not consider prl· people who would put bread in another's
11'.)outh.
vate ownership democracy.
Q: Doesn't sectarian organization create
Q: Wasn't it sabotage to put the tea in
animosity, and doesn't it rule politics at
Boston Harbor?
A (Mr. Elliott): I -don't dare to say any- the present time?
A (Mr. Elliott): Boston is "some probthing about that in Boston!
_
Q: Isn't sabotage as practised by the I.
lem," but I don't know but that the people
W. W., as a last resort, and not necessarily have the main power in their own hands.
Q: How do you expect to solve the poor
with violence, justifiable?
A (Mr. Elliott): No, because anything tenement problem as long as the economic
that is done in an underhanded way cannot law of marginal utilities demands that these
tenements exist?
be justifi~d.
,
Q: What is the attitude of the majority .
A (Mr. Elliott) : It doesn't necessarily
-:._
church in Boston toward social centres and apply.
Q: Could or would a poor laboring man
.open discussion?
A (Miss Follett): r· have never h·eard interest himself in the social centre after
a hard day's work?
:any objection.
-.::•k•
••=•·•:,
;,!:.;..,.
!•·
-.
'.!>±1~·-. ~"': .
-
.....,
.;,
-~·;\
'
~/t" ·'_. ,:.•·~
- ~ - -~
• - ..._.
.
\
,. \ ;--:;- ·
...
. ,...
LOYAL TO THE DEATH.
"What happened to Rollignan ?"
"He drowned."
"And couldn't he swim?"
"He did, for eight hours; but h·e
union man."-San Francisco Star.
*
*
*
*
*
We all appreciate the strain
speakers when they stand up to n
gatling-gun question fire. But let
vou that tbe chairman has no easy
~atching and interpreting th-e q
themselves. I am sure at least th
of those who have tried it will ag
me. Some of the questions are vcult to hear, s_ me are in very brol
o
lish, some are in a good deal of c,
and some are all wound round wit
strings so long that they almost
the question itself. Some think th
tions are not properly repeated un
cisely the same language is giv
for word, and yet they can't repeat
alike themselves. Ninety-nine per
the questioners, however, are ve~
able and patient, knowing that tl
man is doing his level best to give
the. fairest possible chance. Nevtionally does tbe chairman do any
er an injustice. Nor will he for le
any questioner to usurp privileges
•.not allowed every other questioner
*
·By way of illustrating the cons•
ness with which our speakers an
questions, let me tell you that PE
~.
~
.,..;;:••
~
Other Meetings
Sunday Commons, at Huntington Chambers Hall, Sunday, Dec. 28, at 3.30 P. M. Dr.
Charles Fleischer, leader.
Public Library, Sunday, Dec. 28, at 3.30
P . !VI., The Art of the Theatre, by Frank W.
C. Hersey.
r~~iation of the work tnai:. 1::; u,ew
P Ford Hall Sunday evenings let m
n
1
bit fr.om the newly-combined pape:
~lied Tbe Watchman-Examiner, pi:
in ::,:ew York, and reaching thous:
Baptists through ~ Middle StatE
until very - recently have heard Ii
nothing about tbe work we are d
Boston. The article from which :
was written by Dr. E. F. Merriam, w:
the very beginning has been a p
friend of ours and did much in th
aays of our meetings to save us f,
str11ction. After reviewing at some
the history of the Baptis.t Social Ur
telling of Mr. Ford's bequests and t:
tion of the Ford Building, Dr. ?
..0 es on to say that the one thing t
; 0 ntributed
to make the Ford J
more famous than any other featurunique and widely known "Ford Ha
ings." He admits that the meetin
not escaped criticism and oppositi
declares that the Social Union has
ent!Y backed tbem up. And what
me most of all is his saying that t1
ings have fulfilled the dearest wisl:
Ford in bringing the business man
working-man closer together undei
tian auspices.
-~
·.-::
;:.
want a leader from the outside; we want
co-operation from the inside.
Q : Whar do you think of the various citizens· associations in Boston as social centres?
A (Miss Follett) : I think some are better than others.
Q: What do you think about the Arcadia
fire?
A (Mr. Elliott) : I see no connection between what does happen and what ought to
happen, in this world.
·
Q: Does not the operation of the social
centres as now constituted show that the
upper classes, which most need trainint of
this sort, do not get it?
A (Miss Follett): Let us work hard for
that, too.
Q (Mr. Frazer): Have not the newspapers of Boston been a great help to Ford
Hill?
,
A (Mr. Coleman): Yes, indeed. . (Mr.
Elliott) : I do not know the Boston papers.
Q: Do you think that tt.·e statementoften
made, that the doctrines of the law bar
progress, is true?
A (Mr. Elliott) : I feel very decidedly
that a law must be obeyed before it can be
changed.
Q : What should be done to the owners
of property, in the slums and elsewhere,
that is used for immoral purposes?
A (Mr. Elliott): The name of the man
who owns the property should go over th·e
door. That ought to be a beginning.
(A
Voice: We have that in Oregon.)
(Mr.
Elliott): I should have expected that. You
have everything progressive there.
Q (Mr. Gallup): Is not much being done
through Chambers of Commerce, city planning, etc., for social uplift by the upper
classes?
A (Mr. Elliott): Yes, and they are getting good training themselves in
ments.
/_ ;\
.>O\ .
.;: l,r_ _;_·./
__
• -:;
•-..,,
~
·: - • .
•• ~-
\
. • .,
. \ :,
'
1·
, .. -----~- .. · ..
!
"1 ~~-; ~ •'·', ('. . . ... . -".
"'~'- ... '?<~ / -~;:?:)2j(--\
/ 't
-~
-_•--:;~ :.. ~:- '-:.- ,r.-~
>,.
,
: ,.
_
_
\-..
.:-~~ -~:::
..
.,.
-,
_
~:it-~:~~~~}~:~t, ;J; :;:s:~r;ff£½~:' r;:~:~~'~!t~5C~F:n:s;;~-
,. ';·;
:
~
_ __ ,.!
-•"
·'f
- -~~
.~?Jq{\/,}::-,.:
;,.<:: \ ,-"._,-
--:
-~~-; ~;:_ .
.....'::~ ... ,
-
,.
=?"
• -
·.. ·,·.··
•.
.;--
'· ~::.. :;._: _
!• l • -
~
- ... -;
- --
,:,.
-
-
·' •
;.,.· ..
,
FORD HALL FOLKS
Mr. Elliott): Th-ey do.
How often do these meetings in the
s take place?
Miss Follett): Our full social cen.re held in the high school buildings,
e have them three times a week, when
vening high schools do not occupy
How can we have social centres when
rces above are so opposed to them?
Mr. Elliott): We never will change
Jirit above until we get the spirit of
;racy among the people underneath.
Do you believe that organized social
is will gradually do away with povMiss Follett) : I don't know whether
.all ever get our social centres as ef~ as that, but organization can do anyHow can we gPt the people together
mited effort when they are divided so
ly religiously?
Miss Follett) : Religious differences
o longer so important as they once
Wouldn' t it help a lot of the sJ-.-ortorganizations which spring up continif they had a good leader?
Miss Follett): At first, but we don't
a leader from the outside; we want
iration from the inside.
What do you think of the various citassociations in Boston as social cenMiss . Follett) : I think some are bettan others.
What do you think about the Arcadia
Mr. Elliott) : I see no connection bet what does happen and what ought to
,n , in this world.
Does not the operation of the social
c?S as now constituted show that the
· classes, which most need training of
:ort, do not get it?
:Miss Follett) : Let us work hard for
too.
:Mr. Frazer): Have not the newspap·
,f Boston been a great help to Ford
(Mr. Coleman): Yes, indeed. . (Mr.
I do not know the Boston papers.
Do you think that tt·e statement often
, that the doctrines of the law bar
·ess, is true?
(Mr . Elliott) : I feel verv decidedly
:t) :
AS IT LOOKS TO ME
By GEORGE W. COLEMAN, Director of the Ford Hall Meetings
The Trustees of the Boston Baptist So~ial Union gave me an answer within two
ours last Monday when I asked them for
;the free use of Kingsley Hall one night in
he week during the remainder of the seaon for our newly-planned Ford Hall Town
eeting.
And it was a favorable answer
ccompanied by hearty expressions of good
,will. It only remains for Mr. Miner, tt.·e
uperintendent of the building, to fix with
111s the most favorable night in the week.
l!t will be either Tuesday or Thursday.
What a fine thing it is for us to have such
'splendid co-operation from the Social
nion Trustees. It gives our present work
: dded security and makes the future look
a
all the brighter. There can be but little
doubt that we are only at the beginning of
f work which in the years to come is to
: row like a banyan tree.
g
*
*
*
And wtile I am speaking of Baptist apq>reciation of the work that is being done
in Ford Hall Sunday evenings let me quote
ca bit fi:om the newly-combined papers, now
called The Watchman-Examiner, published
in )sew York, and reaching thousands of
~aptists through the Middle States, who
until very recently have heard little or
nothing about the work · we are doing in
Boston. The article from which I quote
was written by Dr. E. F . Merriam, who from
the very beginning tas been a powerful
friend of ours and did much in the early
days of our meetings to save us from destruction. After reviewing at some length
the history of the Baptist Social Union and
t~lling of i\fr. Ford's bequests and the erec•
tion of the Ford Building, Dr. Merriam
goes _on to say that the one thing that has
contributed to make the Ford Building
:~re famous than any other feature is the
tnniq~.e and widely known "Ford Hall Meetb gs_ He admits that the meetings have
escaped critic:sm and opposition, but
enu!res that the Social Union has persistIII · backed them up. And what pleases
hie most of all is his saying that the meet-
d:!
~s haye,
f nlfi l lorl
tho rla-.:,-roc:::t -n:ric:::"h
"-f i\lfT"
farlane in two recent letters to me was bewailing the unsatisfactory answers wl:.·ich
he felt he had made to two questioners. He
says that two regrets about his night at
Ford Hall keep coming up in his mind and
that he waked up in the morning thinking
about them. One was the case of the boy
who asked about the remedy for unemployment, and the other was the lady wto
wanted to know how Cleveland and Olney
would have: handled tne Mexican situation.
Mr. Macfarlane says that each was worthier of a better answer than he gave. Think
of a man as busy as Macfarlane remembering for days two little incidents like that
in an evening crowded full of sensations!
He must have a wonderfully sensitive conscience.
* * *
Our Executive Secretary, Miss Crawford, also goes out campaigning in the interest of the Ford Hall idea. That is the
reason she was a little late arriving at tl:.e
hall last Sunday night. She ~1_as speaking
at Natick in the afternoon on the topic,
"Women in Industry," at a forum which
Rev. Mr. Ackerman has inaugurated in his
church. Miss -Crawford persuaded them to
add the question period feature to their
program. Our loyal supporter, Dr. Cook of
Natick, was among those present at the
meeti12g. Before very long the number of
forums run in connection with churcl:.·e s
will be too numerous to mention.
*
*
*
*
*
"
In my mail this morning was a letter
from th-e Chamber of ·Commerce at Detroit,
Michigan, asking for an address about our
work, and a letter from Raleigh, North
Carolina, concluding arrangements for a
meeting there under the auspices of the
-Chamber of Commerce. There was a telephone call from _ Haverhill, Mass., and urgent invitations from other nearby places.
How is one man going to find enough spare
time to do all this extra work and still
earn his living?
'T'hPrP "l'<"PrP ::ihn11t ~i,tv n11t tn th-P "F'nr<i
,·. · -
. . -... ·
:---•.. ~·. " ·f ' •
i
3
years old.
This magazine itself and its
present expanding life is due entirely to
the initiative of that little group and to
their continued co-operation. Our fifth anniversary was planned and executed by
them. They inaugurated the chorus. The
new ticket-in-the-line scheme . is theirs, and
last, but by no means least, the Ford Hall
Town Meeting has been incubated under
their fostering care. And I came near omlt~
ting the annual dinner which they s_tarted
at the close of last season. No doubt there
are other good things they have done that
I have overlooked. As I think of it now I
wonder how we ever got along three or
four years without their valuable help.
*
*
*
!
1
l
*
Mrs. Louis D. Brandeis has been a deeply interested ·observer of our work recently
and Mr. E. A. Filene was also in the audience last Sunday night. He wanted to get
away at nine o'clock for another engagement, but says he never can resist staying
over for the question business.
*
i
I
J
*
It may be that this Ford Hall Town
Meeting wh·i ch · is to be inaugurated early
in January will prove to · be in time an instrument of tremendous . power for the advancement of the welfare of the people of
Boston. It is to be thoroughly democratic. Its
control will lie wholly within itself. It will
rise or fall wholly on its own merits. It will
furnish the finest possible school and laboratory for the study and practice of democracy. It will afford a wonderful opportunity
for individual developmell't. Do you want to
learn the art of effective public speech?
There you will have the finest chance. Do
you want to get rid of your sharp cornel"l5
and learn how to be liked by your associates? Here's your opportunity.
Do you
want to discipline your abilities in co-operative committee work, learning how both to
lead and to follow? You can do it there. Are
you eager to find out all you can about our
own local government and what your
rights and duties are?
This will bQ the
best place possible to do that very thing.
It looks now as though there might be
from fifty to a hundred who will become in
a very special way the first citizens of the
Ford Hall Town Meeting.
Perhaps in
years to come one will be as proud to have
been one of these first citizens as are those
who were present at the very first Ford
Ha ll Meetina-.
- - rnr::-
-·· ·---- r------.. . -. . . . . . . .,. .,
~
1ers.
. do you think about the Arcadia
liott) : I see no connection be·does happen and wt.at ought to
his world.
·
;not the 6peration of the social
now constituted show that the
is, which most need training of
I not get it?
•
rollett): Let us work hard for
I :
azer)
Have not the newspapon been a gr~at help to Ford
I
oleman):
Yes, indeed.-- . (Mr.
ao not know the Boston papers.
u think that t1·e statement often
the doctrines of the law bar
true?
□iott) : I feel very decidedly
aust be obeyed before it can be
f
I should
be done to the owners
in the slums and elsewhere,
for immoral purposes?
Uiott): The name of the man
1e property should go over th·e
ought to be a beginning.
(A
have that in Oregon.)
(Mr.
hould have expected that. You
1ing progressive there.
llup): Is not much being done
mbers of ·commerce, city plansocial uplift by the upper
f
pr
• :
liott)
Yes, and they are getaining themselves in the settle-
)ther Meetings
\mmons, at Huntington Chammday, Dec. 28, at 3.30 P. M. Dr.
,cher, leader.
1rary, Sunday, Dec. 28, at 3.30
:rt of the Theatre, ~Y Frank W.
'AL TO THE DEATH.
1pened to Rollignan ?"
1ed."
an't he swim?"
'o r eight hours; but he
:.,..san Francisco Star.
Jsa;il.-~;ery recently have ~ ard little or
u°thino- about the work we are doing in
~~ston~ The article from V.:hich I quote
,nitten by Dr. E . F. Merriam, who from
5
;~ very beginning i:as been _a powerful
f iend oi ours and did much m the early
of our meetings to save us from detiuction. After reviewing at some length
~e history of the Baptis_ Social Union and
t
tellino- of Mr. Ford's bequests and the erection °of the Ford Building, Dr. Merriam
goes on to say that the one thing that has
contributed to make the Ford Building
more famous than any other feature is the
unique and widely known "Ford Hall Meetings." He admits that the meetings have
not escaped criticism and opposition, but
: declares that the Social Union has persist.ent!Y backed them up. And what pleases
me roost of all is his saying that the meetino-s have fulfilled the dearest wish of Mr.
F;rd in bringing the business man and the
working-man closer together under Christian auspices.
Javs
*
*
*
We all appreciate the strain on our
speakers when they stand up to meet our
gatling-gun question fire. But let me tell
vou that the chairman has no easy time in
catching and interpreting th·e questions
themselves. I am sure at least that some
of those who have tried it will agree with
e. Some of the questions are very difficult to hear, some are in very broken· English, some are in a good deal of confusion,
and some are all wound round with verbal
strings so long that they almost obscure
the questio::i itself. Some think their questions are not properly repeated unless precisely the same language is given word
for word, and yet they can't repeat it twice
alike themselves. Ninety-nine per cent. of
the questioners, however, are very reasonable and patient, knowing that the chairman is doing his level best to give them all
the fairest possible chance. Never intentionally does the chairman do any questioner an injustice. Nor will he for long allow
any questioner to usurp privileges that are
.not allowed every other questioner.
*
*
*
By way of illustrating the conscientiousness with which our speakers answer the
:questions, let me tell you that Peter Mac-
add the question period feature to their
program. Our loyal supporter, Dr. Cook of
Natick, was among those present at the
meeting. Before very long the number of
forums run in connection with churct.·e s
will be too numerovs to mention.
*
*
*
*
*
*
In my mail this morning was a letter
from th€ Chamber of Commerce at Detroit ,
Michigan, asking for an address about our
work, and a letter from Raleigh, North
Carolina, concluding ai:rangements for a
meeting there under the auspices of the
Chamber of Commerce. There was a teleph·o ne call from Haverhill, Mass., and urgent invitations from other nearby places.
How is one man going to find enough spare
time to do all this extra work and still
earn his living?
There were about sixty out to th€ Ford
Hall Folks gathering last Sunday.
It is
wonderful how that little meeting is developing power. Let me just enumerate some
of the good things that have come out of
it already notwithstanding it is not yet two
Ford Hall Folks
Edited by Thomas Dreier.
UBLISHED weekly by the Ford
Hall Associates, whose work
is to create, assemble, and
'listribute ideas that will help
men and institutions grow . more
helpful in serving society, and which
will promote "peace on earth, good
will toward men." It is the official
publication of the Ford Hall Meetings, which are held, under the direction of George W . Coleman, every
Sunday e;,ening during the months of
Oct ober to May, in Ford Hall, Ashburton Place, Boston, Massachusetts.
All buriness communications should
be sent to Miss Mary C. Crawford,
Treasurer Ford Building, Boston,
and all comm uni ~ations intended for
the editor to The Thomas . Dreier Service, University Press, Cambrid·ge,
Mass. Subscription Price: $1.50 for
26 numbers.
P
i c w111 aJ.1ora a won<1erru1 opportunity
for individual development. Do you want to
learn · the art of effective public speech?
There you will have the fin est chance. Do
you want to get rid of your sharp cornen,
and learn how to be liked by your associates? Here's your opportunity.
Do you
want to discipline your abilities in co-operative committee work, learning how both to
lead and to follow ? You can do it there. Are
you eager to find ~ut all you can about our
own local government and what your
rights and duties are?
This will be the
best place possible to do that very thing.
It looks now as though there might be
from fifty to a hundred who will become in
a very special way the first citizens of the
Ford Hall Town Meeting.
Perhaps in
years to come one will be as proud to have
been one of these first citizens as are those
who were present at the very first Ford
Hall Meeting.
It is a fine thing that two other groups
are to join us in the promotion of the Town
Meeting enterprise.
Miss Grout and her
associates of th€ Boston School of Social
Science and Mr. Allen and his confreres of
the City History Club have d€cided to join
forces with us. Mr. Allen is an expert in
just such work and Miss Grout has al r eady
a group of about forty who are meeting
once a week for special discussions.
Mr.
Foster of our own committee is keenly interested and very resourceful. Very likely
he will have as many as fifty Ford Hall
people ready to join as soon as the date
for the opening night is set
"''"'' " .
- _,...
THE SOCIALIST PARTY of BOSTON
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 21st
AT 3 PM.
.
.-
FRANKLIN UNION HALL, Berkeley and Appleton Sis.
GEORGE KIRKPATRICK
Author of "WARt WHAT FOR?"
ADMISSION 2$c
ADVERTISING
A space of this size-one inch high and
two and one-half inches wide--can be had
for advertising purposes for one dollar per
issue. For information regarding advertising apply to Jacob London, Room 707, Ford
Building, Boston, Mass:
f
f
-:i.
I
- ~--
~\}'
~ -- -~. ~
-
;-~ ~c '.·_.· ~
.
.=_;~
.;__
' ..
,
•• 1~ ·•
'
_/
'
. ,
"r
~ :;_,;
..,,,.,.
./
:
-~
_,
~
....f : ·~
...
."I
'-\
_,
.:;~ \~ / ~ ~·
,, -:
....
... . . ,,,~. "
, .;_
-¥~
C
f
...,.
;..;-::.,·~·. ,
.. ,...
_
~
(
-~--
::. ~-1.·
.. .. -~ - - " - - - - - ' - - - - - - - - ~ . . . . . . : . . . - - - 1 . ' - - - - - - - - - : , _ _ ~ . : . __ ____.c_
_-H-E- : : .• .
_ : __ _
___:-'---'--'-....:......:....:___;__,____;_.-_;_~-_;__..:::.....,.L.:.,_
FORD HALL FOLKS
4
THE
AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
TORSON.
H.
S.
VIC-
l\Iy b ··.
)! the l .._, ;-<'-
;>ire. J ·;:
:i.alf ye
[ acqui: : ·
~al info .
Jf Gerr · .. ·
teacher ~ · ',
struct : :_- •· ji
this co·i:-, . '
departu } : ,.
tion to ~;:,
noble, , . '· .-·
way of _
sonalit: .
more t ·''
father :V.
"is gooc~ .'·
experieF.
spark , , : ..
of beir · ·_,: -_
Wh1:r ·'·:
tied in.
public ''i._·•.:.. •
studies,·
t·
:half a L .
i·
1893 of··and ha ·.·
were ; ,•
'them J ~
up my ·. ·· ·
ing sh , "'
.tions--, 1 _
·You c ." )
ness o --~< :
unbea1 · •
:able
young •:
·and h. ·
rernerr .
j
and ir
·
distrib · • · 1
meetir .' ,· ' ·[
Social .'
.1
or tw, ~ . · · 1 ,
·since; _ · 1 '
:trinsic .'tinuoi:
All
·the t2
-at 1
':
Part II.
Another factor in my life was a library
of Jewish books kept up by the "Hebrew
Progressive Association." I spent a good
deal of time there, too, especially Sundays.
Jewish literature always interested me,
and later I wrote considerably for certain
Jewish papers and magazines.
At the age of 23 •I gave up the tailoring
trade and became a life insurance agent.
This profession of policy-hunting I detested just as much as I had hated the constant monotony a.nd sameness of the tailoring trade. After two years' experience in
that profgession (which experience broadened anti deepened my knowledge of human nature considerably) I accepted a
rather far from lucrative position as traveling salesman for Jewish and English radical magazines, pamphlets and books.
In
addition to this I used to address gatherings of Jewish working men and women
on different educational and propaganda
topics. This, in addition to the articles I
wrote for some Jewish· publications, was
the kind of work that agreed with me more
than anything else, as. it was in conformity with my intense desire to make as many
converts as possible to the grandest and
noblest ideal of modern times-Socialism.
in its broadest and its most comprehensive
sense-among the Jewish working men and
women.
·
I look back with pride and pleasure upon
the four years I spent thus. It was a purely ideal state that I was then in, and although that sort of life spelled lack of
material comfort in every sense of the
word, I am. nevertheless, firmly convinced
that. had I suffered infinitely more all
through my life than I did, the everlasting
impression and memory • of that period
would have much more than compensated
for that suffering.
It was during those travels that I familiarized myself with the Grand Old Town of
this country-Boston. I intentionally use
the word "'familiarized" because I was acquainted with it before. Many and many
_ .,
-.-..-A....,_,.,,,1
,-,hnnt
THE SOCIAL CENTRE AND THE DEMOCRATIC IDEAL.
SCIENCE AND RELIGION TO BE RECO'·
CILED ON OUR PLATFORM.
(Continued from Page 1.}
But the brotherhood of man is at present
an ideal, not a reality. How are the Social
Centres going to help us make it real? First
of all, simply by providing a place where
people can meet and become acquainted
with one another.
Where is there a
better opportunity for this than in our
schoolhouses, where we have the space and
plant required-large rooms, halls, gymnasiums, and where all meet on common
ground with: equal rights,-where there are
no races, but all are Americans, where no
political party or particular religion has any
special privileges, where no commercialism
can dominate us? (Applause.)
The first aim of the Social Centres
should be to train up young people with a
sense of responsibility_
Those of us who
believe that the reform of city government
is not to come so much: through change of
charters as through the associated Jife of
citizens, recognizing their responsibilities,
look to the Social Centres as one of the most
effective means at our hands for revolutionizing the life of cities. (Applause.)
What we must all realize is that we are responsible for whatever government we have.
that our government is not run by "they,"
-some mysterious other persons, but that
we · ourselves are responsible for the life of
our city and of our nation.
We want it to become a matter ·of
common realization that citizenship is not
a duty to be exercised a few times a year,
chiefly on voting days; citizenship is not a
duty at all, really, it is not a privilege, it
is just a function, like breathing, to be exercised every moment of the time.
(Applause.) This is what we want the Centres to teach-we want to teach and to
learn our share in th·e common life.
I want now to speak of four ways in
which this civic and social responsibility
may be developed in the Centres:
1. First. all the activities of the Boston
Evening Cent res are group activities.
The race is now evol ving a new being to
meet the demands the democratic ideal has
laid upon it-the social being-the man
who looks upon himself in every respect
The lecture, next Sunday evening, wi
be a little out of our usual vein in that
brief for the reconciliation of science art ;,
religion will then be presented by R
Allyn K. Foster of Worcester. To his o
satisfaction Mr. Foster has proved sci, r.J
tifically the existence of God-and
-iJ
method of reasoning he has adopted is.
remarkable that one of the leading revie"J-"
'
is about to print his paper entire.
Thi ·
added to the fact that the paper's writ,
is a live- wire of the most approved Fa
Hall variety, a man who confesses-an,
has demonstrated-that his chief intere
in life is human beings, makes the offeri
of this address, " Can Religion Be Ma
Scientific?" an announcement of great i
terest. The questions should be pretty i
teresting, too, after an address of this kin,
I
IMPRESSING A VERMONT CAPITALIS
This is bow Ford Hall impressed Mr.
"\V. Hawley of the Estey Organ Co., Bra
tleboro, Vermont, wto was in the Ha
Sunday evening.
Mr. Hawley is one
those terrible things-a business man an
a capitalist:
·
"Ford Hall is creating as well as satis..
ing a great need. The hunger for bett
things is being stimulated by the ,mow
edge gained as well as being met by
wonderful speakers, the inspirational mus
and the magnetic, soulful, tactful lovi
presence of its leader.
"The personnel of the audience,
close attention, their lightning-like gra
of each speaker's thought, notwith·standi
their many nationalities and frequent di
culty in expressing their own questio
their evident seriousness and intensity,
create a situation absolutely unique a
augur well for better understanding a
agreement.
··
··God bless Ford Hall Folks one and all!
Friends Who Are Coming
1··
Dec. 2S-Rev. Allyn K. Foster of wor
·•('on 'R<>li e-inn RP. :Wade Scientific · "~
?
to ~
• \· .• ..
....0
J~I:J~: :)}}i
4
·j ·'
L: ·
~.:
- . .
',k·.l.. \···· . ;,'-.!' ✓ -·,t., ;'5;. c" ':
,.• ~-~,t-:··· •
1;;;
\.
'
wrote for some .Jew,::,u ,--~---- - the kind of work that agreed with me more
than anything else, as it was in conformity with my intense desire to make as many
converts as possible to the grandest and
noblest ideal of modern times-Socialism,
in its broadest and its most comprehensive
sense-among the Jewish working men and
women.
·
I look back with pride and pleasure upon
the four years I spent thus. It was a purely ideal state that I was then in, and although that sort of life spelled lack of
material comfort in every sense of the
word, I am, nevertheless, firmly convinced
th-at, had I suffered infinitely more all
through my life than I did, the everlasting
impression and memory of that period
would have much more than compensated
for that suffering.
It was during those travels that I familiarized myself with the Grand Old Town of
this country::--Boston. I intentionally use
the word · "familiarized" because I was acquainted with it before. Many and many
a time I had dreamed and pondered about
the Cradle of Liberty and the Birthplace of
the Abolitionist Movement. Gen. Putnam,
the Adams's, Phillips and Garrison had always been among my favorite grand, ideal
figures. And so, when I arrived here (in
190i) I decided to stay here as I wanted
to make a change anyway.
I decided
to give up my activity in the Socialist
movement, at least for some time, and
I chose book selling as the kind of occupation most congenial to me. Then it was
that I began to attend the Ford Hall meetings; that I met Mr. G. W. Coleman-one
of the very, very few persons I ever knew
whose first accidental meeting meant to me
an instinctive soul-relationship; that I experienced the infinite pleasure of attending
two of the Conferences at Sagamore
Beach, and th-at I profited mentally and
morally by all the things connected therewith.
.'_ 1
- . /.
:
~~~-... ,~
. :::.·· -•. ·•.
... -._
..
Jt~.ft;.~
·
tani ·.;•:-;'.
.OS ··.,._.
ren r: .
~OU :j:{.:...
f-th s-d.-·, .- ·
hd ...--?~.-.
her '.· _.,
ng ,. ·.. ·
risi ..... .,
: ·.,: .:':-.
IP
!We
:he
j
'The mp:n who supervises the man at the
machine so that the latter works more effi.ciently shares ·equally with the latter ·in the
credit for the ·profit which that machine
makes.
. ;,f·
. f,/- ·_:_._ ., .
.... -.~
.~f /::t.
NOTICE' ,
I
·1. ,,.
,-
·;
~\
-
-~.: it;: LL_ -·-·-•
~!' ·,
)
r
.·
J'"·
:~~ - ,,:~Jk"-.:; ,_ · ·
~
; '· ·
· ·:,_:;;,. ·:
There is a limited -supply on ·han<f: '·0 {the
copy of Collier's Weekly containing.:,_Peter
Clark Macfar_ane'i?- · write-up of Mr.;. Colel
man. These inay be..hacl .at 5c eacli' by applying to Jacob London.
.
·i .
"
':>
:1
\
\Vna L
-~~
;~{
;'
,{i'
1· '
- .\ / ·,-.
·' :,;
.
·... -~-.-.. ./J
-~
>,
•
:-:-;~
.c
-~ ·
~
(
'
,
'
.
. t-
,-~
- ..
,, \
•
_ ...,. ,
_.
/'
·.,.,-:""' ·~ - _/
. t' .
--
122
Dec . . 28-Rev. Allyn K. Foster of Wore
ter, "Can Religion Be Made Scientific?"
Jan. 4-Dr. Stanton Coit of London, "T
Ethics of Marriage and Divorce. "
Jan. 11-Symposium, "What Is the Mat
With Our Public Schools?" Miss Marga
Slattery of Fitchburg and others to be [
nounced.
Jan. 18-Bishop Charles Williams of Mi
igan, "Why I Work for the Sin.gle Tax,"
Jan. 25-Dr. Albion Woodbury Small
Chicago University.
Feb. I-Alexander Irvine of New York.
Feb. 8-Prof. Edward A. Steiner, "
Inter-National Mind and the Inter-Rae'
Heart."
Feb. 15-Symposium, "Breeding Me
Speakers to be announced.
Feb. 22-Charles Brandon Booth, "Tt
Case for the Prisoner."
March I-Leslie Willis Sprague of c:
c.ago.
March S-Symposium, on "Journalis
A. J. Philpott of the Boston Globe and oth
to be announced.
March 15-Rev. Harry Ward, "The C
lenge of Socialism to Christianity."
March 22-Rev. Frank O. Hall of
York, "The Moral Law."
March 29-John Cowper Powys
land, " The Economic Aspects of
Suffrage."
April 5-Mary Church Terrell,
Sam and the Sons of Ham."
~-April 12-Dr. Thomas C. H~.,, · of N!.•
York.
April 19-Prof. Walter Rauschenbus
Pearl Street, Boston, Ma~c.
.
~
...
•-,
-(>-:.
\ :.
;~
' \
Friends Who Are Coming
rr
-
-
,. '
. ,.. .
ing a great need. The hunger 1u r ut::tt
things is being stimulated by the kno'\\'
edge gained as well as being met by t
wonderful speakers, the inspirational mus
and the magnetic, soulful, tactful lo Yi
presence of its leader.
"The personnel of the audience,
close attention, their lightning-like grasi
of each speaker's thought, notwith·standi
their many nationalities and frequent di
culty in expressing their own questio
their evident seriousness and intensity,
create a situation absolutely unique a
augur well for better understanding a
agreement.
•'God bless Ford Hall Folks one and alt
'r,-:-:--?;:-•,-----.
/
.'!'»· .. .:· '·" .'.
.
---
;:~¼
,~
. :, .,,,.:.- :;,~
•,,.:~
.:-.
t....
.iu u .......
~ ; "L. Grimes Comp3ny. Printers.
~
,:~ .
Wt
sponsible for whatever government we ua, c.
that our government is not run by '' they;·
-some mysterious other persons, but that
we · ourselves are responsible for the life of
our city and of our nation.
'\Ve want it to become a matter of
common realization that citizenship is not
a duty to be exercised a few times a year,
chiefly on voting days ; citizenship is not a
duty at all , really, it is not a privilege, it
is just a function , like breathing, to be exercised every moment of the time.
(Applause.) This is what we want the Centres to teach-we want to teach and to
learn our share in the common life.
I want now to speak of four ways in
which this civic and social responsibility
may be developed in the Centres:
1. First, all the activities of the Boston
Evening Centres are group activities.
The race is, now evolving a new being to
meet the demands the democratic ideal has
laid upon it-the social being-th·e man
who looks upon himself in every respect
not as apart from but as a part of other
men. The chief function of the Social Centres should be the evolution of this new
being-the social man.
2. '\Ve are planning to make our Centres
a real traii,ing in self-government, a real
opportunity for the development of initiative, will-power and self-expression.
3. In the third place, responsibility and
good citizenship may be developed by frequent discussion and by a certain amount
of direct civic teaching,-of political, economic and industrial questions, of political
and social ethics, of the tests of efficiency,
etc.
4. Fourth, and last, acquaintance, association, discussion, will lead inevitably to
common action for community ends.
And now one thing more-I want to ask
you all to help in the development of the
Boston Social Centres, in making them
mean what they ought to mean in th·e life
of the city. We have at present four, one
in Charlestown, East Boston, South Boston
and Roxbury, a part time Centre in Dorchester,
and-enough schoolhouses for
many mor_ The thing I feel more strongly
e.
._
about our Centres . than any other is that
· they will never be successful if the y are
not comm1,;nity affairs, organized by com·.munity effort, for community ends. Here
. -is where I want to ask your help . .,
,
i,7:;... ~ .·
To make ·.irur zenith moments of thought
,
and feeling permanent-that is our task.
- .
,
I
I
-::;•.t
;~.
r·
.
-----,c~,,,,,,_~,. ..
. ·. . ......
.
- . :-
-~
::.
~_.,-
.
...,....__ •,
. ... .....:.:.....___ ~-
_; .
~
.::.
:·.\.
.•
/1 ·-
..... ;:·..•.
. '
(.
.'
_·
.c
, ;-_:-:
- @;_ "-
.. · -
·
') T
1
I
1
:,:: , 1
<
I
,\
•t •
,
.' •. ,
·'
, .,1,
),
, ·/
'
•1·
:· ;;:"'7;!.7',~.'i
. .,,,,,,,..,~:·,:,..
~
.,,,
.':•p ,
-•->
"", . . • • •'•' ' . \' .,., - ,,, .,, ,.; ,,.. ,} . : ' . '
'"-'''•' .... ,
-· '· ' ' ' ., , ·• .•., -.... ' ' "•J • .., ·""' •: ., •, ' ..,, ... , '.,,. ,,...,.,,,
' ' ':. ,. :. '' I ; ' ,, '•• ·'' ,;, _, :·,•,.
":'.,,, '" •. : ' ' • •,,, .' •'1
i\·,\•:· 1', !1.. 1, ·,:1:,,
lti , t !,
, , , , , ,, • .' ·• , ,
• ,, . , I • , , .. , ,,,., • ,
, , , ' .. "·• 1I, · ·, > .,
', .' ""' ', /, , •: '-,\ \,".,' '.',,"0 •'·,., '"• .•!,' '' • '• (,,'!•\;:",> :.; \',
'° '.,'. ,. .. . ·. . . , . ". . ', '' ,; . ,\ . .'. '.: ,,' ,,..,' '; .·.. . '" : ;,,,
':
lfo'
.... .... -:t:<,:.·, -:, : ,\ c: \:ii/:::\;<'• .
.r
:,,
A M
I
I
DECEMBER 28.-One of the most inte resting
evenings we ever had at Ford Hall was that on
which Prof. Jam es Hyslop was the speaker and
"Ca n Immortality Be Proved.?" the subject, Science
will again be linked with faith on this platform when
REV. ALLYN K. FosTER of vVorcester gives his
remarkable address, "Can Religion .B e llfade
S cientific.?" Mr. Foster thinks it can and those who
have hearr :!"r read this paper of his agree with him.
Come aid ;,, ~ whether you <lo. The questions ought
to be part ;: / 1rly interesting, because Mr. Foster has
been a ,t ·: ( ':?r, a lecturer and a newspaper man as
well as a preacher. Mr. Coleman calls him a "live
wire"-and our Chairman knows "live wires" when
he meets them,
l
'
1
I
\
!
H ENEVER I speak of ti
I think of a section of
'
can desert In which I •
That land Is absolute
, ,bout irrigation. A ma n can
h · nself carrying buckets of wat
and yet Irriga te only a very sm:
Tk. e
way
watE
to st
ers
an
well
deal
sort
has
don,
the
wh
Am·
~
r:
a re
in
li ve
FORD HALL, corner Bowdoin Street and Ashburton Place
.
.
l
DOORS OPEN AT 7 O'CLOCK
15
l• \ '
;·,
')
'•. l·
, \-,\, _ _ _ __ ..,.:.
-~ 1 ·-f- '- ~.: 7 ,_'I
'
,,
·l' ' ·
.
1
1
WO
THE MEETINGS ARE ENTIRELY FREE
\.::.·, l_i
THE SOC
. l\l VT
GEORGE W. COLEMAN, Chairman and Director ol Meetings
Miss MARY C. CRAWFORD, Secretary for the Meetings
Ollice Hours at Room 707, Ford Building, State House Hill, 3.30 to 4. 30 daily, except Saturdays
Telephone, Haymarket 2247
i
9
I
JANUARY 11 is the Sunday immediately preceding Boston's sc hool election and, very appropriately,
sc hool problems will be up for discussion. What
could be done here-and has been done in Fitchburg
-by a liberal use of "welfare teachers" will be told
us by Miss MARGAR ET SLATTERY, the well-known
platform speaker. Then, turning to the immediate
problems of our own community, as Dr. Elliott so
truly told us we must <lo if we are ever to make
things really better, MRs. SusAN W. FITz GEnALD
will discuss for us "The Fundamental Difficulty i'n
Improving Boston's Schools." You'll be sorry if
you miss this.
~
NUMBER
'
JANUARY 4.-DR, STANTON CoIT of London
comes to us again, his topic this time being "The
Ethics of Jlfarriage and Divorce." Those who
heard Dr. Coit when he spoke to us on "Am I 1
1Iy
B1·other' s I{eeper .2" will not need to be told that he
is one of the most brilliant orators of the day and
possesses, b esides, a remarlrnble power of infusing
with spiritual truth every topic which he discusses.
He is coming over from England for a few addresses
only and will journey to us at Ford Hall directly
from his boat in New York . Let us give him the
w e lcome he deserves.
',I
'
, ,J·/il
II
VOLUME
I
:::l
l
,'-
,'.
I
~-.....--.:r.
\
,
wealth we need mus t be provid
Inside-by th e people t hemselv,
Inv, with this problem l believe
t 'on. Th e direc t acti on of t he I.
be des! rue ti ve sabotage, bu t a
have been workin g directly for
of the ah yss, n ow . '!'h e phila
soclation s ha ve bee n lik e th e m
with a bu clrn t of wa te r to irrig
ert. 'l'h c social re form ers a re
clali s111 is graduall y grantin g 111<
tim e [or its id ea ls to be reali ze
th ese conditions are II. er e, and
of Jivin g und er th e m. T here
he more nnd more in our corn
spirit of res tlessn es s. ·. This re
going ·to continue, to grow , to
111ore of a for ce.
Th e peopl e of th e a byss a re
,, surfer, we di e, now : mns t we
, with your th eories ?" You ha v,
,. nen and wom en a li ve ! (Appl
th ere Is no use in wa itin g for
, th eory to be · fulllll ed.
T hi s
, Nill neve r be sati s ll ed unlit
· .nk en Into a comple te partn e,
hue r;ot · to be a new fo rm of
unl e!IB thi s restl essn ess beco1
{AJi)llnnse. )
, ,v e do 11o t want to see any
com e with des tro yin g lire; an
very tired o r seein g th e hears,
" ·11ance e ll 1'1'~' off to th e scrap...i 1·en who nre our personal f1
l\re we going to do ? \ Vell, ·
/'Open lh '.l school houses, and
from th e tenement houses ,
begin lo work." What ca n th
first pin ce, we all need a g n
knowl etlge about our govE
many of 11 s hav e.
We must
lntelll1rn nlly. 'vVe mu st a bo,
sense of local respon s lhlllty
nonr hom e. 1 have hea rd th,
a'crca, whose hl earecl eyes ,
nearer than th e Capitol dom
ton, discussing th e tariff.
• , .•
-
1
t. -
. ......... ... ... . .... ,..,.
,..,, . ..... 1
'
;.,.,
'
.......- ...
'
...
.~
:,,,
•'· •
;
I'
'•
•,
'-
.
'
.. •,.
---. :-.::r·.. •
,·'
··.,, .,
_.--
J
r
J
.:- _:,
0
:._...,.-----_.
·,
,.·
.
..
.
--
• /d~
.- j"··-:~:--·~~
--~.. ·- - ~_-:: ,.·
~
p f-f F
jfor~ 'Hall jfolhs
-~
!)
- /G.~
~
A MAGAZINE OF NEIGHBORLINESS
VOLUME
3.-0ne of the most interesting
1ad at Ford Hall was that on
Hyslop was the speaker and
73e Proved.2" the subject. Science
with faith on this platform when
'osTER of Worcester gives his
, "Can Religion Be Made
)Ster thinks it can and those who
1is paper of his agree with him.
er you do. The questions ought
:resting, because Mr. Foster has
;turer and a newspaper man as
Mr. Coleman calls him a "live
rman knows "live wires" when
!on
rhe
ho
lfy
he
nd
1g
:s.
es
ly
1e
Sunday immediately preced:tion and, very appropriately,
e up for discussion. What
l bas been done in Fitchburg
•elfare teachers" will be told
SLATTERY, the well-known
n, turning to the immediate
)mm unity, as Dr. Elliott so
do if we are ever to make
5. SusAN W. FITZGERALD
.""=".. , ... 1 - ·-
II
NUMBER
9
DECEMBER 21, 1913
PRICE FIVE CENTS
THE SOCIAL CENTRE AND DIRECT ACTION* ,
l·,
v
HEN~VER I spea_ of this subje<:t
k
I thmk of a section of the Amer1.·
can desert in which I once lived.
That land is absolutely sterile
, ,hout irrigation. A man can nearly kill
h., aself carrying buckets of water all day,
and yet irrigate only a very small portion.
Th·e only real
way
to
get
water is either
to stop the rivers or to dig
an
irrigation
well.
.'\. good
deal the same
sort of thing
has got to be
done if ever
the time comes
when
our
American cities
are fit places
in which to
live. In other
words,
the
wealth we need must be provided from the
inside-by the peo ple themselves. In <leali:-~ with this problem I believe in direct ac•'.:,n.· The direct action of the I. W. W. may
oe destructive sabotage, but at least they
have been working directly for the people
of the abyss, now. The philanthropic associations have been like the man who runs
With a bucket of water to irrigate the desert. The social reformers are s low.
Soc_ialism is gradually granting more and more
time fo r its ideals to be realized. And yet.
these conditions are here, and we are tired
~r living under them. There is getting to
e_ more a nd more in our communities the
spirit of restlessness . . This restlessness is
~oing to continue, to grow, to be more a nd
ore of a forre.
The People of the abvss are sayino- "We
! ~!!'e r. we clie. now : mt;st we wait f~~ vnn
Ith ,· n,,,~ . ,. _
By ] OHN
LOVEJOY ELLIOTT
you and me in our neighborhood. To paraphrase Matthew Arnold, I have sometimes
thought that social reform was a vocabulary
tinged with passion.
For the man who
stands on the street corner shouting for social reform till the windows rattle, and
then goes home and does not practise brotherhood on his wife or his own brother, I
have little use. The kind of fraternity that
cannot stand the test of kindness to one's
own neighbors is false.
In twenty years I have found out from my
neighborhood several things, and one is
that the women of the community were
good at looking after the ct·ildren of that
community, and that there was need of
them. You can't do all your duty indoorsnot any ;i10re.
To be a good mother you
have got to be - out of doors-in the dance
halls and the saloons. The young fellows
hanging before the saloons of any community are a challenge to that community to
open some other kind of amusement for
them. (Applause.)
In our neighborhood
the women are away ahead of the men. The
tenement house burden is being carried on
the backs of the women. And, just as fifty
years ago the word wen t through the world,
"Working men, unite! " today there should
go through the slums the cry, "Women,
unite and organize!'' Xot just for the sake
of the ballot, though I believe in that, too
(Applause), but for tte purpose for wl1ich
the ballot has got to be used, for the sake
of the children and the home. The women
are doing the work today, and never will
there be any great progress until the women organize. Without organization they are
fighting mothers of the tenements, splendid
but futile.
Above all things the social centre is tryign to make a rti culate the living God in
men and women- t rying to bring out lheir
s piritual power right in th p rh1rkn o oo " ' " ' ~
together as neighbors and help the big influences to be made real things. Open your
schools, open these centres, and if the right
standard is raised there and the right spirit
predominates, the men and. women will
come together and work so that it will
create centres of light in the darkest places
of this or any other community.
THE SOCIAL CENTRE AND THE DEMOCRATIC IDEAL.
By Mary P. Follett.
HE Social Centre movement is, as
you all know, the movement for
opening the public school buildings
evenings for community purposes.
But I wonder if you all know how rapidly
this movement is spreading throughout the
United States, from Wisconsin to Texas,
from the Atlantic to the Pacific. City after
city, town after town, is throwing open its
schoolhouses evenings. And this rapid development is not surprising, for everywhere
it has been the same fundamental need in
the community which has brought about the
Social Centre movement, the same hunger
we have all felt for a wider fellowship and
a common life.
If I were asked to name
the most striking ctaracteristic of the present time, I should say that people are doing
more things together; they are coming together more than ever before in municipal
movements, for national purposes, in labor
organizations, in co-operative societies, in
associations of employers and employees,
etc. The keynote of the twentieth century
is the passion for solidarity. That this is
so is the great hope of our future democracy.
Industrial democracy gets nearer, and political democracy is becoming more real with
T
changes in thP fnrrn
n ~
,....,..._ • •.
*
/
. . ·_.,
,.
·
'
f
·
· ·
liately precedippropriately,
ssion. What
in Fitchburg
'' will be told
e well-known
he immediate
)r. Elliott so
,ver to make
fITZGERALD
Dijficulty in
I be sorry if
:ept Saturdays
Place
,
m
~
. ., -,. .
_eg.......,.
,,_
American cities
are fit places
in which to
live. In other
words ,
the
wealth we need must be provided from the
inside-by the people themselves. In tleali::..!;' with tliis problem I believe in direct act,on. The direct action of the I. W. W. may
be destru ctive sabotage, but at least they
tave been working directly for the people
of the abyss, now. The philanthropic associations have been like the man who runs
with a bucket of water to irrigate the desert. The social reformers are slow.
Socialism is gradually granting more and more
time for its ideals to be realized. And yet,
th~se conditions are here, and we are tired
of-living under them.
There is getting to
be more a.nd more in our communities the
spirit of restlessness . . This restlessness is
going ·to continue, to grow, to be more and
more of a for ce.
The people of the abyss are saying, "We
suffer, we die. now : must we wait for you,
with your theories?" You h-ave got to save
-nen and women alive! (Applause.)
And
there is no use in waiting for this or that
theory to be fulfilled.
This restlessness
1,ill never be satisfied until people are
,aken into a complete partnership. There
has got to be a new form of partnership,
unless this restlessness becomes anarchy.
(Applause.)
► We do no t want to see an y great change
come with destroying fire ; and yet we are
very tired of seeing the hearse and the am·llance earn· off to the scrap-heap tt·e chil·
.1ren who are our personal friends. ·what
are we going to do ? Well, we have said,
wopen the school houses, and let the people
from the tenement houses come in and
begin to work." vVhat can they do? In the
first place, we all need a great deal more
knowledge about our government than
many of us have.
·we must learn to vote
11 · intelligently.
\Ve must above all gain a
1 sense of local responsibility for the things
I have heard the village wise1 near home.
• acres, whose bleared eyes could see no
1 nearer than the Capitol dome at Washing•
l.
•1 ton, · discussing the tariff. and · utterly
j
neglecting the pr~ssing problems of their
own community. Democracy must begin for
-
.
°The speeches and tlle questions and answers
!'e.Ported by Miriam Allen de Foril.
····- -··~ ,w: :,a.1uuu~. 1·ne young fe llows
hanging before the saloons of any community are a challenge to that community to
open some other kind of amusement for
them. (Applause.)
In our neighborhood
the women are away ahead of the men. The
tenement house burden is being carried on
the backs of the women. And, just as fifty
:vears ago the word went through the world,
"Working men, unite! " today there should
go through the slums. the cry, "Women,
unite and organize! " Not just for the sake
of the ballot, though I bel:eve in that, too
(Applause), but for tt.·e purpose for which
the ballot has got to be used, for the sake
of the children and the home. The women
a re doing the work today, and never will
there be any great progress until the women organize. Without organization they are
fighting mothers of the tenements, splendid
but futile.
Above all things the social centre is tryign to · make articulate the living God in
men and women-trying to bring out their
spiritual 11ower right in the darkness of the
present conditions. You and I never will
live to see the perfect time fulfilled and
Boston a City ·of the Light, but we can get
t111s movement is spreading throughout the
United States, from Wisconsin to Texas,
from the Atlantic to the Pacific. City after
city, tow n after town, is throwing open its
schoolhouses evenings. And this rapid development is not surprising, for everywhere
it has been the same fundamental need in
the community which has brought about the
Social Centre movement, the same hunger
we have all felt for a wider fello wship and
a common life.
If I were asked to name
the most striking ct.-aracteristic of the present time, I should say that people are doing
more t hings together; they are coming to•
gether more than ever before in municipal
movements, for national purposes, in labor
organizations, in co-operative societies, in
associations of employers and employees,
etc. The lreynote of the twentieth century
is the passion for solidarity. That this is
so is the great hope of our future democracy.
Industrial democracy gets nearer, and political democracy is becoming mor•~ real with
changes in the form of government (like the
-'
initiative, referendum, etc,), with the introduction of social programs into party platforms , and with the lessening of the power
,
of the machine. But more striking evi,.1
dence still of the new democracy is the,...-',- · ·
1
change in all our hearts. Never before has
.- . ~
I
THE PRAYER.
the idea of union, of brotherhood, been so
Help us to find Th·e e, 0 God, in the
prominent and so permeating in our life as
\ -i!" i
hearts and lives of the men, women
at the present moment. Democracy in the
and children that are all about us.
past bas been taught as the philosophy of
May we break down every barrier
t he individual. That is why it has not made
~
more progress, that is the trouble with our
that hinders us from really knowing
;
industrial system. Some people define deone another. Bring us together, we
· ·•'j
pray Thee, in friendly intimacies, in
mocracy as equal opportunity, and then
mutual enjoyments, and in common
think of opportunity as every man having a
aspirations. Let those who are privichance to get to the top and rule others!
leged bring gifts of leisure and cul·
Democracy is not the glorification of the
. ·, 1
individual in any form, but the subordinature. Let the distressed and the unJ
tion of the individual, by t-imself, to the
satisfied bring gifts of eagerness and
desire. Let the powerful lift up the
well-being of all. (Applause.) ..'- We used to
talk of liberty and equality..,,_they seem
weak and the light-hearted bring
empty and selfish words to u·s. now comcomfort
to
the
over-burdened .
pared · with that.. living, throbbing thing
T1·ough we come from the ends of sowhich is .passing- from you to me, from one
ciety and are separated by injustice,
prejudice, and untoward circumto. all; . joining us together indissolubly in
stances, help us, 0 God, to seek out
tli.af'biggest bond of all-the brotherhood of
one another in love. aw_ patience- ..... man: lt.'.-is the realization and expression
and to rest not until, through· fellow- '
of this bond which is going to make us alive
· in every part of us, in every part of our soship and friendliness, Vf>. have · reaJ: 1
ciety, which is going to heal our political ·
ized a large measure of · the relation'='.
and social sickneses, our industrial and
ship of brothers and sisters -of a com·
economic evils.
mon Father. Amen.
(Continued on Page 4.)
·il
. ·.ti
,~
'j
I
··: :1-:::-~ -.:
-7
.
.
·_
• -- j' -_: ".-
:(;··\~:"•·.
-
-- . . ':),;_.h¥1:~.
\ _.·,._-t-~/~ .>:\-;
:
;
''. -~. •__ \ ~-~. - : ,_'
.'·-:,:__ -. '~
- --·-
·"t}·~-~--
,.
~-.·:. ,:
- ,- i~, :I.
(
7,_
. -~
·:·1.
,
(.... . -
·1/~i- :';, . " }: -~ "'""="
'.,.;•
. \· • .!· ·-·
----- -·; /<l'-
·.,,. J
. ,.
... ...'.:
/
~
'·
.
·,
.'
\
. -~
·
\ .. 1.,,.....:.
. '.
-
~~
.-:
;. ··-~. :.}
;..:
"\_ .
7 -.,
;,
_,
(
- ..>·_•,,,.
l.
:~: :-:·~
..
-.
~- .>I ••··..
-
.: I
• ·-
_/"
.'"-
, ,.
',i.
.. .'t:
,,
y
.'fc:
4
-~
FORD HALL FOLKS
2
THE Alf,.:-:
{, •.>
1'.·
--
.
II
.
THE QUESTIONS
.
"l\-Iv bi ·::"- ,
< (
,,
- .....
,.
. ,c'-
. '"
.·
;,,,
~
:...: ~--
r
~
'.-.:'T.:.
~-·-
~~-t
,.
rr'._...'
..:J,:
~
·... ~.:...
/,
-
o~ the B _;' :\
pire. I ._. ..
half yea ;·
I acquir• · . · .
cal infoF :. ··
,of Germ .;,_;-,
teacher .·--:: "-:Struct nr ' .:1:his cou .•: {
-d_ partm ::, . .. i!
e
1:lOn to ;,
noble, o • -· ·
-way of :.~-.
sonality ':,--., · ·'
·more u,·~; .
father ai ;•
"is good ,->.y
experie: :·-:.~
spark c •
of bein :-- ·
Wher ,,~,c-tled in : ~·:.
public ;. -·studies -~::. ···
:half af( :.
1893 0( . • ..
·.and ha -~~ ..
were r
-them y >': s·
up
"i:ng sh . •
,t ions- _:· :
You c: ::=,--; ..
ness o "'. ··
unbea1
:able
young
·and h . _ ._
rernerr .
and i1 _,· ; '1
distrit : .. 1
meeti1 .-;· :
Social :.. :·· f,
or tw · ·,
-:.Ince; · ·
:trinsi1
1:inuo1
m ")·
y<
All
,
Q:· What do you think of the German
. emperor's decorating Adolphus Busch, and
Harvard's accepting a gift from him?
A (Miss Follett): I don't know anything
about it, I am sorry to say.
Q: Don't the settlement houses of Boston furnish an example of the social service idea?
. • ~I \
A (Miss Follett) : We haven't enough
settlement houses to go around, and besides,
we want the initiative to come from the
inside.
Q: What effect have the settlement
houses had on our cities?
A (Mr. Elliott) : They give good training
in co-opera tion and organization.
Q: We have seen the efforts of the women in England and of the miners in this
country; how can the people overcome
brute force and the powers that are above
them?
A (Mr. Elliott) : I think that in the long
run fights of this sort have been successful,
and never more so than they are now. Those
that have lost have been gone at in the
wrong way.
.
Q : Ara not the saloons the foundation of
most of the evils that exist?
A (Mr. Elliott) : I do not think they are.
I think that they aggravate every evil in the
world. Ti:J.ey are a terrible irritant.
Q: How are you going to get the working class together when the struggle for
existence takes all their energy?
A (Mr. Eliott) : People will get a good
deal better bread and butter when they do
unite.
Q: How do you regard the man who is
good to his family and immediate friends,
but who oppresses his fellow men in the
economic life?
A (Mr. Elliott): Both he and the social
reformer who does not practise what he
preaches are equally public nuisances.
Q: Will not too many social gatherings
encourage idle gossip and destroy valuable
inrl iviiln :::i l nn~liti o ~ ?
j
Q: Do you advocate the teaching of sex
hygiene in social centres ?
A (Miss Follett): Not at present.
,
Q: Does not the saloon when prohibited
cause a greater desire for drink than when
not prohibited, just as when religion was
prohibited, people wanted. it?
A (Mr. Elliott): No, it seems to me that
the further you can keep it back the better
it will be. There is no natural craving for
liquor.
Q (Miss Rogolsky) : What made people
start these social centres-to do away witl..:
evils or to begin a new democracy ?
A (Miss Follett) : For both these reasons, and many more.
Q : Has not the military spirit in the
19th century been predominant among us
all?
A (Miss Follett): When things are at
the worst they are always at the-. best. Of
course we are talking more about war than
ever before--but also about peace.
Q: Aren't the public officials whom the
struggling people elect to represent them
absorbed in their own interests, instead of
serving the people?
A (Mr. Elliott): Yes, with most officials
it is themselves first, the party next, and
then, after a long space, the people. Butthe people who elect them are tarred with
the same brush.
Q : Why don' t both the speakers join the
Socialist party and help along the things
they advocate? (Laughter.) •
A (Mr. Elliott): In many important respects Socialism stops just when the real
work begins. I do not object to any of the
practical measures of Socialism.
(Miss
Follett did not reply.)
Q: How do you expect the people in the
centres to organize when they are exploited
for profit?
A (Mr. Elliott): I want people to get t J.
gether and work with each other so that
they w ill not be exploited for profit.
n .
n r 1... ......
..::i ....
_ __ __
.. , . ! .
~-
A (Mr. Elliott): They do.
Q : How often do these meetings in the
schools take place?
A (Miss Follett): Our full social centres are held in the high school buildings,
By GEORG:
and we have them three times a week, when
the evening high schools do not occupy'- (!:II=======
them.
a:;
Q: How can we have social centres when
The Trustees <
the forces above are so opposed to them?
ial Union gave
A (Mr. Elliott): We never will change
ours last Monda
the spirit above until we get the spirit of
he free use of E
democracy among the people underneath.
e week during
Q : Do you believe that organized social
on for our ne w!:
cent,es will gradually do away with poveeting.
And i
ccompanied by l
erty?
A (Miss Follett) : I don't know whether
ill. It only re1
we shall ever get our social centres as ef·
uperint endent of
fective as that, but organization can do anys the most fav<
t will be either
thing.
Q: How can we gPt the people together
vVhat a fine thiJ
in a united effort when they are divided so splendid co-aper
sharply religiously?
ftJ nion Trustees.
A (Miss Follett): Religious differences
dded security ai
are no longer so important as they once ,all the brighter..
doubt that we ar,
were.
Q : Wouldn't it help a lot of the sJ-.:ort- : work which in
a
lived organizations which spring up contin- grow like a bany
ually if they had a good leader?
*
A (Miss Follett): At first, but we don't
want a leader from the outside ; we , ~t
co-operation from the inside.
~~
Q: What do you think of the various ~
~ bit from the ne
izens' associations in Boston as social ce~ ;~ ~ ed The Watc
tres?
~.;:"·~ New York, a1
A (Miss Follett) : I think some are bet-"
aptists through
ter than others.
until very recen
Q: What do you think about the Arcadia
nothing about tb
fire?
1 Boston. The art
A (Mr. Elliott) : I see no connection be·
was written by Di
tween what does happen and wh-at ought to
the very beginni.J
happen, in this world.
1riend oi ours a1
Q : Does not the operation of the social
days of our mee1
centres as now constituted show that the
•truction. After .
upper classes, which most need training of
the history of thE
this sort, do not get it?
t elling of :\Ir. Fo1
A (Miss Follett) : Let us work hard for
tion of the Fo1
th~~•-J B~-.,,
goes _on to say t1:
,<•'t,: -;:~(-G3'azer) : Have not the newspap·
con tnbuted to 1
~ ~oston been a great help to Ford
ln~re famous t ha1
Hall?
uni que and wide!•
A · (Mr. Coleman) : Yes, indeed. . (Mr.
ings." He admit
F.llintt) ·
T iln ,...,,.., ;. ,_...,, ,.._ ._,..
• k .-.
"
--• - -
- -
.Jlnt
.1 Uil
l
.J
... ·..·
,:~
:-:-._
i '-~/~ 1·~--·---~ . ~·/
Yr,.l·..
~
-~J. -
l.,'/L• - ':
~ ./~~~
i" './ .:- :~ ..
r_., ''·
·~)·;~.
.·S/}·."
f!', .
. ,,//....
: \
J.Ji::,J.J.~~
~.
.._.,.,
V4
._,
..,..,,.. .,
-- ,
-
....
\ .
-'if
~
r·:. ' "
:-.-•i··
{~
•
•
•,, ~
>~f~:~~
J.: : ,::, :..,
•
••
Q: Aren't the public officials whom me
and never more so than they are now. Those
that have lost have been gone at in the struggling people elect to represent them
absorbed in their own interests, instead of
wrong way.
serving the people?
Q: Arc not the saloons the foundation of
A (Mr. Elliott): Yes, with most officials
most of the evils that exist?
A (Mr. Eliiott) : I do not think they are. it is th-emselves first, the party next, and
I think that they aggravate every evil in the then, after a long space, the people. Butthe people who elect them are tarred with
world. Tney are a terrible irritant.
the same brush.
Q: How are you going to get the workQ: Why <ion't both tl:te speakers join the
ing class together when the struggle for
Socialist party and help along the things
existence takes all their energy?
A (Mr. Eliott): People will get a good they advocate? (Laughter.)
A (Mr. Elliott) : In many important redeal better bread and butter when they do
spects Socialism stops just when the real
unite.
work begins. I do not object to any of th·e
Q: How do you regard the man who is
(Miss
good to his family and immediate friends, practical measures of Socialism.
but who oppresses his fellow men in the Follett did not reply.)
Q: How do you expect the people in the
economic life?
A (Mr. Elliott): Both he and the social centres to organize when they are exploited
reformer who does not practise what he for profit?
A (Mr. Elliott): I want people to get topreaches are equally public nuisances.
gether and work with each other so that
Q: Will not too many social gatherings
encourage idle gossip and destroy valuable they will not be exploited for profit.
Q: What do you think of the work of the
individual qualities?
A (Miss Follett) : I think you haven't sociologists?
A (Mr. Elliott) : I don't like to work
understood what I mean by social gatherings.
I ?Lean every place where people with sociologists; they have too many nomeet together, no matter how serious the tions it takes years to knock out. We have
not yet had any great sociologist.
purpose.
Q: Does not our present system of eduQ (Mr. Brown): Are not many of the
hindrances to our coming -together due to cation entirely neglect th·e older people, and
people's holding themselves aloof and not what does the social centre contemplate
doing for them?
being willing to meet other people?
A (Miss Follett) : That is one of the
A (Miss Follett) : Just acquaintanceknowing each other-is the first basis of de- most important reasons for starting the so<'ial centre. We hav-e a large number of
mocracy.
groups for older people, and hope to have
Q (Mr. Hogan): Can brotherhood be
promoted by Mr. Coleman's "conundrum" in many more.
Q: How <io you expect to arrive at de- .
last week's Ford Hall Folks? What effect
mocracy -when people today are so selfish
will that have?
A (Mr. Coleman): That remains to be that they will snatch the bread from each
other's mouths?
seen! (Laughter.)
A (Mr. Elliott) : I hope th-at doesn't hit
Q: Is
industrial democracy possible
everyone.
I have known a good many
under private ownership?
A (Miss Follett) : I do not consider prl· people who would put bread in another's
11'.)outh.
vate ownership democracy.
Q: Doesn't sectarian organization create
Q: Wasn't it sabotage to put the tea in
animosity, and doesn't it rule politics at
Boston Harbor?
A (Mr. Elliott): I -don't dare to say any- the present time?
A (Mr. Elliott): Boston is "some probthing about that in Boston!
_
Q: Isn't sabotage as practised by the I.
lem," but I don't know but that the people
W. W., as a last resort, and not necessarily have the main power in their own hands.
Q: How do you expect to solve the poor
with violence, justifiable?
A (Mr. Elliott): No, because anything tenement problem as long as the economic
that is done in an underhanded way cannot law of marginal utilities demands that these
tenements exist?
be justifi~d.
,
Q: What is the attitude of the majority .
A (Mr. Elliott) : It doesn't necessarily
-:._
church in Boston toward social centres and apply.
Q: Could or would a poor laboring man
.open discussion?
A (Miss Follett): r· have never h·eard interest himself in the social centre after
a hard day's work?
:any objection.
-.::•k•
••=•·•:,
;,!:.;..,.
!•·
-.
'.!>±1~·-. ~"': .
-
.....,
.;,
-~·;\
'
~/t" ·'_. ,:.•·~
- ~ - -~
• - ..._.
.
\
,. \ ;--:;- ·
...
. ,...
LOYAL TO THE DEATH.
"What happened to Rollignan ?"
"He drowned."
"And couldn't he swim?"
"He did, for eight hours; but h·e
union man."-San Francisco Star.
*
*
*
*
*
We all appreciate the strain
speakers when they stand up to n
gatling-gun question fire. But let
vou that tbe chairman has no easy
~atching and interpreting th-e q
themselves. I am sure at least th
of those who have tried it will ag
me. Some of the questions are vcult to hear, s_ me are in very brol
o
lish, some are in a good deal of c,
and some are all wound round wit
strings so long that they almost
the question itself. Some think th
tions are not properly repeated un
cisely the same language is giv
for word, and yet they can't repeat
alike themselves. Ninety-nine per
the questioners, however, are ve~
able and patient, knowing that tl
man is doing his level best to give
the. fairest possible chance. Nevtionally does tbe chairman do any
er an injustice. Nor will he for le
any questioner to usurp privileges
•.not allowed every other questioner
*
·By way of illustrating the cons•
ness with which our speakers an
questions, let me tell you that PE
~.
~
.,..;;:••
~
Other Meetings
Sunday Commons, at Huntington Chambers Hall, Sunday, Dec. 28, at 3.30 P. M. Dr.
Charles Fleischer, leader.
Public Library, Sunday, Dec. 28, at 3.30
P . !VI., The Art of the Theatre, by Frank W.
C. Hersey.
r~~iation of the work tnai:. 1::; u,ew
P Ford Hall Sunday evenings let m
n
1
bit fr.om the newly-combined pape:
~lied Tbe Watchman-Examiner, pi:
in ::,:ew York, and reaching thous:
Baptists through ~ Middle StatE
until very - recently have heard Ii
nothing about tbe work we are d
Boston. The article from which :
was written by Dr. E. F. Merriam, w:
the very beginning has been a p
friend of ours and did much in th
aays of our meetings to save us f,
str11ction. After reviewing at some
the history of the Baptis.t Social Ur
telling of Mr. Ford's bequests and t:
tion of the Ford Building, Dr. ?
..0 es on to say that the one thing t
; 0 ntributed
to make the Ford J
more famous than any other featurunique and widely known "Ford Ha
ings." He admits that the meetin
not escaped criticism and oppositi
declares that the Social Union has
ent!Y backed tbem up. And what
me most of all is his saying that t1
ings have fulfilled the dearest wisl:
Ford in bringing the business man
working-man closer together undei
tian auspices.
-~
·.-::
;:.
want a leader from the outside; we want
co-operation from the inside.
Q : Whar do you think of the various citizens· associations in Boston as social centres?
A (Miss Follett) : I think some are better than others.
Q: What do you think about the Arcadia
fire?
A (Mr. Elliott) : I see no connection between what does happen and what ought to
happen, in this world.
·
Q: Does not the operation of the social
centres as now constituted show that the
upper classes, which most need trainint of
this sort, do not get it?
A (Miss Follett): Let us work hard for
that, too.
Q (Mr. Frazer): Have not the newspapers of Boston been a great help to Ford
Hill?
,
A (Mr. Coleman): Yes, indeed. . (Mr.
Elliott) : I do not know the Boston papers.
Q: Do you think that tt.·e statementoften
made, that the doctrines of the law bar
progress, is true?
A (Mr. Elliott) : I feel very decidedly
that a law must be obeyed before it can be
changed.
Q : What should be done to the owners
of property, in the slums and elsewhere,
that is used for immoral purposes?
A (Mr. Elliott): The name of the man
who owns the property should go over th·e
door. That ought to be a beginning.
(A
Voice: We have that in Oregon.)
(Mr.
Elliott): I should have expected that. You
have everything progressive there.
Q (Mr. Gallup): Is not much being done
through Chambers of Commerce, city planning, etc., for social uplift by the upper
classes?
A (Mr. Elliott): Yes, and they are getting good training themselves in
ments.
/_ ;\
.>O\ .
.;: l,r_ _;_·./
__
• -:;
•-..,,
~
·: - • .
•• ~-
\
. • .,
. \ :,
'
1·
, .. -----~- .. · ..
!
"1 ~~-; ~ •'·', ('. . . ... . -".
"'~'- ... '?<~ / -~;:?:)2j(--\
/ 't
-~
-_•--:;~ :.. ~:- '-:.- ,r.-~
>,.
,
: ,.
_
_
\-..
.:-~~ -~:::
..
.,.
-,
_
~:it-~:~~~~}~:~t, ;J; :;:s:~r;ff£½~:' r;:~:~~'~!t~5C~F:n:s;;~-
,. ';·;
:
~
_ __ ,.!
-•"
·'f
- -~~
.~?Jq{\/,}::-,.:
;,.<:: \ ,-"._,-
--:
-~~-; ~;:_ .
.....'::~ ... ,
-
,.
=?"
• -
·.. ·,·.··
•.
.;--
'· ~::.. :;._: _
!• l • -
~
- ... -;
- --
,:,.
-
-
·' •
;.,.· ..
,
FORD HALL FOLKS
Mr. Elliott): Th-ey do.
How often do these meetings in the
s take place?
Miss Follett): Our full social cen.re held in the high school buildings,
e have them three times a week, when
vening high schools do not occupy
How can we have social centres when
rces above are so opposed to them?
Mr. Elliott): We never will change
Jirit above until we get the spirit of
;racy among the people underneath.
Do you believe that organized social
is will gradually do away with povMiss Follett) : I don't know whether
.all ever get our social centres as ef~ as that, but organization can do anyHow can we gPt the people together
mited effort when they are divided so
ly religiously?
Miss Follett) : Religious differences
o longer so important as they once
Wouldn' t it help a lot of the sJ-.-ortorganizations which spring up continif they had a good leader?
Miss Follett): At first, but we don't
a leader from the outside; we want
iration from the inside.
What do you think of the various citassociations in Boston as social cenMiss . Follett) : I think some are bettan others.
What do you think about the Arcadia
Mr. Elliott) : I see no connection bet what does happen and what ought to
,n , in this world.
Does not the operation of the social
c?S as now constituted show that the
· classes, which most need training of
:ort, do not get it?
:Miss Follett) : Let us work hard for
too.
:Mr. Frazer): Have not the newspap·
,f Boston been a great help to Ford
(Mr. Coleman): Yes, indeed. . (Mr.
I do not know the Boston papers.
Do you think that tt·e statement often
, that the doctrines of the law bar
·ess, is true?
(Mr . Elliott) : I feel verv decidedly
:t) :
AS IT LOOKS TO ME
By GEORGE W. COLEMAN, Director of the Ford Hall Meetings
The Trustees of the Boston Baptist So~ial Union gave me an answer within two
ours last Monday when I asked them for
;the free use of Kingsley Hall one night in
he week during the remainder of the seaon for our newly-planned Ford Hall Town
eeting.
And it was a favorable answer
ccompanied by hearty expressions of good
,will. It only remains for Mr. Miner, tt.·e
uperintendent of the building, to fix with
111s the most favorable night in the week.
l!t will be either Tuesday or Thursday.
What a fine thing it is for us to have such
'splendid co-operation from the Social
nion Trustees. It gives our present work
: dded security and makes the future look
a
all the brighter. There can be but little
doubt that we are only at the beginning of
f work which in the years to come is to
: row like a banyan tree.
g
*
*
*
And wtile I am speaking of Baptist apq>reciation of the work that is being done
in Ford Hall Sunday evenings let me quote
ca bit fi:om the newly-combined papers, now
called The Watchman-Examiner, published
in )sew York, and reaching thousands of
~aptists through the Middle States, who
until very recently have heard little or
nothing about the work · we are doing in
Boston. The article from which I quote
was written by Dr. E. F . Merriam, who from
the very beginning tas been a powerful
friend of ours and did much in the early
days of our meetings to save us from destruction. After reviewing at some length
the history of the Baptist Social Union and
t~lling of i\fr. Ford's bequests and the erec•
tion of the Ford Building, Dr. Merriam
goes _on to say that the one thing that has
contributed to make the Ford Building
:~re famous than any other feature is the
tnniq~.e and widely known "Ford Hall Meetb gs_ He admits that the meetings have
escaped critic:sm and opposition, but
enu!res that the Social Union has persistIII · backed them up. And what pleases
hie most of all is his saying that the meet-
d:!
~s haye,
f nlfi l lorl
tho rla-.:,-roc:::t -n:ric:::"h
"-f i\lfT"
farlane in two recent letters to me was bewailing the unsatisfactory answers wl:.·ich
he felt he had made to two questioners. He
says that two regrets about his night at
Ford Hall keep coming up in his mind and
that he waked up in the morning thinking
about them. One was the case of the boy
who asked about the remedy for unemployment, and the other was the lady wto
wanted to know how Cleveland and Olney
would have: handled tne Mexican situation.
Mr. Macfarlane says that each was worthier of a better answer than he gave. Think
of a man as busy as Macfarlane remembering for days two little incidents like that
in an evening crowded full of sensations!
He must have a wonderfully sensitive conscience.
* * *
Our Executive Secretary, Miss Crawford, also goes out campaigning in the interest of the Ford Hall idea. That is the
reason she was a little late arriving at tl:.e
hall last Sunday night. She ~1_as speaking
at Natick in the afternoon on the topic,
"Women in Industry," at a forum which
Rev. Mr. Ackerman has inaugurated in his
church. Miss -Crawford persuaded them to
add the question period feature to their
program. Our loyal supporter, Dr. Cook of
Natick, was among those present at the
meeti12g. Before very long the number of
forums run in connection with churcl:.·e s
will be too numerous to mention.
*
*
*
*
*
"
In my mail this morning was a letter
from th-e Chamber of ·Commerce at Detroit,
Michigan, asking for an address about our
work, and a letter from Raleigh, North
Carolina, concluding arrangements for a
meeting there under the auspices of the
-Chamber of Commerce. There was a telephone call from _ Haverhill, Mass., and urgent invitations from other nearby places.
How is one man going to find enough spare
time to do all this extra work and still
earn his living?
'T'hPrP "l'<"PrP ::ihn11t ~i,tv n11t tn th-P "F'nr<i
,·. · -
. . -... ·
:---•.. ~·. " ·f ' •
i
3
years old.
This magazine itself and its
present expanding life is due entirely to
the initiative of that little group and to
their continued co-operation. Our fifth anniversary was planned and executed by
them. They inaugurated the chorus. The
new ticket-in-the-line scheme . is theirs, and
last, but by no means least, the Ford Hall
Town Meeting has been incubated under
their fostering care. And I came near omlt~
ting the annual dinner which they s_tarted
at the close of last season. No doubt there
are other good things they have done that
I have overlooked. As I think of it now I
wonder how we ever got along three or
four years without their valuable help.
*
*
*
!
1
l
*
Mrs. Louis D. Brandeis has been a deeply interested ·observer of our work recently
and Mr. E. A. Filene was also in the audience last Sunday night. He wanted to get
away at nine o'clock for another engagement, but says he never can resist staying
over for the question business.
*
i
I
J
*
It may be that this Ford Hall Town
Meeting wh·i ch · is to be inaugurated early
in January will prove to · be in time an instrument of tremendous . power for the advancement of the welfare of the people of
Boston. It is to be thoroughly democratic. Its
control will lie wholly within itself. It will
rise or fall wholly on its own merits. It will
furnish the finest possible school and laboratory for the study and practice of democracy. It will afford a wonderful opportunity
for individual developmell't. Do you want to
learn the art of effective public speech?
There you will have the finest chance. Do
you want to get rid of your sharp cornel"l5
and learn how to be liked by your associates? Here's your opportunity.
Do you
want to discipline your abilities in co-operative committee work, learning how both to
lead and to follow? You can do it there. Are
you eager to find out all you can about our
own local government and what your
rights and duties are?
This will bQ the
best place possible to do that very thing.
It looks now as though there might be
from fifty to a hundred who will become in
a very special way the first citizens of the
Ford Hall Town Meeting.
Perhaps in
years to come one will be as proud to have
been one of these first citizens as are those
who were present at the very first Ford
Ha ll Meetina-.
- - rnr::-
-·· ·---- r------.. . -. . . . . . . .,. .,
~
1ers.
. do you think about the Arcadia
liott) : I see no connection be·does happen and wt.at ought to
his world.
·
;not the 6peration of the social
now constituted show that the
is, which most need training of
I not get it?
•
rollett): Let us work hard for
I :
azer)
Have not the newspapon been a gr~at help to Ford
I
oleman):
Yes, indeed.-- . (Mr.
ao not know the Boston papers.
u think that t1·e statement often
the doctrines of the law bar
true?
□iott) : I feel very decidedly
aust be obeyed before it can be
f
I should
be done to the owners
in the slums and elsewhere,
for immoral purposes?
Uiott): The name of the man
1e property should go over th·e
ought to be a beginning.
(A
have that in Oregon.)
(Mr.
hould have expected that. You
1ing progressive there.
llup): Is not much being done
mbers of ·commerce, city plansocial uplift by the upper
f
pr
• :
liott)
Yes, and they are getaining themselves in the settle-
)ther Meetings
\mmons, at Huntington Chammday, Dec. 28, at 3.30 P. M. Dr.
,cher, leader.
1rary, Sunday, Dec. 28, at 3.30
:rt of the Theatre, ~Y Frank W.
'AL TO THE DEATH.
1pened to Rollignan ?"
1ed."
an't he swim?"
'o r eight hours; but he
:.,..san Francisco Star.
Jsa;il.-~;ery recently have ~ ard little or
u°thino- about the work we are doing in
~~ston~ The article from V.:hich I quote
,nitten by Dr. E . F. Merriam, who from
5
;~ very beginning i:as been _a powerful
f iend oi ours and did much m the early
of our meetings to save us from detiuction. After reviewing at some length
~e history of the Baptis_ Social Union and
t
tellino- of Mr. Ford's bequests and the erection °of the Ford Building, Dr. Merriam
goes on to say that the one thing that has
contributed to make the Ford Building
more famous than any other feature is the
unique and widely known "Ford Hall Meetings." He admits that the meetings have
not escaped criticism and opposition, but
: declares that the Social Union has persist.ent!Y backed them up. And what pleases
me roost of all is his saying that the meetino-s have fulfilled the dearest wish of Mr.
F;rd in bringing the business man and the
working-man closer together under Christian auspices.
Javs
*
*
*
We all appreciate the strain on our
speakers when they stand up to meet our
gatling-gun question fire. But let me tell
vou that the chairman has no easy time in
catching and interpreting th·e questions
themselves. I am sure at least that some
of those who have tried it will agree with
e. Some of the questions are very difficult to hear, some are in very broken· English, some are in a good deal of confusion,
and some are all wound round with verbal
strings so long that they almost obscure
the questio::i itself. Some think their questions are not properly repeated unless precisely the same language is given word
for word, and yet they can't repeat it twice
alike themselves. Ninety-nine per cent. of
the questioners, however, are very reasonable and patient, knowing that the chairman is doing his level best to give them all
the fairest possible chance. Never intentionally does the chairman do any questioner an injustice. Nor will he for long allow
any questioner to usurp privileges that are
.not allowed every other questioner.
*
*
*
By way of illustrating the conscientiousness with which our speakers answer the
:questions, let me tell you that Peter Mac-
add the question period feature to their
program. Our loyal supporter, Dr. Cook of
Natick, was among those present at the
meeting. Before very long the number of
forums run in connection with churct.·e s
will be too numerovs to mention.
*
*
*
*
*
*
In my mail this morning was a letter
from th€ Chamber of Commerce at Detroit ,
Michigan, asking for an address about our
work, and a letter from Raleigh, North
Carolina, concluding ai:rangements for a
meeting there under the auspices of the
Chamber of Commerce. There was a teleph·o ne call from Haverhill, Mass., and urgent invitations from other nearby places.
How is one man going to find enough spare
time to do all this extra work and still
earn his living?
There were about sixty out to th€ Ford
Hall Folks gathering last Sunday.
It is
wonderful how that little meeting is developing power. Let me just enumerate some
of the good things that have come out of
it already notwithstanding it is not yet two
Ford Hall Folks
Edited by Thomas Dreier.
UBLISHED weekly by the Ford
Hall Associates, whose work
is to create, assemble, and
'listribute ideas that will help
men and institutions grow . more
helpful in serving society, and which
will promote "peace on earth, good
will toward men." It is the official
publication of the Ford Hall Meetings, which are held, under the direction of George W . Coleman, every
Sunday e;,ening during the months of
Oct ober to May, in Ford Hall, Ashburton Place, Boston, Massachusetts.
All buriness communications should
be sent to Miss Mary C. Crawford,
Treasurer Ford Building, Boston,
and all comm uni ~ations intended for
the editor to The Thomas . Dreier Service, University Press, Cambrid·ge,
Mass. Subscription Price: $1.50 for
26 numbers.
P
i c w111 aJ.1ora a won<1erru1 opportunity
for individual development. Do you want to
learn · the art of effective public speech?
There you will have the fin est chance. Do
you want to get rid of your sharp cornen,
and learn how to be liked by your associates? Here's your opportunity.
Do you
want to discipline your abilities in co-operative committee work, learning how both to
lead and to follow ? You can do it there. Are
you eager to find ~ut all you can about our
own local government and what your
rights and duties are?
This will be the
best place possible to do that very thing.
It looks now as though there might be
from fifty to a hundred who will become in
a very special way the first citizens of the
Ford Hall Town Meeting.
Perhaps in
years to come one will be as proud to have
been one of these first citizens as are those
who were present at the very first Ford
Hall Meeting.
It is a fine thing that two other groups
are to join us in the promotion of the Town
Meeting enterprise.
Miss Grout and her
associates of th€ Boston School of Social
Science and Mr. Allen and his confreres of
the City History Club have d€cided to join
forces with us. Mr. Allen is an expert in
just such work and Miss Grout has al r eady
a group of about forty who are meeting
once a week for special discussions.
Mr.
Foster of our own committee is keenly interested and very resourceful. Very likely
he will have as many as fifty Ford Hall
people ready to join as soon as the date
for the opening night is set
"''"'' " .
- _,...
THE SOCIALIST PARTY of BOSTON
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 21st
AT 3 PM.
.
.-
FRANKLIN UNION HALL, Berkeley and Appleton Sis.
GEORGE KIRKPATRICK
Author of "WARt WHAT FOR?"
ADMISSION 2$c
ADVERTISING
A space of this size-one inch high and
two and one-half inches wide--can be had
for advertising purposes for one dollar per
issue. For information regarding advertising apply to Jacob London, Room 707, Ford
Building, Boston, Mass:
f
f
-:i.
I
- ~--
~\}'
~ -- -~. ~
-
;-~ ~c '.·_.· ~
.
.=_;~
.;__
' ..
,
•• 1~ ·•
'
_/
'
. ,
"r
~ :;_,;
..,,,.,.
./
:
-~
_,
~
....f : ·~
...
."I
'-\
_,
.:;~ \~ / ~ ~·
,, -:
....
... . . ,,,~. "
, .;_
-¥~
C
f
...,.
;..;-::.,·~·. ,
.. ,...
_
~
(
-~--
::. ~-1.·
.. .. -~ - - " - - - - - ' - - - - - - - - ~ . . . . . . : . . . - - - 1 . ' - - - - - - - - - : , _ _ ~ . : . __ ____.c_
_-H-E- : : .• .
_ : __ _
___:-'---'--'-....:......:....:___;__,____;_.-_;_~-_;__..:::.....,.L.:.,_
FORD HALL FOLKS
4
THE
AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
TORSON.
H.
S.
VIC-
l\Iy b ··.
)! the l .._, ;-<'-
;>ire. J ·;:
:i.alf ye
[ acqui: : ·
~al info .
Jf Gerr · .. ·
teacher ~ · ',
struct : :_- •· ji
this co·i:-, . '
departu } : ,.
tion to ~;:,
noble, , . '· .-·
way of _
sonalit: .
more t ·''
father :V.
"is gooc~ .'·
experieF.
spark , , : ..
of beir · ·_,: -_
Wh1:r ·'·:
tied in.
public ''i._·•.:.. •
studies,·
t·
:half a L .
i·
1893 of··and ha ·.·
were ; ,•
'them J ~
up my ·. ·· ·
ing sh , "'
.tions--, 1 _
·You c ." )
ness o --~< :
unbea1 · •
:able
young •:
·and h. ·
rernerr .
j
and ir
·
distrib · • · 1
meetir .' ,· ' ·[
Social .'
.1
or tw, ~ . · · 1 ,
·since; _ · 1 '
:trinsic .'tinuoi:
All
·the t2
-at 1
':
Part II.
Another factor in my life was a library
of Jewish books kept up by the "Hebrew
Progressive Association." I spent a good
deal of time there, too, especially Sundays.
Jewish literature always interested me,
and later I wrote considerably for certain
Jewish papers and magazines.
At the age of 23 •I gave up the tailoring
trade and became a life insurance agent.
This profession of policy-hunting I detested just as much as I had hated the constant monotony a.nd sameness of the tailoring trade. After two years' experience in
that profgession (which experience broadened anti deepened my knowledge of human nature considerably) I accepted a
rather far from lucrative position as traveling salesman for Jewish and English radical magazines, pamphlets and books.
In
addition to this I used to address gatherings of Jewish working men and women
on different educational and propaganda
topics. This, in addition to the articles I
wrote for some Jewish· publications, was
the kind of work that agreed with me more
than anything else, as. it was in conformity with my intense desire to make as many
converts as possible to the grandest and
noblest ideal of modern times-Socialism.
in its broadest and its most comprehensive
sense-among the Jewish working men and
women.
·
I look back with pride and pleasure upon
the four years I spent thus. It was a purely ideal state that I was then in, and although that sort of life spelled lack of
material comfort in every sense of the
word, I am. nevertheless, firmly convinced
that. had I suffered infinitely more all
through my life than I did, the everlasting
impression and memory • of that period
would have much more than compensated
for that suffering.
It was during those travels that I familiarized myself with the Grand Old Town of
this country-Boston. I intentionally use
the word "'familiarized" because I was acquainted with it before. Many and many
_ .,
-.-..-A....,_,.,,,1
,-,hnnt
THE SOCIAL CENTRE AND THE DEMOCRATIC IDEAL.
SCIENCE AND RELIGION TO BE RECO'·
CILED ON OUR PLATFORM.
(Continued from Page 1.}
But the brotherhood of man is at present
an ideal, not a reality. How are the Social
Centres going to help us make it real? First
of all, simply by providing a place where
people can meet and become acquainted
with one another.
Where is there a
better opportunity for this than in our
schoolhouses, where we have the space and
plant required-large rooms, halls, gymnasiums, and where all meet on common
ground with: equal rights,-where there are
no races, but all are Americans, where no
political party or particular religion has any
special privileges, where no commercialism
can dominate us? (Applause.)
The first aim of the Social Centres
should be to train up young people with a
sense of responsibility_
Those of us who
believe that the reform of city government
is not to come so much: through change of
charters as through the associated Jife of
citizens, recognizing their responsibilities,
look to the Social Centres as one of the most
effective means at our hands for revolutionizing the life of cities. (Applause.)
What we must all realize is that we are responsible for whatever government we have.
that our government is not run by "they,"
-some mysterious other persons, but that
we · ourselves are responsible for the life of
our city and of our nation.
We want it to become a matter ·of
common realization that citizenship is not
a duty to be exercised a few times a year,
chiefly on voting days; citizenship is not a
duty at all, really, it is not a privilege, it
is just a function, like breathing, to be exercised every moment of the time.
(Applause.) This is what we want the Centres to teach-we want to teach and to
learn our share in th·e common life.
I want now to speak of four ways in
which this civic and social responsibility
may be developed in the Centres:
1. First. all the activities of the Boston
Evening Cent res are group activities.
The race is now evol ving a new being to
meet the demands the democratic ideal has
laid upon it-the social being-the man
who looks upon himself in every respect
The lecture, next Sunday evening, wi
be a little out of our usual vein in that
brief for the reconciliation of science art ;,
religion will then be presented by R
Allyn K. Foster of Worcester. To his o
satisfaction Mr. Foster has proved sci, r.J
tifically the existence of God-and
-iJ
method of reasoning he has adopted is.
remarkable that one of the leading revie"J-"
'
is about to print his paper entire.
Thi ·
added to the fact that the paper's writ,
is a live- wire of the most approved Fa
Hall variety, a man who confesses-an,
has demonstrated-that his chief intere
in life is human beings, makes the offeri
of this address, " Can Religion Be Ma
Scientific?" an announcement of great i
terest. The questions should be pretty i
teresting, too, after an address of this kin,
I
IMPRESSING A VERMONT CAPITALIS
This is bow Ford Hall impressed Mr.
"\V. Hawley of the Estey Organ Co., Bra
tleboro, Vermont, wto was in the Ha
Sunday evening.
Mr. Hawley is one
those terrible things-a business man an
a capitalist:
·
"Ford Hall is creating as well as satis..
ing a great need. The hunger for bett
things is being stimulated by the ,mow
edge gained as well as being met by
wonderful speakers, the inspirational mus
and the magnetic, soulful, tactful lovi
presence of its leader.
"The personnel of the audience,
close attention, their lightning-like gra
of each speaker's thought, notwith·standi
their many nationalities and frequent di
culty in expressing their own questio
their evident seriousness and intensity,
create a situation absolutely unique a
augur well for better understanding a
agreement.
··
··God bless Ford Hall Folks one and all!
Friends Who Are Coming
1··
Dec. 2S-Rev. Allyn K. Foster of wor
·•('on 'R<>li e-inn RP. :Wade Scientific · "~
?
to ~
• \· .• ..
....0
J~I:J~: :)}}i
4
·j ·'
L: ·
~.:
- . .
',k·.l.. \···· . ;,'-.!' ✓ -·,t., ;'5;. c" ':
,.• ~-~,t-:··· •
1;;;
\.
'
wrote for some .Jew,::,u ,--~---- - the kind of work that agreed with me more
than anything else, as it was in conformity with my intense desire to make as many
converts as possible to the grandest and
noblest ideal of modern times-Socialism,
in its broadest and its most comprehensive
sense-among the Jewish working men and
women.
·
I look back with pride and pleasure upon
the four years I spent thus. It was a purely ideal state that I was then in, and although that sort of life spelled lack of
material comfort in every sense of the
word, I am, nevertheless, firmly convinced
th-at, had I suffered infinitely more all
through my life than I did, the everlasting
impression and memory of that period
would have much more than compensated
for that suffering.
It was during those travels that I familiarized myself with the Grand Old Town of
this country::--Boston. I intentionally use
the word · "familiarized" because I was acquainted with it before. Many and many
a time I had dreamed and pondered about
the Cradle of Liberty and the Birthplace of
the Abolitionist Movement. Gen. Putnam,
the Adams's, Phillips and Garrison had always been among my favorite grand, ideal
figures. And so, when I arrived here (in
190i) I decided to stay here as I wanted
to make a change anyway.
I decided
to give up my activity in the Socialist
movement, at least for some time, and
I chose book selling as the kind of occupation most congenial to me. Then it was
that I began to attend the Ford Hall meetings; that I met Mr. G. W. Coleman-one
of the very, very few persons I ever knew
whose first accidental meeting meant to me
an instinctive soul-relationship; that I experienced the infinite pleasure of attending
two of the Conferences at Sagamore
Beach, and th-at I profited mentally and
morally by all the things connected therewith.
.'_ 1
- . /.
:
~~~-... ,~
. :::.·· -•. ·•.
... -._
..
Jt~.ft;.~
·
tani ·.;•:-;'.
.OS ··.,._.
ren r: .
~OU :j:{.:...
f-th s-d.-·, .- ·
hd ...--?~.-.
her '.· _.,
ng ,. ·.. ·
risi ..... .,
: ·.,: .:':-.
IP
!We
:he
j
'The mp:n who supervises the man at the
machine so that the latter works more effi.ciently shares ·equally with the latter ·in the
credit for the ·profit which that machine
makes.
. ;,f·
. f,/- ·_:_._ ., .
.... -.~
.~f /::t.
NOTICE' ,
I
·1. ,,.
,-
·;
~\
-
-~.: it;: LL_ -·-·-•
~!' ·,
)
r
.·
J'"·
:~~ - ,,:~Jk"-.:; ,_ · ·
~
; '· ·
· ·:,_:;;,. ·:
There is a limited -supply on ·han<f: '·0 {the
copy of Collier's Weekly containing.:,_Peter
Clark Macfar_ane'i?- · write-up of Mr.;. Colel
man. These inay be..hacl .at 5c eacli' by applying to Jacob London.
.
·i .
"
':>
:1
\
\Vna L
-~~
;~{
;'
,{i'
1· '
- .\ / ·,-.
·' :,;
.
·... -~-.-.. ./J
-~
>,
•
:-:-;~
.c
-~ ·
~
(
'
,
'
.
. t-
,-~
- ..
,, \
•
_ ...,. ,
_.
/'
·.,.,-:""' ·~ - _/
. t' .
--
122
Dec . . 28-Rev. Allyn K. Foster of Wore
ter, "Can Religion Be Made Scientific?"
Jan. 4-Dr. Stanton Coit of London, "T
Ethics of Marriage and Divorce. "
Jan. 11-Symposium, "What Is the Mat
With Our Public Schools?" Miss Marga
Slattery of Fitchburg and others to be [
nounced.
Jan. 18-Bishop Charles Williams of Mi
igan, "Why I Work for the Sin.gle Tax,"
Jan. 25-Dr. Albion Woodbury Small
Chicago University.
Feb. I-Alexander Irvine of New York.
Feb. 8-Prof. Edward A. Steiner, "
Inter-National Mind and the Inter-Rae'
Heart."
Feb. 15-Symposium, "Breeding Me
Speakers to be announced.
Feb. 22-Charles Brandon Booth, "Tt
Case for the Prisoner."
March I-Leslie Willis Sprague of c:
c.ago.
March S-Symposium, on "Journalis
A. J. Philpott of the Boston Globe and oth
to be announced.
March 15-Rev. Harry Ward, "The C
lenge of Socialism to Christianity."
March 22-Rev. Frank O. Hall of
York, "The Moral Law."
March 29-John Cowper Powys
land, " The Economic Aspects of
Suffrage."
April 5-Mary Church Terrell,
Sam and the Sons of Ham."
~-April 12-Dr. Thomas C. H~.,, · of N!.•
York.
April 19-Prof. Walter Rauschenbus
Pearl Street, Boston, Ma~c.
.
~
...
•-,
-(>-:.
\ :.
;~
' \
Friends Who Are Coming
rr
-
-
,. '
. ,.. .
ing a great need. The hunger 1u r ut::tt
things is being stimulated by the kno'\\'
edge gained as well as being met by t
wonderful speakers, the inspirational mus
and the magnetic, soulful, tactful lo Yi
presence of its leader.
"The personnel of the audience,
close attention, their lightning-like grasi
of each speaker's thought, notwith·standi
their many nationalities and frequent di
culty in expressing their own questio
their evident seriousness and intensity,
create a situation absolutely unique a
augur well for better understanding a
agreement.
•'God bless Ford Hall Folks one and alt
'r,-:-:--?;:-•,-----.
/
.'!'»· .. .:· '·" .'.
.
---
;:~¼
,~
. :, .,,,.:.- :;,~
•,,.:~
.:-.
t....
.iu u .......
~ ; "L. Grimes Comp3ny. Printers.
~
,:~ .
Wt
sponsible for whatever government we ua, c.
that our government is not run by '' they;·
-some mysterious other persons, but that
we · ourselves are responsible for the life of
our city and of our nation.
'\Ve want it to become a matter of
common realization that citizenship is not
a duty to be exercised a few times a year,
chiefly on voting days ; citizenship is not a
duty at all , really, it is not a privilege, it
is just a function , like breathing, to be exercised every moment of the time.
(Applause.) This is what we want the Centres to teach-we want to teach and to
learn our share in the common life.
I want now to speak of four ways in
which this civic and social responsibility
may be developed in the Centres:
1. First, all the activities of the Boston
Evening Centres are group activities.
The race is, now evolving a new being to
meet the demands the democratic ideal has
laid upon it-the social being-th·e man
who looks upon himself in every respect
not as apart from but as a part of other
men. The chief function of the Social Centres should be the evolution of this new
being-the social man.
2. '\Ve are planning to make our Centres
a real traii,ing in self-government, a real
opportunity for the development of initiative, will-power and self-expression.
3. In the third place, responsibility and
good citizenship may be developed by frequent discussion and by a certain amount
of direct civic teaching,-of political, economic and industrial questions, of political
and social ethics, of the tests of efficiency,
etc.
4. Fourth, and last, acquaintance, association, discussion, will lead inevitably to
common action for community ends.
And now one thing more-I want to ask
you all to help in the development of the
Boston Social Centres, in making them
mean what they ought to mean in th·e life
of the city. We have at present four, one
in Charlestown, East Boston, South Boston
and Roxbury, a part time Centre in Dorchester,
and-enough schoolhouses for
many mor_ The thing I feel more strongly
e.
._
about our Centres . than any other is that
· they will never be successful if the y are
not comm1,;nity affairs, organized by com·.munity effort, for community ends. Here
. -is where I want to ask your help . .,
,
i,7:;... ~ .·
To make ·.irur zenith moments of thought
,
and feeling permanent-that is our task.
- .
,
I
I
-::;•.t
;~.
r·
.
-----,c~,,,,,,_~,. ..
. ·. . ......
.
- . :-
-~
::.
~_.,-
.
...,....__ •,
. ... .....:.:.....___ ~-
_; .
~
.::.
:·.\.
.•
/1 ·-
..... ;:·..•.
. '
(.
.'
_·
.c
, ;-_:-:
- @;_ "-
.. · -
·
') T
1
I
1
:,:: , 1
<
I
,\
•t •
,
.' •. ,
·'
, .,1,
),
, ·/
'
•1·
:· ;;:"'7;!.7',~.'i
. .,,,,,,,..,~:·,:,..
~
.,,,
.':•p ,
-•->
"", . . • • •'•' ' . \' .,., - ,,, .,, ,.; ,,.. ,} . : ' . '
'"-'''•' .... ,
-· '· ' ' ' ., , ·• .•., -.... ' ' "•J • .., ·""' •: ., •, ' ..,, ... , '.,,. ,,...,.,,,
' ' ':. ,. :. '' I ; ' ,, '•• ·'' ,;, _, :·,•,.
":'.,,, '" •. : ' ' • •,,, .' •'1
i\·,\•:· 1', !1.. 1, ·,:1:,,
lti , t !,
, , , , , ,, • .' ·• , ,
• ,, . , I • , , .. , ,,,., • ,
, , , ' .. "·• 1I, · ·, > .,
', .' ""' ', /, , •: '-,\ \,".,' '.',,"0 •'·,., '"• .•!,' '' • '• (,,'!•\;:",> :.; \',
'° '.,'. ,. .. . ·. . . , . ". . ', '' ,; . ,\ . .'. '.: ,,' ,,..,' '; .·.. . '" : ;,,,
':
lfo'
.... .... -:t:<,:.·, -:, : ,\ c: \:ii/:::\;<'• .
.r
:,,
A M
I
I
DECEMBER 28.-One of the most inte resting
evenings we ever had at Ford Hall was that on
which Prof. Jam es Hyslop was the speaker and
"Ca n Immortality Be Proved.?" the subject, Science
will again be linked with faith on this platform when
REV. ALLYN K. FosTER of vVorcester gives his
remarkable address, "Can Religion .B e llfade
S cientific.?" Mr. Foster thinks it can and those who
have hearr :!"r read this paper of his agree with him.
Come aid ;,, ~ whether you <lo. The questions ought
to be part ;: / 1rly interesting, because Mr. Foster has
been a ,t ·: ( ':?r, a lecturer and a newspaper man as
well as a preacher. Mr. Coleman calls him a "live
wire"-and our Chairman knows "live wires" when
he meets them,
l
'
1
I
\
!
H ENEVER I speak of ti
I think of a section of
'
can desert In which I •
That land Is absolute
, ,bout irrigation. A ma n can
h · nself carrying buckets of wat
and yet Irriga te only a very sm:
Tk. e
way
watE
to st
ers
an
well
deal
sort
has
don,
the
wh
Am·
~
r:
a re
in
li ve
FORD HALL, corner Bowdoin Street and Ashburton Place
.
.
l
DOORS OPEN AT 7 O'CLOCK
15
l• \ '
;·,
')
'•. l·
, \-,\, _ _ _ __ ..,.:.
-~ 1 ·-f- '- ~.: 7 ,_'I
'
,,
·l' ' ·
.
1
1
WO
THE MEETINGS ARE ENTIRELY FREE
\.::.·, l_i
THE SOC
. l\l VT
GEORGE W. COLEMAN, Chairman and Director ol Meetings
Miss MARY C. CRAWFORD, Secretary for the Meetings
Ollice Hours at Room 707, Ford Building, State House Hill, 3.30 to 4. 30 daily, except Saturdays
Telephone, Haymarket 2247
i
9
I
JANUARY 11 is the Sunday immediately preceding Boston's sc hool election and, very appropriately,
sc hool problems will be up for discussion. What
could be done here-and has been done in Fitchburg
-by a liberal use of "welfare teachers" will be told
us by Miss MARGAR ET SLATTERY, the well-known
platform speaker. Then, turning to the immediate
problems of our own community, as Dr. Elliott so
truly told us we must <lo if we are ever to make
things really better, MRs. SusAN W. FITz GEnALD
will discuss for us "The Fundamental Difficulty i'n
Improving Boston's Schools." You'll be sorry if
you miss this.
~
NUMBER
'
JANUARY 4.-DR, STANTON CoIT of London
comes to us again, his topic this time being "The
Ethics of Jlfarriage and Divorce." Those who
heard Dr. Coit when he spoke to us on "Am I 1
1Iy
B1·other' s I{eeper .2" will not need to be told that he
is one of the most brilliant orators of the day and
possesses, b esides, a remarlrnble power of infusing
with spiritual truth every topic which he discusses.
He is coming over from England for a few addresses
only and will journey to us at Ford Hall directly
from his boat in New York . Let us give him the
w e lcome he deserves.
',I
'
, ,J·/il
II
VOLUME
I
:::l
l
,'-
,'.
I
~-.....--.:r.
\
,
wealth we need mus t be provid
Inside-by th e people t hemselv,
Inv, with this problem l believe
t 'on. Th e direc t acti on of t he I.
be des! rue ti ve sabotage, bu t a
have been workin g directly for
of the ah yss, n ow . '!'h e phila
soclation s ha ve bee n lik e th e m
with a bu clrn t of wa te r to irrig
ert. 'l'h c social re form ers a re
clali s111 is graduall y grantin g 111<
tim e [or its id ea ls to be reali ze
th ese conditions are II. er e, and
of Jivin g und er th e m. T here
he more nnd more in our corn
spirit of res tlessn es s. ·. This re
going ·to continue, to grow , to
111ore of a for ce.
Th e peopl e of th e a byss a re
,, surfer, we di e, now : mns t we
, with your th eories ?" You ha v,
,. nen and wom en a li ve ! (Appl
th ere Is no use in wa itin g for
, th eory to be · fulllll ed.
T hi s
, Nill neve r be sati s ll ed unlit
· .nk en Into a comple te partn e,
hue r;ot · to be a new fo rm of
unl e!IB thi s restl essn ess beco1
{AJi)llnnse. )
, ,v e do 11o t want to see any
com e with des tro yin g lire; an
very tired o r seein g th e hears,
" ·11ance e ll 1'1'~' off to th e scrap...i 1·en who nre our personal f1
l\re we going to do ? \ Vell, ·
/'Open lh '.l school houses, and
from th e tenement houses ,
begin lo work." What ca n th
first pin ce, we all need a g n
knowl etlge about our govE
many of 11 s hav e.
We must
lntelll1rn nlly. 'vVe mu st a bo,
sense of local respon s lhlllty
nonr hom e. 1 have hea rd th,
a'crca, whose hl earecl eyes ,
nearer than th e Capitol dom
ton, discussing th e tariff.
• , .•
-
1
t. -
. ......... ... ... . .... ,..,.
,..,, . ..... 1