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jfort, 'Hall jfolks
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'111.ll
f New York will discuss '' Religion
lution. '' Following close on the
farry Ward's remarkable address
nge of Soda/ism to Christianity' '
.o link inextricably in the minds of udience the very intimate relation
should exist between the religious
~ social motive in any effective
1 reconstruction. Dr. Hall is the
m Hall, one of the most famous
ica has ever kno,vn, and he himsel{
rical gift as well as the delightful
~ Ireland . . One of Cooper Union's'.
:;peakers, he scored a big hit here,
so ago on '' The Morals qf Anarchy
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ED
Caul
"ETT£
ing to Save Society?"
Rauschenbusch of Rochester,
:public ' '
1 OLUME
V
II
MAGAZIN ·E
-NUMBER
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NEIGHBORLINESS
· MARCH 15, 1914
21
; -~ -
PRICE FIVE CENTS
OUR SIXT_HBIRTHDAY NUMBER
SOLVING THE RIDDLE OF DEMOCRACY
By GEORGE W. COLEMAN
HE Ford Hall meetings are six
years old.
They have now a
wide reputation. A sc.-ore or more
of similar popular forums have
been instituted in other cities and
States by those who got their inspiration
trom Ford Hall. For more than five years,
Ford Hall has not been large enough to accommodate the crowds who desire to attend.
The most famous speakers in the country
gladly give their. services to Ford Hall, even
tllough their regular charge for platform enClgements is from fifty to a hundred dollars and expenses. Likewise some of the
alllest musicians generously give their serYlees for the good of the cause. The chair.Illian ,and director of the meetings and the
Iliad usher and .his assistants likewise give
IMlr services without compensation.
· The Boston Baptist Social Union gives the
Cnle '.1158 of the hall, appropriates the money
~ for running expenses from the
~ funds. and makes itself responsible for
• management of the meetings.
W'bat
from
sacri. . and .are the resultswhat isall this worth
devotion. and
really
Wld1e In all this superficial evidence of sue. , _? The answer to that question can
~
be outlined within these limits.
Of the greatest .results from this s ix
York is a totally unexpected one and
QhunJnation to the old sa yin"' that it
re blessed to gi\·e than to"'' receive.
lhe Ford Hall meetin gs have been inInspired and maintained by a
age.ncy Without seekin g the least adfor itself, asking onl y for a chance
~ t hers, I wonder if the "'reatest
d meetir:gs have accompl~hed is
~ ln their refl ex action on the
·
lbemsel\·es. Let one single fact
lle. th e correctn ess of that state'~
~ re th an a sco re of churches have
~e~~o~s employed at Ford H al l.
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effect on the speaker himself. Many a man anarchists, agnostics and atheists. Nearly
and woman exerting a wide influence as a half of our people are Jews. Catholics and
leader of our civilization has gotten a won- Protestants, loyal to their faith, are happy
derful tonic from his or her contact with the
in our midst. Besides large numbers of the
Ford Hall audience.
working class will be found a ·due proportion
Mr. James Schermerhorn, editor of the De- of business and professional :t;11en and womtroit Times, ·and a speaker .much in demand en. One would naturally suppose -that such
all over the country, has since his experi- a combination of elements would furnish
ence in addressing the Ford Hall audience ideal material for a spiritual explosion and
-carried the message of our work wherever conrtagration. How could you uring tohe has gone. In a recent article in his paper gether elements more fiercely antagonistic?
Yet, in all my six years of presiding over
he draws a word picture of the ideal city by
gathering into one municipality the best that heterogeneo.us company, in the midst of
things he had found in a score of our lead- the most exciting discussions and wlien the
ing American cities. In making his selec- emotions were most profoundly stirred,
tion from Boston's many attractions he · there has never ueen a disturbance and
picked the Boston Common, the Public Li- there was never a moment when the chairbrary, the Ford Hall Meetings, the ·Christian man had to use a gavel nor when the audi-'
ence has lost control of itself:
Science ·Monitor.
That is a truly remarkable accomplishment in the interest of our democratic life.
I do not think its significance can be easily
exaggerated. If a little cosmopolitan world
of several thousand people in Boston can
make a record like that, it can be repeated
all over our country and on any scale you
please. There is the answer to those who
are filled with gloom over the growing polyglot nature of our population.
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FORD HALL.
(A Dream and a Symbol.)
By Angela Morgan.
I dreamed I saw a wonder-ship, a ship of
fire, a ship of light.
Bound for a far and splendid goal,
A barge of freedom for the soul
Ablaze upon the night.
Crowded from deck to deck was she
With throngs that hungered to be free;
From rail to rail. and mast to mast
A thousand hands were clinging fa~t
To truth and justice. found at last.
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e..~'i;n s generuu .... _ . . .
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t 111usic .,, 00 d of the cause.
The cnan-
f ~ tor of th e meetings and the
... 4 j !~d his assistants lik_ewi se give
tor th
picked the Boston comwuu , ---~ .
brary, the Ford Hall Meetings, the Christian
Science Monitor .
111an 11c1u 1.v __ _
ence has Jost control of itsea.
That is a truly remarkable accomplishment in th e interest of our democratic life.
I do not think its significauce can be easily
exaggerated. If a little cosmopolitan world
of several thousand people in Boston can
make a record like that, it can be repeated
all over our country and on any scale you
please. There is the answer to those who
are filled with gloom over the growing polyglot nature of our population.
~
without compensation .
.:.-1ces Baptist Social u mon gives th e
·
· ·
--• •
hall, appropriates the money
f r runnin.,. expenses from the
~ - ~d make; itself_ responsible for
· ~ment of the meetmgs.
.
_
,,,_~- the results . from_ all this sacndevotion. and w_hat is_ really worth
ID all this superficial evidenc~ of suci.Tbe answer ~o . that que~ti<?n can
be.-0utlined withm these llmit~. .
ol. the greatest .results from this six
work is a totally unexpected one and
ll)amination to the old saying, tha~ it
re blessed to give than to receive.
tJae Ford Hall meetings have been inInspired and maintained by a
agency without seeking the least ad_tor itself, asking onl y for a chance
88l'Ye others, I wonder if the _greate~t
these meetings have accomplished is
d ·in their reflex action on the
es themselves. Let one single fact
1u the correctness of that stateMore than ·a score of churches have
the methods employed at Ford Hall,
hardly a day goes by without some
la ·1s eagerly inquiring the way. The
ed attitude of individual church people
GEORGE "IT'. COLEMAN.
d social and economic problems, and
changed feeling toward those who are
The biggest thing by all odds that we
aDJjlentlfied with organized religion is an- have accomplished is the demonstration
.
·. llappy result toward which the Ford through a period of six years without a sin~eetings have made no inconsiderable gle failure or relapse that ·the most uncom' ilatribution.
a
promisingly antagnostic elements in our cos· Oil !}le other . hand. those outside the mopolitan American life can be brought tohes who atterid Ford Hall, while still gether and kept together in peace ·and mu: unsympathetic with any form of ory
tual respect while they thresh out with perpnlsed religion, have · lost much of their
fect frankness and freedom all the great
l'llnner bitterness, and are more open to problems that are a part of our common,
Jalr considerations, and have learned to
every-day life. We have discussed great
bcil~ and love many a representative of the religious questions like immortality and per.
du1rch aud s:i\nagogue . . Some few, Catholics,
sonal responsibility, intimate personal probrn,testants and Jews, have under the infiu- · lems, such as sex hygiene and eugenics, big
mee •o~ the Ford Hall spirit been led back social questions like poverty and disease, farto their abandoned faiths . Practically all
reaching economic platforms such as the
who have identified themselves with our single tax and Socialism. and new political
work _for any length of time have learned issues such as the•initiative and referendum.
ID respect each other's religious views.
And we have discussed these issues pro and
Another great work accomplished by our con. It is a matter of indifference to us
JD8e!,ings is also in the nature of a by-prod- largelyjlliYhich sid~ of a ?-uest~on the speak~r
~c~ We have had on our platform . during
takes, ior the audience mvanably sees to 1t
Past six years nearly a hundred of the before h e is through that he does not have
..__Ing speakers of the country. Not one of
thin gs all his own way.
has failed to comment on the remarkIn our audience there are always present
•l\ character of our audience a nd its vital 1·ery considerable groups of Socialists,
8°6-f;e
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FORD HALL.
(A Dream and a Symbol.)
By Angela Morgan.
I dreamed I saw a wonder-ship, a ship of
fire, a ship of light,
Bound for a far and splendid goal,
A barge of freedom for the soul
Ablaze upon the night.
Crowded from deck to deck was she
With throngs that hungered to be free;
From rail to rail, and mast to mast,
A thousand hands were clinging fast
To truth and justice, found at last.
0 , ship of light, 0 , ship of gold,
0, ship of human brotherhood,
What wealth of treasure in thy hold
And knowledge for the people's good !
Thou art the hope of humankind,
A trail of glory for the blind,
Bondage and terror cease to be
For those who cling to thee.
I dreamed I saw a wonder-ship, a ship of
.
gold, a ship of flame,
And all the waters and the sky blazed ruddy
where it came.
Its sails were made of living fire,
Fanned by the breath of God's desire,
And lifted human . faces y earned
To where the glory burned.
While over all the blackened sea,
Where slavery and sorrow be,
Triumphed the torch of 1ibert:r.
0 ship of fire. 0 torch of hope,
0 herald of a better day,
Light up the way for those who gropeLight up the way, light up the way!
Thy name is freedom from despair,
Thy name is love, thy name is prayer,
And all the future thrills to see
Thy mighty destiny!
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FORD HALL FOLKS
2
THE
STORY
OF THE
FORD
MEETINGS.
HALL
By Mary C. Crawford, Secretary.
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The Yoiith's Companion, with the entire
able to impregnate even cold and so
control of a magniticent building on Beacon suspicious Boston audiences with a
Hill, in one portion of which is a hall adthe Cooper Union spirit. The speakera,
mirably suited to forum purposes. More- !irst season, and the subjects which
ever, there was at the disposal of the Union
discussed were--besides Sprague S
a considerable income which Mr. Ford had Rabbi Samuel Schulman of _New Y<iii,
devised in his will to be used, as the Union "What the Jew Has Done for the ··
should see fit, to "soften the inevitable con- and What the World Has Done to the.
fiict" already clear to his keen sight be- Rev. Leighton Williams, D.D., on "Th~
tween the opposed forces of capital and la- ocratic Gospel"; Rev. Thomas R\ S
bor. The task to which Mr. Coleman im- D.D., on "Three Ways of Doing Go~
mediately addressed himself, therefore, was Rev. Thomas C. Hall, D.D., on ''The"
the preparing of the way for the introduc- tion of Modern Christian Life to thei
tion in Boston, under the auspices of the Problem." All preachers, please note.
Baptist Social Union, of meetings like the and this is the important point, no(
Their names were
one he had just attended at the Cooper tiseci as snch.
without any handles whatever in all
Union, New York.
Two prayerful, careful years were now printed matter; what was said of them
spent in laying the foundations of his that they had been "frequently welco:
project. Though young, Mr. Coleman is not the great Sunday evening vVork·
precipitate; though enthusiastic, he is not Meetings in Cooper Union."
Yet, even with these very w<in1
rash. And he has the farsight and the
foresight, the persistence and · the patience speakers and with all that wide an
which always mark the men of real tactful advertising, the largest audie
sembled, during the first season, in ..
power.
Finally, he persuaded the Social Union' s that can hold about twelve or thirte
Committee on Christian 'Nork to grant him dred, numbered only five hundred.
a few hundred dollars and the use of Ford average attendance was less than fo
Obviously the thing would have:
Hall on six successive Sunday evenings;
early in 1908, in order that he might try "worked up" iri an organized and s
out his idea. The enormous difficulties tic way.
That was where the paid secreta
which -he had to overcome, not only with
in.- Right here, at the risk of - eingb
his committee, but with the suspicious outwhat personal, I am going to dwell
side public, can only be hinted at here. With
moment on the relation of an executi:
what tact and courage these difficulties were
retary to a forum which hopes to do a;
met would take a column to relate. To interest the labor leaders in his project Mr. Cole- and valuable work. A good many m
· !Dan personally addressed their delegates of Mr. Coleman's committee could not
see why a paid worker was necessary
In a smoke-heavy atmosphere one Sunday
a_fternoon; and though they listened atten- success of his undertaking, ·when he·.
to ask them for funds with which totively, they probably cared much less for
th e scheme as it looked to them, than for
tinue his experiment the second year:
~he ~arnest, clear-eyed man who was urg- many people who write or call in se
mg it upon them. But, one of their num- information as to how . they may
ber, Henry Abrahams, was to speak at the forums do not see now why hiring a_
firS t m~etmg, an~ it is customary in Boston and announcing an attractive list of
l3:bor circles to · rally round Henry." If the ers is not all that needs to be done.
mght were fair and they felt like it, many fact is, however, that we live in an age
inated by publicity. People do not g~
of th e labor men would very likely come.
The night was not fair. It was, in fact, where or do anything nowadays Wl
cold and disagreeable.-that first night of having had their attention called repea
to the particular duty or opportunit.1
the Ford Hall :\Ieetings, February 23, 1908
volved. Boston is honey-combed with o
-and. although the meeting had been ver;
izations which are holding free meetings
w_idely advertised_ by window-ca rds. by paid
display 5 );ace m the newspapers, by Sunday; but most of them are merelY ~
"write-up s. and by circulars in Italian. Ene-- ing- timP. hi'.\.-. ...~ - -- · ·-
At the very begimning of this
sketch it is meet
to pay tribute to
the late, Charles
·,spnagire Smith
of The People's
'' ' "' ,) Institute, . New
__
',t\,. ,. York-the man
r:;;;: ;. who struck out
:.. · s- at
the Coope;
Union in that
city, the Sunday
night ·experiment
upon which.
George vV. Coleman C'f Boston
1 ate r modelled
these
meetings
at Ford Hall. A very remarkable man was ·
Sprague Smith-a scholar, a poet. and one
who had come, through deep tribulation, to
feel a compelling passion for humanity, exactly the man to fan into flame the alreadykindled enthusiasm of Mr. Coleman, when
the latter came to him, aglow with his plans
and asked for suggestions and co-operation. ·
It was while seated in the Pullman of a
Southern expresit steaming towards New
York, that the rf oper Union Meetings were
first brought a:::Jl'estingly to Mr. Coleman's
attention. Wi;, the man who had been attending a reli* ous convention in his cornpany he was talking of the various religious
movements of our time, when the former
observed, "If only the church, now, .co_
uld
get the people. as the Cooper Union does
on Sunday evenings! Ever been to one of
their meetings?" Mr. Coleman replied that
he never had. But, after a moment of reflection, he added, "I'd greatly like to,
though, and I think I will stay over in New
York tomorrow for the sake of going."
That resolution was the beginning of the
Ford Hall Meetings. For upon the warm
and sympathetic nature of the Boston man
Prof. Charles Prospero Fagnani's address &t
Cooper Union, that next night, and the
unique audience there gathered to listen
and ask questions after the lecture. made
a profound and an indelible impression. At
the Cooper Union the Russian Jew. still
quivermg from recent persecution~ in..JJis___lish
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which:
what:
Ham · i
the Ham;
·America:
and me
- weighed ~
g; but thl
to consider:
this rear
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who had come, through deep tribulation, to
feel a compelling passion for humanity, exactly the man to fan into flame the alreadykindled enthusiasm of Mr. Coleman, when
the latter came to him, aglow with his plans
and asked for suggestions and co-operation.
It was while seated in the Pullman of a
Southern express, steaming towards New .
· York, that the Cooper Union Meetings were
first brought arrestingly to Mr. Coleman's
attention. With the man who had been at., tending a religious convention in his com·pany he was talking of the various religious
movements of our time, when the former
observed, "If on·ly the church, now, .could
get the people. as the Cooper Union does
on Sunday evenings! Ever been to one of
their meetings?" Mr. Coleman replied that
he never had. But, after a moment of reflection, he added, "I'd greatly like to,
though, and I think I will stay over in New
York tomorrow for the sake of going."
That resolution was the beginning of the
Ford Hall Meetings. For upon the warm
and sympathetic nature of the Boston man
Prof. Charles Prospero Fagnani's address at
Cooper Union, that next night, and · the
unique audience there gathered to listen
and ask questions after the lecture. made
a profound and an indelible impression. At
the Cooper Union the Russian Jew, still
quivering from recent persecutions in his
Fatherland, may be seen sitting close by the
side of the up-town youth whose interest in
social questions has just been awakened.
And together these two will applaud the
strirring utterances of a Fagnani. a John
Spargo, or a Morris Hillquit.
When the
time comes for questions, the custom-tailored man and his shabby neighbor may rise
to their feet almost at the same second.
Yet, because the glowing eyes of the Russian have more quickly caught those of the
presiding officer, .his question, in barbarous
English, will be listened to first, and every
effort will_ be made by the chairman and
speaker to give him the additional information for which · he is hungering. "This is
brotherhood, social justice, real democracy
and applied ·Christianity in one," thought
George W. Coleman, looking on. "Oh, if
we in Boston could only have such meetings as this on Sunday evenings! If, ij I
could only get the Baptist Social Union to
stand for them!"
For Mr. Coleman was at that time president of the splendid body of laymen known
as the Boston Baptist Social Union, and
this body had been endowed by the will of
the late Daniel Sharp· Ford,· publisher of
Note.--Owin;:!' to tb<> exi;:!'encies of sp:t c<'. part
of Miss Crawford 's '\":llnable :irticl<' has bod to
he omitted, the omissions being m:irkecl h;s- a ster_isks. The article is to be reprinte:l. later in fuJJ,
Finally, he persuaded the Social Union's
Committee on Christian ·work to grant him
a few hundred dollars and the use of Ford
Hall on six successive Sunday evenings,
early in 1908, in order that he might try
out his idea. The enormous difficulties
which he had to overcome, not only with
his committee, but with the suspicious outside public, can only be hinted at here. With
what tact and courage these difficulties were
met would take a column to relate. To interest the labor leaders in his project Mr. Cole. man personally addressed their delegates
in· a smoke-heavy atmosphere one Sunday
afternoon; and though they listened attentively, they probably cared much less for
the scheme as it looked to them, than for
th·e earnest, clear-eyed man who was urging it upon them. But, one of their number, Henry Abrahams, was to speak at the
first meeting, and it is customary in Boston
labor circles to •'rally round Henry." If the
night were fair and they felt like it, many
of the labor men would very likely come.
The night was not fair. It was, in fact,
cold and disagreeable,-that first night of
the Ford Hall Meetings, February 23, 1908,
-and, although the meeting had been very
widely advertised by window-cards, by paid
display space in the newspapers, by
··write-ups," and by circulars in Italian, English and Yiddish, there were only one hundred and fifty people present.
I felt myself a great deal of a pioneer
when I climbed Beacon Hill the second
night of the series, to see what kind of
thing it :was that was going on up there under Baptist auspices. Sprague Smith of the
Cooper Union was -the advertised speaker
that night and the topic announced was
'"The Brotherhood of Man." Two hundred
and seventy people were present by actual
count. But I think every person of that two
hundred and seventy must have resolved, as
did the present writer, not to miss a single other meeting in that splendid course
of six. Kever shall I forget the grandeur
of that evening's address, its impassioned
appeal to all that is most idealistic in
human nature and its exquisitely poetic
form! lts tone was as exalted as that of
Browning' s " Saul," and I shall always count
myself extremely fortunate in belng so introduced to the movement in which I was
soon to share as a paid worker. Nor was
there any let-down in the other four addresses of that initial sj'lason. For Mr. Coleman had had the good judgment to choose
.only tried and true Cooper Union speakers
for his experimental series,-men skilled in
the presentation of a subject ethical but not
religious, social but not merely economic.
Bringing with them the Cooper Union tone
and Coo'per Union topics, these men were
__ .._ ~.._,~l.
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sembled, during the first season, in
that can hold about twelve or thirte 1
dred, numbered only five hundred ea
average attendance was less tha~
dred. Obviously the thing would haYe
"worked up" in an organized and s
tic way.
That was where the paid secretary
in. Right here, at the risk of being
what personal, I am going to dweu
moment on the relation of an executiv,
retazy to a forum which hopes to do a
and valuable work. A good many me
of Mr. Coleman's committee could not
see why a paid worker was necessary to
success of his undertaking, ·when he
to ask them for funds with which to
tinue his experiment the second year
many people who write or call in sea
information as to how they may
forums do not see now why hiring a
and announcinl5 an attractive list of 6
ers is not all that needs to be done.
fact is, however, that we live in an age
inated by publicity. People do not go
where or do anything nowadays Wi
having had their attention called repeat,
to the particular duty or opportunity
volved. Boston is honey-combed with o
izations which are holding free meetings
Sunday; but most of them are merely m
ing time because they only get out a h
ful of people; it is not worth the new.
pers' while, therefore, to " cover" what
there said, no matter how startling or h,
important.
Thirteen hundred people, on the o
hand, hear the Ford Hall speakers
Sunday night of the season. And m:
times thirteen thousand people get the g·
Qf what goes on there through the repo
printed in the newspapers next day. If
crowds fell off our newspaper opportunitie!
would fall off, also. At the beginning it wa!.
the job of the paid secretary to get the hail:
packed. It is her job today to keep h
packed. This task is, of course, considerably easier than it was. But it is not yet
possible-and I believe it will never be-to
slacken effort in this particular. Our opportunity to large usefulness at Ford Hall
is in direct proportion, I believe, to the size
of the crowd which we turn away each Sunday night.
To those . who desire to start a successful
forum I always say, at once, therefore:
There are two supremely important things:
(1) securing for your presiding officer a
man as much like Mr. Coleman as you can
possibly find, and ( 2) concentration on the
problem of packing your house.
With all kinds of co-operation from the
labor unions and the press and with verr
strenuous work on the publicity side, we at
· ( Continued on Page 4.)
r:
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U
think of the
yer'" recent
past,· for the
awakening of
the American
people a f t e r
- ' the dark chap~
ter of American slaverY is
one
of
the
most thrilling
episodes
in
history. As
slavery is one
of the black· ·
the consecration of many
:a 80
noblest sons and daugl1ters
of the slaves is one of the sub·
To--emancipate, educate and elevate
that had been reduced almost to
- of brutes, there went torth an
11
)leroic men and women from your
4 o( the country.
,re think of the Herculean efforts
)lave been put forth in the colored
1,ehalf, it is natural that we should
,t her as a beneficiary the negro can
:oater today. View the colored man:s
,'WOl'S in any field-as a student, lil
and trade so far as he has been
to'"go; behold proofs of his patriotism
pd citizenship; and surely no honest
will say that the sacrifice and the
have been given in vain. For nearyears the colored man has been en·
~ g to make himself worthy of the
be so admires. Fifty years ago nearly
colored people were illiterate; •now onlY
Jel' cent. are so; and most of this iniaetD81 progress has been made in the
llaDL. . The most coveted prizes of your
. . . ·HarVard have been carried off by
calli'ed boys. (The speaker then read sta•
1lldcs from The Crisis and elsewhere to
.,_ the high standard of colored people
la tcholarship and in the professions and
trades.)
·Jt 'would seem that the progress of the
Cllllored people would satisfy the mosteX·
atmg demands. And among what circumltances was this progress gained? Along
line! th~ colored roan has found huge
cles m his path. In some sections the
COiored man is a victim of both lawlessness
111d" law, and everywhere of prejudice.
.lA4 where, pray, are the men and women
but a few years ago so courageously
Yocated the colored man' s cause? Echo
answers, where? The tide has set against
~ colored man. By an exaggeration of his
colees and an obscuring of his progress, the
, lored man's enemies have almost suc~ed in persuading the whole world that
1>ru are martyrs and the coJored roan a
te. The rapidity with which our foes
·
=
:,:0
-
~ ~edspbeeches and tbe questions nnd · answers
Y Miriam Allen de Ford.
-- ---- -
-
---r-- - - - - -
---
----- --·
1·
rn
<Lu1,:: c.u 1111pregnate even cold and sollle·
suspicious Boston audiences with a
the Cooper. Union spirit. The speakera,
tirst season, and the subjects Which
disctiss_
ed were-besides Sprague s
Rabbi Samuel Schulman of New Yort,
··What the Jew Has Done for the '\ti
and What the World Has Done to the ·
Re v. Leighton Williams, D.D., on "Th~
ocratic Gospel"; Rev. Thomas R.
D.D., on "'Three Ways of Doing Goad•·
Rev. Thomas C. Hall, D.D., on '"The,'
tion of Iviodern Christian Life to the .
Problem." All preachers, please note.,
and this is the important point, not 1
t·isecl as such. Their names were
without any handles whatever in aJf
printed matter; what was said of them
that they had been "frequently weicom
the great Sunday evening Work· ·
Meetings in Cooper Union."
Yet, even with these very won,
speakers and with all that wide and
tactful advertising, the largest audien
sembled, during the first season, in.
that can hold about twelve or thirteen.
dred, numbered only five hundred. .Al
average attendance was less than
dred. Obviously the thing would hav:
"worked up" in an organized and s ·
tic way.
.
That was where the paid secreta~
in. Right here, at the risk of being,,
what personal, I am going to dwen:
moment on the relation of an executi
retary to a forum which hopes to do a,
and valuable work. A good many m,
of Mr. Coleman's committee could not
see why a paid worker was necessary· success of his undertaking, ·when he· .
to ask them for funds with which .
tinue his experiment the second yea1.
many people who write or call in se
information as to how they may,
'arums do not see now why hiring :
tnd announcing an attractive list of.
irs is not all that needs to be done'.·
act is, however, that we live in an age
nated by publicity. People do not g?
, here or do anything nowadays ,..
.aving had their attention called rep
:, the particular duty or opportuni
olved. Boston is honey-combed with
rntions which are holding free mee
unday; but most of them are merely
tg time because they only get out a..
11 of people; it is not worth the n1
~rs' while, therefore, to "cover" -vr.
.ere said, no matter how startling
1portant.
,.
Thirteen hundred people, on the ·
.nd, hear the Ford Hall speakers
mday night of the season. And .
nes thirteen tho~isana people get tb.
what goes on there through the re,
inted in the newspapers next day.
.
>wds fell off our newspaper opport
uld fall off, also. At t.h "-b e.itiJJJ'.li_ it.
ni?:
fou
UNCLE SAM AND THE SONS OF HAM*
By MARY CHURCH TERRELL
A);Y of you have seen the advertisement of a certain kind of ham,
which declares it to be " the ham
what am." Likewise, .the Son of
Ham is really the Ham what am
the Ham who is so often caricatured
e American press, or the Ham whose
and moral capacity has so often
weighed in the balance and found
g; but the real, genuine Ham. I want
to consider the relationship existing bethis real Son of Ham and his Uncle
The situation is all the
more· strange
wh en
we
think of the
very recent
past, for the
awakenin" of
the Ame~ican
people a ft er
the dark chapter of American slavery is
one
of
the
most thrilling
episodes
in
h is t O r y. As
slavery is one
of the blackpters, so the consecration of many
rica's noblest sons and daughters
f o! the slaves is one of the subTo emancipate, educate and elevate
that had been reduced almost to
_el o! brutes, there wem rorth an
of heroic men and women from your
o( the country.
L.ll'e think of the Herculean efforts ·
Jlaye been put forth in the colored
behalt, it is natural that we should
er as a beneficiary the neo-ro can
r today. View the colored man's
. 1n any field-as a student in
_
&Dd trade so far as he has been
behold Proofs of his patriotism
,.:tizenship; and surely no honest
lla aay th3:t the sacrifice and the
.,.!~been given in vain. For near..- . the colored man has been ento ~ake himself worthy of the
admires. Fifty years ago nearly
f:°Ple were illiterate; now only
are so; and most of this inTb.~ess has been made in the
n 1.rc1.most coveted prizes of your
loy
have been carried off bv
r•
11111111!~~-~~,.,-L~ ~;h~rf~!a~~r,. tl~;~ -~~~~
st_i-
have succeeded in alienating our friends
,s a splendid tribute to the power of these
people, while it resembles nothing so much
as a skillful trick. of legerdemain. And so
it happens that we have lost the interest
or nearly all our former friends.
Sometimes I think that interest is reaching the
vanishing point just as fast as it can.
LJo you say, ··.l!.nough has been done for
the colored man; now· let him shift for
himself?" Do you remember that unhappy
ma:1d in "Titus Andronicus," who, when her
t9.Pgue was cut out and her hands cut oft;,
was bidden to tell the world of her woes ?
. I sometimes think the condition of the
colored man in this country 1s quite similar to hers. Has not race prejudice, forbidding him speech in the press, and keeping .him from securing employment, depnved him of his tongue and his hands·/
'1 here is a great similarity between the
situation before the War and that today.
And even today there are many who realize
that injustice is being done, but there
are very few who dare to attack it. A
large part of the work of the Civil War
has been undone~
The constitutional
amendments which gave the franchise to
the colored people · are today practically a
dead letter in a large section of the United
States; and yet we are scarcely allowed to
mention the subject. • And public wrath is
no longer turned against the sinners, but
against him who dares call the sinner to
repentance. Every da y we hear arguments
to prove it was an egregious error to give
the elective franchise to the negroes; but
who is there who is urging us to obey the
Constitutio1~? It . is inconceivable that any
other law could be so broken without protest. (Applause.) I know many do honestly believe it was a mistake to confer
citizenship on a race held in bondage for
300 years. But law-abiding people seem to
forget that their individual opinions do not
matter. The fact remains that the enfranchisement of the colored people has been
incorporated .in the Constitution of the
U_nited Sla tes. (Applause.) But the pulpit ar:,d the _
press ar~ in the main ?ilent
on this burnm_g quest10~ of human rights.
No one sect10n of this country has any
right to point the finger of scorn at any
other in respect to the treatment of the
color~d pe<?ple, . ex~ept. perhaps in the matter of gettmg Justice m the courts of law.
If this lawlessness resulted in nothing more
than that thousands of colored people were
deprived -0f their right to vote, the matter
~ i"~~;;~ ~ -~IIIP~~tant
~
,~~~l:e. 5,0
a s it is.
But
go forever unpunished. \,Vhat has that to
uo with Uncle Sam and the Sons of Ham·?
Just tn1s: Is it. not true that the shameful
red record of the United · States may be
1a1ge1y accounted for by the impunity with
which colored men and women and chilaren are murdered every day? (Applause.)
And so rapidly has this crime of lynching
spread that now it breaks out not in one
secnon out all over the country.
Few
white men really know or understand this
suoject. Whenever a lynching occurs distinguished gentlemen tell us that if assaults
on white women by colored men , were
stopped lynching would stop.
.Nothing
could oe farther from the truth than that
that is the only cause of lynching. Eighty
or · 85 out of every 100 lynchings are for
other causes. It is the most unusual of all
the crimes for which colored men have
been lynched.
Moreover, often white men
blacken their faces when they are about to
commit crime so that colored men may get
the blame. Remember that some people, in
the United States at least, are born black,
some achi~ve blackness, an:d some have
blackness thrust upon them.
(Laughter
and Applause.)
It is difficult for a colored person to tell
the truth about conditions today without
being accused of bitterness; but one can
be an optimist without closin·g his eyes to
existing conditions. The task imposed upon
the colored people is like that of Sisyphus.
There are few spectacles • more pathetic
than the efforts made by colored fathers
and mothers all over the country to raise
their children properly, in the face of temptations particularly strong and alluring, and
in the midst of the worst possible surroundings. And these very people are condemned for not accomplishing what it is
not. in the power of human beings to perform.
Colored -people are forced everywhere to live in surroundings which throttle
their highest aspirations and kill the desire to improve. They are compelled to
live in districts of protected vice, and rear
their children there. (The speaker read
extracts from the report of the Chicago
Vice Commission proving this.) Thousands
of colored boys and girls are being practically doomed to vice by the government
of the cities in which they live. And yet
we are continually hearing about the evil
tendencies of colored youth. I am told they
are innately vicious. But justice demands
that side by side with their records of
crime t~ere s_hould be Placed the miserable
hovels m wluch these children are ohli·o-~"
,__,_~- ·
I
.
-- 1,.,,_ l1lfi' . . l -~
_
1
worker ,,:as necessar'.I; to
, undertakmg, ·when he
or funds with Which to
:iment the second Year
ho write or call in sea
to 'hqw they may
see now why hiring a
, an attractive list Of
that needs· to be done.
r, that w~ live in an age
bty. People do not g
0
inything :t10wadays Wi
lr attention · called repea
a.r duty or opportunity•
lis hone:i:--combed with 0
are holdmg free meetin1:1•
ist of them are merely
le they only get out a
it is not worth the new
frefore, to "cover'' What
b.atter how startling or
i
f
.
ired people, on the o
fFord Hall speakers
f the season. And
'housand people get the
i there through the reJ)O
ewspapers next day. If
fur newspaper opportuni~
so. At the beginning it
i.id secretary to get the
1ter job today to keep
ask is, of course, consider.
I it was. But it is not yet
believe it will never be--b,
i this particular. Our op.
ge usefulness at Ford Han
ortion, I believe, to the size
ich we turn away each S1111-
f
.'
desire to start a successful
t say, at once, therefore:
t1Premely important things:
your presiding officer a
,e Mr. Coleman as you caD
d (2) concentratio11. on the
ing your house.
l of- c::o-operation from the
i the Press and with veir
,n the publicity side, we at
&ued on Page 4.)
f
/_
01
l.llC
.., ., _ _ _
the consecration of many
..~ . - - : ; S:oblest sons and daughters
·:& the slaves is one of. the subemancipate, educate and elevate
Uaat had been reduced almost to
of brutes, there wenL torth an
1
berolc men and women from your
ol the country.
think of the Herculean efforts
been put forth in the colored
1,ehalf it is natural that we should
~h
'as a beneficiary the negro can
&..
~
today. View the colored man_'s
wors 1n any field-as a student, m
' and trade so far as he has_ b~en ·
~- behold proofs of his patriotism
jood' citizenship; and surely no honest
,.;m· say that the sacrifice and the
pve been given in vain. For nearyears the colored man has been en~ 'to make himself worthy .of the
, lie
'
admires. Fifty years ago nearly
i,)ored people were illiterate; now only
,_. cent. are ·so; and most of this in- l' progress has been made in the
_ The most coveted prizes of your
liarvard have been carried off by
boys. (The speaker then read statrom The Crisis and els·e where to
the high standard of colored people
acholarship .and in the professions and
,.:i
ba;:
so
lea.) ,;1_ -.
no longer turnea agau1~t. u1t :::iuuJ.cJ...,, ...........
against him who- dares call the sinner to
repentance. Every day we hear arguments
to prove it was an egregious error to give
the elective franchise to the negroes; but
who is there who is urging us to obey the
Constitutio1~? It is inconceivable that any
other law could be so broken without protest. (Applause.) I know many do honestly believe it was a mistake to confer
citizenship on a race held in bondage for
300 years. But law-abiding people seem to
forget that their individual opinions <10 not
matter. The fact remains that the enfranchisement of the colored people has been
incorporated in the Constitution of the
United States. (Applause.) But the pulpit and the press are in the main silent
on this burning question of human rights.
No one section of this country has any
right to point the finger of scorn at any
other in respect to the treatment of the
colored people, except perhaps in the matter of getting justice in the courts of law.
If this lawlessness resulted in nothing more
than that thousands of colored people were
deprived -of their right to vote, the matter
would not be so important as it is. But
the violation of one law always leads to
the infraction of another. This country has
more murders than any other in the civilized world. And man,· of these murders
a would
seem that the progress of the
llared ' people would satisfy the mostex- ·
ldfDg demands. And among what circumwas this progress gained? Along
"VJ .line, the colored man has found huge
' .tacles in his path. In some sections the
ealDred man is a victim of both lawlessness
...:· la.w, and everywhere of prejudice .
.1114 where, pray, are the men and women
wllo but a few years ago so courageously
UYOCS.ted the colored man's cause? Echo
llll1fers, where? The tide has set against
~ clCilored man. By an exaggeration of his
Tices and an obscuring of his progress, the
colored man's enemies have almost suceeeded in persuading the whole world that
theJ·.are martyrs and the coJored man a
brute.·. The rapidity with which our foes
.-ces
THE PRAYER
Almighty God, help us to understand that injustice to any one or to
any class or race must inevitably return upon . the hel?fis of those who
countenance it. Make us determined
to live by truth and not by lies, to
found our common life on the eternal
foundations of righteousness and love,
and no longer to prop -the tottering
house of wrong by legalized cruelty
and force. Help us make the welfare
of all the supreme law of our land,
that so our commonwealth may be
built strong and secure on the love of
all .its citizens. Amen.
"Tbe speeches and the questions and · answers
ftported by Miriam Allen de Ford.
. . . . . . . ----o -.----.
the colored people is like that of Sisyphus.
There are few spectacles . more pathetic
than the efforts made by colored fathers
and mothers all over the country to raise
their children properly, in the face of temptations particularly strong and alluring, and
in the midst of the worst possible surroundings. And these very people are condemned for not accomplishing what it is
not. in the power of human beings to perform.
Colored people are forced everywhere to live in surroundings which throttle
their highest aspirations and kill the desire to improve. They are compelled to'
live in districts of protected vice, and rear
their children there. (The speaker read
extracts from the report of the Chicago
Vice Commission proving this.) Thousands
of colored boys and girls are being practically doomed to vice by the government
of the cities in which they live. And yet
we are continually hearing about the evil
tendencies of colored youth. I am told they
are innately vicious. But justice demands
that side by side with their records of
crime there should be placed the miserable
hovels in which these chlldren are obliged
to reside because of their race and color.
Kext to debasing surroundings, that
which is most responsible for the downfall
of colored people is their inability to find
employment. A gentleman tonight has said
that hundreds of men today in Boston are
looking in vain for work. I wonder how
they would feel if they had to say to themselves: "N6 matter how skillful or efficient
I may be, I have the mark on my face which
makes it impossible for me to receive employment." Colored men either are not allowed to enter many unions or are discriminated against in favor . of white people
when they do join. We are told that people
no longer employ negroes because they are
not skillful or reliable.
There is some
truth in the charge, and we are trying to
make our young people feel the need of
gaining these qualities. But unfortunately
the colored boys and girls are not deaf or
blind; they can see for themselves many
cases in which skill and reliability have
aYailed colored people nothing. I myself
(Continued on Page 8.)
[
f
t
f
o'cC'.. '--':• . •·
, ,,.":,,·,;·,z";C'·\:</~
_
·;¥- ;:: .:··:
: :~
-' ,_:'"· i::f-;)·" .•
u
·· :ti ~?:\I(\,.
~
.
~
'
.- ' -
......
.- .~, -
-
\ ;:~J:)'~}tiJ).: JtJ ' . ~:::
FORD HALL -FOLKS
4
A PROMISE AND A PROPHECY.
THE STORY OF THE FORO HALL
By Thomas Dreier.
MEETINGS.
If I were not absolutely sure in my heart
that the present Ford Hall Folks Magazine
is but a seed from which will spring a
greater publication, I would not spend a
moment of time upon it. Never have I been
able to keep alive for any length of time an
interest in a person or thing that didn't
promise to grow into something bigger and
better. My own passion is to help make
things grow-to plant a few handsful of
seed and reap a harvest.
New England needs a weekly newspaper
that will interpret its industrial and social
life. This weekly must be creative.
It
must tell the exact truth. People demand
· nourishing mental food. They will not entertain for Jong a· person or paper that proclaims the doctrine of calamity. In industry there are always three partners: Capital, Labor and the Public. The first two
must co-operate harmoniously and efficiently to serve the third.
(Continued from Page 2.)
Ford Hall have not found it easy to build
up a large attendance. We packed our
house for the first time on the fourth night
of the second season, when the topic announced was " S'ocialism as I See It," and
the speakers four clergymen, three of whom
were Socialists, while the fourth had been
a miner and was deeply sympathetic with
the workingman. The newspaper comment
on that meeting occupied many columns in
the various papers. For we had turned
away several hundred people. Incidentally,
mighty good things were said from the platform; Ford Hall was henceforth recognized
as a source of "good copy."
Nothing succeeds like success.
At last
the seemingly impossible had been accomplished: A couple of thousand working people had been persuaded to climb Beacon
Hill on a Sunday night in winter, for the
sake of attending a meeting fathered by
Baptists! They have been coming ever
since.. And just as it was a group of parsons who drew the first big crowd. distinguished preachers have been notably successful in attracting large audiences ever
since: Dr. Lyman Abbott. Father Gass-on.
Reginald Campbell of London, Rabbi Wise,
Alexander Irvine, Bishop Charles D. Williams, Shailer Mathews. John Hayne·s
Holmes and Walter Rauschenbusch. Which
shows that the unchurched are quite willing
to listen to preachers when the preachers
-alk about things which interest. them.
That birthday celebration brought out a
great many friendly. enthusiastic tributes
-some from the people and some from
those who have spoken on our platform ;
the letters are all embalmed in a superb,
big red leather scrapbook which was then
presented to Mr. Coleman as a token of love
and appreciation.
The plans for this celebration were carried out through the Ford Hall Folks. a little
nucleus of people bound tog-ether by their
devotion to the Ford Hall idea, who have
been meeting- and havine: suoper together
in Kine:sley Hall at the Ford Building, once
in three ,..,.eeks for two seasons now. Anv
member of the bi~ upstairs audience ma:;.,
t\
lJ:_
·1
.,l
1
Ii -.
THO)IAS DREIER.
;";" t hP ,m~llPr o- r"nn "nrl c- ""~'"'~ .: ............... .... ,., ... :.,
now a feature of each of their
lawyers, doctors and teachers, auth,
book-peddlars and students, settlem,
workers, editors and shop-girls, stenogra1
ers, clerks and day-laborers all mingle
pily in social intercourse under their•-:
pitable auspices, each content to be for;!
time--just one of the Ford Hall Folks. ·.
Out of the Folks gathering grew, also-~
without fear lest the Meetings should '
come too "ritualistic," the choir which:
numbers nearly fifty and helps valiantly•
th€! singing of the social hymns. Some•
t.hese hymns-music as well as won:
have been written by some of the
This notwithstanding the fact that it• ·
with a good deal of misgiving that
Coleman gave out Ford Hall's first
not so very long ago! 'l'he hymn-singi
like the attendance, had to be care
worked up, but, under the direction of:
John Harris Gutterson, the people now
der two social hymns each meeting 1
a good. deal of spirit and feeling. Espe ·
Jy do they enjoy Sprague Smith's "l\!
of Freedom," sung to militant strains_
the "Marseillaise," and Ebenezer Ellii
'·God Save the People," which, . thg1
written nearly four-score years ago, . _
a very modern sound as set to music Cl
posed especially for Ford Hall use. ,._ •
It was during this third year of
Hall's history that volunteer concerts.:
developed. From the . beginning there
been a half-hour concert at each mee
but it had been paid for,-and was of 1ing artistic value. Russell B. Kingm~
young business man with a passion for
sic, advanced the idea that better
could be obtained from volunteers tha·
being had fo- quite a considerable sum,
night. And he . proceeded to prove his
tention. Since then the musicians, !ikEI
speakers, have come without money
without price.
._
If there had been· any doubt as to tb
peal which a purely religious toriic ·
make to the heterogeneous Ford Hall
ence, that doubt was answered when, d
the fourth season, Dr. Lyman Abbott
dressed the biggest crowd of that year
·'Why I Believe in Immortality." Re
was, also, prominently to the fore whf&, '
little later, Right Reverend WilliaIIJ: LI
C
L The Ford
k i:-dat.iYe pow•
""1r within ,,n
]b.ss:1chn~etts.
:To"·n )lectin;;
,rl:lle to the b•
llderin;.: t h e s11
Fa
ronr>a
~
,.-..{ ~
..,1
n:-l-..-.-
_.c
~ - The elec1
n
be :1 :110
is who sh::r
.b e st!c•on<l
rily nf :ti
choice.
The :llocJ,
tbc dntiE
~
t c rin o
or in
1,,. bin
;,hsen
;: :--t:uu
,wn :\It
he :llod
mode:
slues:+
llo•ler3
I
· ]
he Cle
y •leslr,
Keep1
e To1
Enter
ion 0!1
Prep1
'• beet 1
for
eon
TO\\'Q
the
rlon
lllon
ll a
,,.. ea
""'"
.n::."
>:irle
l<-et1
Ion o
Pre
l't! l I
1
-------nr· ·· ·n
r
. u ,, «lll5
__ ....,. ....
,•-► · :.-1 •
...
THOMAS DREIER.
r
l
Ideas of neighborliness must be sent into
the minds of men who are creating the
thoughts that will control the workers in
the tomorrows. Ford Hall is now doing this
work. But Ford Hall, great as is its influence, reaches but a handful of those who
need its teachings. What Ford Hall represents must be made known to the people
who cannot enter the building. · The ideals
of -the Ford Hall leaders must be carried
into the offices of the men and women who
are influencing the thought of the community.
Philip Davis contends that the question
which will receive the greatest attention in
the immediate future is the question oi
Leisure. The new weekly, therefore, must
have in it the elements that give color and
strength- to such weeklies as The St. Louis
Mirror, The San Francisco Argonaut, and
the Minneapolis Bellman. It must represent in its editorial columns, not the world
of industrial strife, but the world of 'industrial peace. It must speak of the people,
of the institutions, of the ideas that make
for beauty and harmony and neighborliness.
Many of us feel sure that such · a weekly
.will grow out of the little publication that
is ·not yet two seasons old. Up to date we
have been able to do little more than report the Sunday meetings. But such interest has been shown in the present publication, small as it is, that the publishers
feel justified in thinking that the day is not
. , ............
""'
J.L.
vva..:,
ct
e,ruup or par-
sons who drew the first big crowd. distinguished preachers have been notably successful in attracting large audiences ever
since: Dr. Lyman Abbott, Father Gasson.
Reginald Campbell of London, Rabbi Wise.
Alexander Irvine, Bishop Charles D. Williams, Shailer Mathews. John Haynes
Holmes and Walter Rauschenbusch. Which ·
shows that the unchurched are quite willing
to listen to preachers when the preachers
talk about things which interest them.
That birthday celebrati- n brought out a
o
great many friendly, enthusiastic tributes
-some from the people and some from
those who have spoken on our platform;
the letters are all embalmed in a superb,
big red leather scrapbook which was then
presented to Mr. Coleman as a token of love
and appreciation.
The plans for this celebration were carried out through the Ford Hall Folks. a little
nucleus of people bound together by their
devotion to the Ford Hall idea, who have
been meetin~ and havin~ sunper together
in Kingsley Hall .at the Ford Building, once
in_ three weeks for two seasons now. Any
member of the big upstairs audience may
join the smaller group and sometimes nearly one hundred persons are present. More
than a hundred of these Folks and their
friends enjoyed a dinner together to mark
the close of the lectures i_ -the spring of
n
1913. Our paper, Ford Hall Folks. now in
its second successful season-it was issued
first on December 29. 1912-was fathered by
this group, and so fittingly bears their name.
The recently inaugurated Ford Hall Town
Meeting is an expression of the Folks' desire .to study Civics together; and they intend, soon. to launch a Credit Union.
Yet of the Folks it may truly enough be
said, as of beauty. that they are their "own
excuse for being." After a short address
by some well-known social worker, which is
far distant when a better weekly will be
published fifty-two weeks in the year. This
may not come next year, or even the year
after. But if the veople who are interested
in developing the neighborhood spirit will
keep thinking of such a publication,
dream_will surely come true.
We get what we desire and in just
measure of desire. Men with a definf
purpose and alive with a burning- desire always find their way through, under, over, or
around any obstacles that obstruct their
path to their goal. Will you_join with us
in thinking into existence a weekly newspaper that will multiply a thousand fold the
work now being done by the folks of Ford
Hall?
the ".Marseillaise," and Ebenezer Pi" ,
" God Save the People," which,
written nearly four-score years ago
a very modern sound as set to music'
posed especially for Ford Hall use. • •
It was during this third year of
Hall's history -that volunteer concerts 1r1
developed. From the beginning there
been a half-hour concert at each rnee
but it had been paid for,-and was of
ing artistic value. Russell B. Kingma._
young business man with a passion for
sic, advanced the idea that better in.
could be obtained from volunteers than •
being had fo- quite a considerable sum
night. And he . proceeded to prove his
tention. Since then the musicians, like ·
speakers, have come without money
without price.
If there had been any doubt as to the
peal which a purely religious topic Ill"
make to the heterogeneous Ford Hall a·
ence, that doubt was answered when, dun
the fourth season, Dr. Lyman Abbott ai
dressed the biggest crowd of that Year ...:.
"Why I Believe in Immortality." Religi(i
was, also, prominently to the fore when,
little later, Right Reverend William La1rence, Episcopal Bishop of Massachusetti.J
spoke on "Has the Church Failed ?"-answering his own question, of course, in the neg»,
tive. And another Bishop, Charles D. WJI.!
liams of Detroit, . Michigan, also came tl!Jl,I
year for the first time.
His topic wai
"Wealth-Productive, Predatory and Pansitic." Thus did the people learn tlw
church dignitaries are not necessarily wit!,.'
out interest in social ideals.
It was during this fourth season of 1910-11
that the most paradoxical thing in all Fori
Hall history happened: when Father Gasson.
a Jesuit, spoke on a Baptist platform-Baptist, at least, in support-advocating antiSocialism to a company of people includinl
a great many ardent Socialists. And it W&!
all done with the utmost good will! Th,
numerical response to that meeting was Ullprec ·?,;:: ed and has been only once sinct
surp ,;!,<";,.: when Mary Antin gave her_addr _:_,¢;,~ che f_ ll of }913, on "The AmenW
a
~·'ci'""- •.- .• y by Day.
-,t_'.&,;J;Jf: ,ary, 1911, Ford Hall celebrated ii!
-::7i:.:fi•t,._, ;:.•-:: •day by a meeting ' at which foll!.
~_,.....~. ::-,.
-~~~_;;; n speakers told "What the For,;
~ ,Meetings Have Done for Boston." On~
minute testimonies from the audience wert
another feature of this occasion and man!
variations were presented of the statement:
"Ford Hall stands for the rights of the other
fellow."
As this richly-packed season came to 1
close with a lecture by Norman Hapgood ot
"The Social Function of the Press," Mr. Cole( Continued on Page 7.)
~
or:1 11• •· ·
~ o , tt,~rntor 1n:·1:,. npp n in t :1 <-itiZPl~ to
1"'1lw.- duel<·~ nf tlll' .-ll:lir for ~u ch JH.•no<.l
o! r,tli<>' :is he 111:1,· <'h'ct.
t~
::'i"rin of
•-~.e
~
:1
va c:in<·y in th<' otli<"<' of .
lo < ... t lw ~loilt•r;1l?l' or t l.1 C c l
•:1:--t.
blDl in :1<•t·or1'l :1 n c•f• 't\·11.ll 1 Il e~ prec·:.
'1Jb·s:ieut :it the l1 ~1 ur to whit·h tl! C- .
• .Of!
•lllJllld• udjourrw<l , th e
clNI< s!r:111
~r<•tln:: to order :1nrl sh:111 pr<
:1ppe:1r or :1 _t<•1upo r:1ry
- . . - a,()der.uor h<' .. 1cctcll wl11c h sh:1ll h<
----=-.,inc;<< In ord er.
.
)lo<l... r:ttor is (')C ·Offi Cl O TIIC'JllbPl' of nil
_
L.-.;;.r
• _..,11),(~dn:ttor
.
Clerk.
~ Clerk mnY :ippoint such nssistan1
at -0e;dre and shall
1,. ~~p tile record of the proceeding
, tlae To= )leeun:;.
1'-- Enter at lar:;e in tile :rom:nal e"\'"ery ,
-. · ttoa of order with tile d ec1s1on tl1e reon
·
c
rrepare and cau se to b e listed on
·• beet for referenc<' " ca lenuar o_f ma
for ("Onsidcr:.1tion at the next ~e~s100 o
To..-n Meetin:;. Such li,t shall he re::~
.as the Order of the Day for the consi•
t1on of t.llP '}'own )lectin;:,: at its nc,xt
.ion anll the matte" n ot ed t11ereon
he considerell in t h eir unc or(l cr unles s
e-rwlsc speci:1lly yoted by tile '.[own )
Ii»:- AnY ohjection to tbe c:1lt>nl:1r sba
mllde and dispose<l of before t he 1
· ~leetin;:,: votes to proct>ed to tile consi•
tlon of tbe Orders of tl1e Day.
'J>. Prepare and cause to be Ji,te :l on
sheet a list of matters lying on tile t n 1
Sergeant at Arms.
The Ser;:,:eant at Arms shall b e re spon
, - .I.be preser"\'"ation of tile order alll1 <lecoru
cw Town )leeting. He ma~· select s uch a,
ou, doorkeeper s, and otber officer, as Il e
Melll neces,ary. Ile sball exe<;ut e tbe orde1
di,, llodcrat or or the Town '.\lt•etiu;:,: and
11,att the custody of the prop<'rtY of tlle 1
)IN-tin;:,: oth er tba n the r c<·orcls p roper ly it1
e,o,ctodY of the clerk.
.
Comn1ittees .
.!I. The foll owin:; stantlin;:,: committees sha
tlfocted by ballot from the , citiZ<' llS of til e 'J
)leetln;:,: : •
_\. A Committee on Rules. to consist o·
members a nd the ?.louerat or of the 'J
~leetin;:,:, who shall be cx-oflicio c h:1i 1
of said committee.·
· n. A Committee on Education, to con si
seven members.
C. A Con1mittee on I1on!=-in g 1 t o consi~
se'l'en members.
D. A Committee on H ea lth, to c:on~ist 01
member s.
E. A _
Committee on Play and r.<'cr eatio:
con~1~t of fiye m n uberg.
F. A Committee on L:1bor. to ~onsis
seven rn em bers.
G.fi A Committee on .J111lid a ry , to consi:
ve members.
II .. A Committee on 'l'rnnsportntion, to
s,st of fi"\'"e members.
I. A Committee on Mercantile Affair,
eonsist of fi'l'e m em hers.
J . A Committee on ConrtesiPS. to con si:
_fiw member s.
K . A Committee on Liquor Laws, to co
of five memhers.
L . . A Committee on Budget and Appro
lion s. to consist of se'l'en members.
?II. ,, A _Committee on Municipnl Affairs
i.vns1H of fh•c n1emhers.
~
' 7 .. ,.
:->:...<'. . -- - : •. -----~
I
-:~
_ ;;:-.~
.~
__,,____
-
-- -
I
....-:·•-rr-· -
-~1 1
;--
roent:-! , tr :1ny, 111 r.U.::-n· t<'gnl :H· ol'd, ~r, :H1,·1
t11eit
upon tile m,1in question.
l\Iotion to Co1nmit.
32. When a motion is made to ~ommit. and
different committees are proposed. tile question
shall be taken in the following order:
a standing committee of the Town :11Ieeting,
a select committee of the Town 1Ieetin:;, ·
nnd n subject may be recommittc,1 to tile ~.1me
committee or to anotller colllmittee at the plea s ure of the Town ~Ieeting.
i\Iotions to An1end.
3.i. A n1otion to amend an :1menrln1cnt may
be reeei,ed: but no amendment in tile tllird cle;;ree s hall be nllowed.
Enacting- Cause.
3-!. A motion to strike out the enacting clause
of a bill shall only be recei.ecl when the bill is
before the Town "Ieeting for enactment.
Parliamentary Practice.
3;'.i.
Cushing's :\Ianual shall ~oT"ern the Town
1[eeting in all cases to which they are applicable, ;rncl in which they are not inconsistent with
these rules.
Debate on )lotions for the Suspension of Rules.
:ii:;. Dehate upon a motion for the suspension
of ,my uf the rules shnll be limited to fifteen mi1111res, :.1nd no e itize n shall occupy Dtore tllan three
minute~.
:-r,. Unless o t her,vi::-e ~t:1te1l !l majority yute or
t hnse prese nt sllall decide any c111t~stiou.
Sns1>ensions, .A men,lment a .nd Ucpeal.
38. ~otlling in these rnles shall be clispe nsetl
with , altered or repealed, nnless two -thirls of
tbe d t ize11s present con~ent tllereto;
but this
rule ,rnd rul e twenty -one s hall not be s11spen,lecl.
11nlc ~s hy un:1ni1uuus c on:-:e ut of the citizens
presPnt.
CALE::S-DAR.
\
.✓
·
'--·
Order No. 1, municipal lodgin::;- houses, ref erred to committee 011 city pl:mui11 g. In .c ommittee.
Order Xo . -!. municipal auditorium in W est
End. referred to committee on municipal affairs.
RepNt,erl unfavorably. On orde r of day.
Bill No. -!. to ;;iYe notice of u nempl oyment, refe rrer! to eommittee on labor. In committee.
Bill No. i"i, to im·esti:;ate unemployment. refe rrer\ to committee on lnbor. In committee.
Bill No. G. individual licen se a<:t. r eferred to
r:01nmittee on liquor l:nvs. In co1un1i t tPe.
Bill Xo. ,. to ;.:iYe c- ffect to D ec laration of IndepenUeur:e, referr·etl to committee on judiciary. In
con1n1ittP.e.
Bill No. 8. lights in t enement houses. referrecl
\ o c:ommittee on llousin;r. In committee.
Order No. 5, municipa·l hath-house in ·ward 8.
1·eferrecl to committee on -municipal affairs.
Reporter] 1mf,worab!y. · On order of day.
Bill No. 10, occupancy of cellars and bnsern e uts. referred to committee on housing-.
In
committee.
Gill Xo. H. reduction of liceuse fees. referred to
c ommittee on liquor laws. Reported favorably .
On order of rlay.
Bill No. 15, tran s portation and cleli,ery of
liqitors, referred to committee on liquor laws. Reported fa,orubly. On order of clny.
Bill Xo. 16, s nle of liquors by clrn:;:;ist.s anl
apothecaries. r<>ferrecl to committee on liquor
Jaws. Reported fayornbl y . On order of clny.
Bill No. 18. remo,nl of hnts by lnclie~. referred
to committees on rules nnd courtesie s jointly. In
committee.
Dill No. rn, " tin plate law." introduced by committee on publicity . Recommitted.
Hill No . ~O, injunction law, intro,lnced b y committ~e on puhlic it y . On orrler of ,1.1,·.
Or,l e r ~o. li. eonil r mning- \Vartl S 1nuni<'ip:i.l
hni111in;.:. r efc rrP1l to eommit t ee o n municipal af1':lii-~. In eonnnittr-e .
l\ill No. :!l, pnl>lie.ltion of ,,rekl y by ~fas s a c:hn,r•H s t own~. rPf1-. n·P<l t o r·om1nittf>t.~ on j ud i<· ia rY.
•· • -::.,: 1
•• n .;•_, , • ..,,, , • • , 1.1.-
n _
_:: • · • • .: . .. . ,. 1
•
THE FOFtD HALL iOWN MEETING'S
noc ,>.ven a rorm or st:ue. H ls not a. m:i.tACHIEVEMENT UP TO DATE.
ter of majorities or minorities, it is not a
question of schools or churches, of palaces
By M iram Allen de Ford.
or cottages. It is that intangible something
On the ~ixth birthday of our mother, the
which may permeate the most complex in- Ford Hall Meetings, even so· young a child
ternational affairs, dominate a single city
as this Town }Ieeting of ours has a right
ward. or inspire a group of any kind to work
to cast a glance backward and see what is
for the common good. It is the kindly spirit the tendency and what has been the accomwhich holds all men as brothers-it is applishment of the first three months of its
plied brotherhood. You cannot measure it
existence .
or weigh it or see it ; you can only feel it.
Tlle biggE,st thing in which we have been
What is it? It is equal opportunity for self
concerned is, perhaps, the soup kitchen
expression. That self-expression must be
now being conducted for the benefit of the
of one's best, but everyone born into the
unemploy.-:d men of Boston by our Mr. and
world has the right to demand his opportu- }Irs. T. M. Moderator, and made possible
nity.
by our co-operation with the School of SoThis does not mean that men are equalcial Science and the Fabian Club. That
they are not. It does not say that one man
is the firBt concrete evidence we have had
has the right to as much as every other man
of our influence on the world outside ;
-he may or he may not ha ve the right.
though it was foreshadowed by the incluIt does not say to Rockefeller: "You must
sion of · our courtesies committee in the
divide your wealth with yonr neighbors,"
work l.Jeing done by the Consumers· League
but it does say to Rockefeller: "All your · and the Women·s }1unicipal League to
wealth shall not de11rive your neighbor of
clean up the l>akeries of t he ·west End.
his opportnnity." It says to creeds : "Put Before long, also, we hope to see 11ractical
brotherhoods in yonr crucibles and· test results from our memorializing of tile City
your product by its alchemy." It says to
of Boston as to closing Hull street to trafe very man: "Test your right to Jive and fic to make it a playground for the chiltlren.
to enjoy hy your desire to assist every
In :;elf-educative work we have already
other man to live and to enjoy." This is
done much, learning m·any new aspects of
democracy, and while its spirit has been
public questions, many new· bits of insight
manifest at the Ford Hall meetings on
into each other' s minds and lives, and
Sunday nights. it is manifest in equal
many new details of parliamentary rule
power in the Town :VIeeting, the Ford Hall and the practice of debate. This last under
mid-week activity.
the particular guidance -of :"11r. Allen. Such
The work of the Town ::\feeting is devel- discussions as those over the municipal
oping the latent powers of its citizens. As
lodging house order. }Ir. Victorson's imthey seek their best self:expression-not
migration bill, l\Ir. Greene's marriage ceronly that best in form and style. but that
tificate bill, and the present one over the
best in thought and substance-they find , "Oregon tin-plate·• bill, are of inestimable
sometimes to their amazement, that they .-alue.
have things to express of which they were
Our history is so short that any review
never conscious before. It is no figure of
of it must needs be short also, but not so
speech to say that tl:eir pent-up emotions. short that it cannot pay brief tribute to the
once released, reveal new ideas, new consplendid work of our committees, and to
ceptions, new thoughts. as hidden even to
the co-operation of such Town Meeting
themselves, as are the submerged logs in
citizens as Mrs. Hoffman, }1r. Gallup, Mr.
some timber-jam just before the dam is
Ewing, ::VIr. lVIcKenna, Miss Rogolsky, Mr.
broken and the pressure is withdrawn.
and Mrs. Sullivan. Mr. Victorson and many
:Moreover. our citizens are finding them- others-including "our own" }1iss Crawford
selves not simply in a readiness for debate.
and Mr. Coleman. While the 200 Town
in thinking on their feet. but in the more
l\'Ieeting eitizens are of this calibre we
constructive activities of committee work.
cannot but succeed.
I have in mind recent reports of a committee whose young chairman. untrained as he
LAST WEEK'S TOWN MEETING.
was, brought to his work · an open-mindedWe missed " Mrs. T. M. Moderator" at
ness and earnestness which would have
our meeting last week, but we we~~ glad
been creditable to a ;-eteran legislator.
The Town :"11eeting is bringing to the dis- to give her up for the sake of the ,,reat
work she is helping to do at the · soup
cussion of most civic questions a new point
of view. There is large humanness in our kitchen on Avery street. That same soup
sociology. The personal equation is prom- kitchen and the work it is doing thinned
our ranks somewhat-but what valuable
inent. The questions are viewed from the
citizens they will be when they return. with
inside; they are not investigated. laboraton·
fashion. from the outside.
:vran:v of our their first-hand knowledge of some of the
citizens are lh·ing. e,·ery day. the prob- social conditions with which we are all
concerned!
lems others are reading 8 bont. They lmo"l\-:•
*
the 'iVest End a nd the ::-forth End at first
*
1;;
l, 02..!i!_
\T fl n,·
n f ___ t h o n,
1, ,H. ,...
1; ~• ,.., rl
+ 1H. ,..., .. ,...1 .
H i~ l''=Jl1;11·_1:~Jl 1 E
:. 1 11rl rot "nt ,•o.n1 ~ ,.1.~ -.lJ2h~i1T
.)
···n 1
r·*
;1 t1fi•·o -,-.-;-
i:-: :tl •~l' 11 t :ir ! li t· l1our 111
lt't•tin:.: ~t:HHl~ :ul .1 ourn<•1l , the
ul1 •.
\1111>
.....
1·lerk
~IJ :lll
cal l
lw ,.,·,w 11 :\l <"<'tin g- to n1·<l cr :11ui sh :111 proc~e<l
~u iil tltl· :\I otlPr:Jto r appc:1 r nr :1 _te111porary 0 1· :1
... 11 1nr
111orler:11or h,• ,,Jeered whr<:h s h:rll Ile tlH,
( ...:. h11silH•ss ill order.
i·1,c. )J otl <'r:1 tor is <'X-officio m<'mbn of nil comJtt ees.
Clerk.
,
Tb<' Clerk may a ppoint such a ssistant s as
·, 71 nY clesire and s hall
A .: KPep the r ecord of the proceedings of
the T own Meetin g .
r:. ·E~ r :it large in the :ronrn al ever y q uestion of order witll the decision t hereon.
c. i•repare and cn u se to he listed on orte
·she<'t for r eference a ca lend ar of matters
fnr <'onsider ation at the next session of the
Town J\leetin;;. Such list sllnll be re;;:irrle<l
:rs the Or<ler of the Day for t he consid ernrion -of th<' T own ?-fecting- nt its nc;xt scs:
sion and the matters not ed t hereon sha ll
ht! ,·onsidered in t heir dne orcler unl ess oth<'rwisc s peci:iJly YOted by th e Town Meet in:;:-. An y ohjection t o the c:ilenJnr slJall he,
m:1d <' nnd disposed of before the T own
)Jpeti ng- Yotes t o proc<>ed to the con s idera ti on of the Orders of the Day.
n. Prepn r e and cause t o be Jist e1 on one
sheet a list of m atter s lying on the tnhl c.
Sergeant at Arms. •
s.
The Ser;;ea nt at Arm s s hall be r espon sibl e
for the preserYation of the order and decorum of
tile Town )I eetin;;. H e m n:r select s uch assist-tnts, ,loorkeepers, nnd other officer s as he m n:r
df'ern necessn ry. He sh all execnte the orders of
tb,· )Jodcrator or t.he Town ~lt>eting nnd sha ll ·
11:t,·e the cu st ody of tbP propPrt,· of t he T own
llPPtin~ other thnn t he record s properly in the
custody of the clerl,.
Con1n1 ittees.
The foll owin g- stnnrlin;; com mittees sh all be
f'leetPd hy ba llot from the citizens of th e Town
!l.
.lfC"('till:;:
_\ _ A CommitteP on Rules. to consist of six
memhers and the ;lloclern t or of the Town
::\leering, who s ha JI he ex -otlicio ch:1irm :11i
of said committPe. ·
Committee on Education , to con sist of
~ nembers.
~ ~,.,,,., .,~,>ommittee on H ou sing, to con sist of
~~. -:w
"<;-.r~., n1e1n bers.
I:}?~ '); <Committee on H ea lth, t o consi st of fi,·e
f.~1~
,t,.,e.,, .:- : ·ber s.
~~£:,.
~-"-::._.,committee on Piny nnd I!PC'r eation. to
.;.,I.st of five mP111bns.
L:1b or . to con si st of
-".t) r«-,.;:- Committee on
iar--~ "en 1
n~,1nbers.
<" A Committee on ,J1Hlici:1r:r, to consi st of
~
. five member s.
A Committee on Trnnsportntion, to consist of five members.
I. A Committee on )Ieren n t ile Affai r s, to
consist of fi,e memhers.
J. A Committee on Court esies. to consist of
1h·e membe r s.
K . A Committee on Liquor Lnws, to cons ist
of fiYe memhers.
L. . A Committee on Budget and Approprla. hons, to consist of sel'en mem hers.
•1. A Committee on Muni ci pal Affairs, to
.co nsi st of fi'l'e mPmhers.
11.
tlit>IJ n•f1•r tl11·111 ru 11w11 . ,,. 1 . . . . , . . . . . .
ht\ fn1°<! t l1 ~ nr<l<'J' of th1! cJ:1~· ll:1 :-: bN•11 co u~idcrt!d
:1t <•:1<·l1 'l'nwn :\If'<'ti n~.
'J'h PY ~hall h e c-iv<~n a
,-onsN:11ti\'P. nnmher hy th e; Clt;rl, nnd slln!I tl.rere:ifr<'r b" r<'f,•rr('(l t o hy unmher, title :md by the
n :r me nf t he r:itizen introdu cing- tl.ie same.
The
c-ommi rtees to w bom s:1icl m ea sures are referred
slrnJI < sirler the same as prompt.I :,- M may be
·on
and m",· in snicl consid eration call before th em
the orig-inal sponsor of such meas ure or any citizen wlr o i s in fn,or of or. opposed to said mensnre. In ad ,liti on thereto said committees mar, if
thPy shall so elect, call befo re them any person,
whether n citizen of th e T own Meetin g or not.
whose PYi<lence o r
:1r;;-nn1en ts
mi~bt, in
their
.indg-ment. he yaJuable to t he committee or t o the
Town ill eeting- in th eir cl P)i bPrations on tbe pnrti<-nlnr me:i snre unc.l er cons id erat ion.
i'lnirl Committ<>e~ shnll. a s spceclil :r a s possihl e,
r<' port to the T own i\lP<'tin:;:-. t heir conclnsions
upon the; m:1tters r eferrerl to them. ;ziving- in eon <·is<' form the r ea sons npon wl1ich s:iicl con clu~ions are haserl.
REGUL.-\R COURSE OF PROCEEDINGS.
Petit ions, etc., and Reports of .Committees.
13. Petitions. memorial s. remonstrances and
papers of a li ke nat ure. an d reports · of comm ittees shnll be presented hefore the Town Meeting
proceed s t o th e considera tion of the Ord er of the
D:1 y, :ind the ?.l oder ntor sha ll call for sn cb
p a pers.
J>a pers
..\d<lressed
to the Town Jlleeting
Petitions.
Not
Pnpers ncl,lressed to the T own ::lleetin;;, other
than petitions, m em orial s nnd remonstrances.
m ay lie presen ted h:r t he l\loderntor, or by n citizPn in his p]a('e, and shall be r e:Hl. nn! Pss it i s
specifi cnlly orrl er<•d th:i t t he rending be di s1wnsPcl wi t h.
14. No hill s hall be acted upon hy the Town
::IIeetin;:- 1m ti l it ha s bPen r eporte J by the committe<> t o wl1i ch · it hns hPen r cfn red: proYided.
howC\'<'r. thnt th e ?-l orl erator mny ca ll upon · any
<·ommittee r.o r eport a hill b<'fore it. if in his
.inrl;:-m<'nt snirl r eport is 11nrl11J y rlPl :1yNl.
No
hill sh:111 h@ pnt to a fin al \'Otc withont hnYing1,,.,,n re:1d t hree sc, ernl times.
Or,lers of th e Day .
15. Dill s fnyor:1 bl,· r eportPcl to the Town Meeting- hy comm ittees. :r nd bills th e qnest.i on of the
rejection of whi <:h is 11 pg-:1ti\'Nl , s hall be pln cerl in
the Orrl Pr s for t he n ext session. nnd . if they h:1,e
h~~n rP:1 Ohnt nn c:c, sha ll f!O t o :1 seco nd. ren din;-
wi t h ont <JlH'sti on.
n esolution s r eport en in tnP
Town )!ePting- hy r·ommittees sh al l. aftC?r th<'y
:1 re r e:1<l, be pln cerl in the Orders of the Dny f or
t.hc n ext session.
l G. R ep orts of C'ommittees not by hill or resolve s hall llP pla ced in the Orders of the next
sPssion after t.hn t on which they are marle to the
T o,nr ?-leeting-: pro,·irled, t.hnt the r eport of a
MmmittPe asl,in;; to be dischnr;;ed from the further consideration of a sub.i ect a nd recommenrlin ;; th:lt it i 1e referre d t o anotller.' commi ttee, s haJI
lw immediate ly considered.
17. Bills or.dnerl t o a thircl r eading sbnll be
placed in the Orders of the next session for such
rea.:ling.
·- ---
.J
n:. - -
:111d shall u1c11
---
1., ......... _ .
_
Reconsideration.
22. When a motion for reconsideration is rlecid ed, t hat decision shall not be reconsijered, and
no q uestion s ha ll he twice reconsidered; nor
s hnJI any \'ote be r eco nsi rlered upon either of the
fol lowing motions :
to adjourn,
t o Ja y on the ta hle.
t o take from the t able ; or,
f or the preYious question.
23. Debate or m otion s to recon sider ·shall be
limited to twenty minutes, and no citizen sbnll
occup y m or e than fil'e minutes; but on a motion
to r econsider a Yot e upon any. subsidiary or inc,ide nta l que stion, debat e shall be limited t o ten
minutes. and no citizen s hall occupy more than
three minutes.
Rules or Debate.
24. No citizen sha ll speak -more than once to
the preYention of those who hn\'e not spoken and
desire to speak on th e same question.
2;;. No citizen shall speak more than fi'l'e minutes upon a ny mea sure.
.2G. The proponent of nny measure may spea k
for ten minutes.
27. Upon unanimous consent of all voting citizen s Jll'esent, nny speaker may have the priYi•
Ic•;;e of s ncb further time as the said voting citizens present m ay de.,ignate.
28. El'ery motion sba!J be . reduced to writing,
if the Moderator so directs.
20. Wh en a question is before the Town l\leetin ;:-. until it is disposed of, the Jlfojerator s hall
r eceive no motion that does not relate to th e
s,1me, Pxcept the motion · to adjourn, or some
other mot ion that ba s precedence either by express rule of the Town Meeting- or because it ts
priYil Pged in its nat ure ; and be shall r eceive no
motion rein ting t o the same, except:
to Jay on the table,
for the previou s question,
to close the debate at a specified time,
to postpone to a time certain,
to commit (or r ecommit).
to amend ,
which seYeral motions shall have precedence in
t he order in which they are arranged in this rule.
Previous Question.
30. All questions of order arising after a motion is m ade for the previous que•tion shall be
decided "·itbout debate, excepting on appeal;
and on such appea l, no citizen shall speak except the appellant and the Moderator.
31. The adoption of the previous question shall
put an end to all deb ate and bring- the Town
Meeting to a direct vote upon pending amend-
N .;~::~ ~~:/~;
t~,~~'
-~-:
u,~ "Jl\; 11
J'orc s nch question i s put. In like m a nner , when,
nnrl <'r t he oper:rtion of the prel'ious question or
otl1 Pr\\·ise, an amendment is mad e in any proposition of such a n ature as t o change its character. ns from a hill t o an order. or the like, the
proposition a s amended sllall be placed in th e
Orllers of the next session after that on which
th e amendment was made.
-
·- ·-·-
·----~------ - .....
y - · \,,. -,
.I
I
.,
C
FORD HALL TOWN MEETING RECORD
RULES
,Jurisdiction.
l. T he
leg-i~lativr.-
Ford Hall Town :\[ePti n;; has ,111 the
power s po:--:-.es!:i~d by any legi:.:;J:1tiYe
hotly wi t hin aurl ineln<lin .::- the Con1monwea l t h of
:
~lass:1eh11:.:.:ett:--. Every hill introtln eed into ~:ti<l
Town Meetin;:: s h:1 11 · lle;::in witb lau;:rna;::e :tppro{Jl'i:tr e 10 t il e body whkb is ~uppo~r·d to he c:o n-
;,:iclerin;.;: th e s:1me.
:il.lemhersbip.
:!. Xo t<'st of raee. cree<l. sex. or prop<'rty s hall
be :1pp lic 1l iu d e te rmining- e itizens hip in the Font
Hall T own MPetin;::.
_ y person si;;-nin . : the roll
-\.n
e
:ind suh:.:.:C' rihiu;:! to the J"ullowing dee l:1r:1tion :--1.J :tll
r lwr~upon IJL• r e[.!':.i rde<l as a dtizen .
De<•laration .
::.
I do sol emnl y ,lec: Iare that I w ill s tri\·e to
:1d,·anc e the eotnrnon g-Oo(l :ind the Commonwt•:1lrh of For1l I-.J:1I 1 hy all mean s in my powe r.
Ollfoers.
-!. Th e el<'cti\·e officers of the Town 1foetin .::
:
,h:111 Ile a -'l otl e rator. Clerk, and a Sn;;-eant-:1t_
\rn1 s who sh:111 he <•lectcd J.,y Prefe r e ntial B,1Jlot
:it
the sec-o n,l rf'~ ul:1r meet in . ; of e a c h season.
:
A
m:1.iorit:r or :1ll th e Yores cast shall be necessa ry
tr, a c hoice.
:i. Tlw ~foil0rntor m:iy :1ppoiot n c itizPn to pe rt"o rn1 tllf! dutie s of t he chair [or ~nch period dnriu . lli:=-: rer111 of ottiee ns he n1:.ty elect.
~
Ii. In c·:1se of a \"::tC:tn c-y i n the ot.tiPe o( ) [oclPr:1t or . or in case tlw ?\ Io dt>r: ttor or tile ci tiz r~ n
11:tlllt! tl by llim in necor,1anc:e ,vith the prec~edin~
i-11!1•, i:-. ab sent at the hour to ,,·hil:l1 t hP. Town
.\l1•1•riu.
~ st:1n<ls acljourne cl ~ the e ler k ~h:dl e all
t lu• Town ).fet:ting- to order anrl shall proeeerl
u11ril tht: ~I c,d e L·:1to r :1ppe:1r or :t teiupor:1ry or a
n·;..:nlar rno,lerutor hP. elec ted whic h s hall he th e
ti r:-:t hu:•-inl:s :-. in order.
The _\[otl e r:itor is ex -officio membPr of all comrnittees.
Clerk.
7. The Clerk may :,ppoint such assistants as
lw 111:ty ,lesire and shall
A . Kee p the record of the proceedings of
the Town :\Ieeting-.
r:. Enter :1 t large in the .Tournul every question of order with the decision thereo n.
C. Pre pare a ncl ca u se to be listed on o!le
shePt fo r refere nce a ca le ndar of matters
for r,o n s i<l eration at the n ext session of the
T o,Yn ,Vleeting-. Such list sha ll he reg-arrl e •I
as t he Order of the Dav for the consideration of t hP Town _\feet i"n::: nt its nf' xt sessi o n "nd thP. matters noted thereon s hall
h" 1•011si1lered in t heir dne order nnless otb•·rwise s per:ially YOted lly the Town :\fee tin;:. Any ohjection to the c:ilen :lnr slrnll he
mn<l <' ,1nd dispose<l of before the Town
_\[eetine: Yote s to procPed to the consideration of the Orders of the Day.
D. Pre pare a nd cause to be lis te:l on one
sheet a list of matters l y ing on the table.
Sergeant at Arms.
s. The Ser;:reant at Arms shall be respon sible
!"<11· the preser,ation of the order and decorum of
thl• T own )Ieeting. fie n1ay select s uch assist:111t~. rl oor k ee pers, :1ncl other offi cers as lte m:1y
,l,•e m necessary. Il e s hall execute the orders of
rh,• ,I nd e r:ttor nr t he Town :\[t>eting and sha ll
h:l\"t> the custody of the propPrty oi' tile Town
~r,,c-rin~ o ther thnn t he reconlR 11roperl y
1·11~rod~· of tlle c le rl,.
in th e
~1c•f>t in . ::
:
( ' ,-• IYll\"l ~ A
,-, n
T")
,, J,-, _,.
>- r,,
r,,...,. ,;, ; ,~ ,f-
0.
i11;.:.
l:!.
All n1f':1snre ~ intPnch~,l for prf':=-entation by
r:it iz0u sll:1ll be pre:•
a•ntP.tl to tlie Cle rk on
papf'r f nr nislwil by the Clerk. 'l'he Clerk shnll
r P:HI :111 m,·:isnrl's by titlr, :111tl t he, _\{o:le r,ltor sh:ill
then rPfr•r th0tn to thcit· appropriate committees.
lit-~
[ore t he orclf'r of t he day h:1s hN•n consid ered
:-iny
at enc l! T own -'lening-.
They s hall he ;;iven a
r·onsN:ntive nnmhe r hr the Clerk and s llall there:ifter be r eferrer! to hy nnmher, title a nd by the
n:nne of t he <
:itizen introtln cin~ the sa me.
The
c on11uittees to ,vho1n sa id 111easures are referred
s hall consicler the same as promptl y ll.6 may be
and mny in said co n sideration ca ll before them
the ori.:::inal sponsor of such measure or any citizen who is in fa vor of or opposed to said measnre. In a d<lition ther eto s aid committees may, if
they shall so e lect, ca ll before them any person,
whether a citizen of the Town :\Ieetin;; or not.
whose ei;-i<l ence o r a rgume nts 1nigbt. in their
jud;;-ment. he valnable to the committee or to the
Town :\Ieetin .:: in their <lPliherations on tbe par:
ti<:n lnr 1ne:umre und er consid eratio n.
l'lai,l Committees s hall. as speeclily as possible.
r011ort to the 'l'own ?\ lePting-. their conclusions
npon tlle m:1tters re ferred to them, .c:ivin;;- in co nr-ise form til e r easons 11pon which snid conclusions are hased.
REGULAR
COURSE OF PROCEEDINGS .
P etitions, etc., and Reports of Committees.
rn. Petitions. memorials. r emonstrances and
papers of a like nature. and repo rts of committees s hall be presented hefore the Town Meeting
proceeds to the consideration of the Order of the
D:iy, :ind the :\lode rator shall call for such
papers.
Papers
_-\.cldressed
to the Town :l[eeting
Petitions.
r, ~
,.: ,•
Not
Papers addressed t o the Town :\[eetin;;, other
than petitions. me morials and remonstrances.
may lie presen·ted hy t he i\Iotl erator. or hy a citizen in Iii:=- pl:H:e, ,uul shnll he re:1 cl . nnl ess it is
specifieall;· or rle r<'d
Con1n1ittees.
Th e followino: sta n•lin::: connnittePs sha ll be
,•lf•et<'rl h? ha llot ·from the · citizen s of the Town
!l.
\
-~ Committee on City Pl~nnin g, to consist of :-;eve n 1ne1nbers.
A Co rumittee on Innnig-ration and ~aturalizntion . to eon s ist o f sevPn meinhers.
All of sai 1l cnmmittees s lrnll Ile n o minated hy :1
no111in: 1t.in~ c·onHnittr•c co nsi;;;tin;.; of ~e,-en citi:✓-ens
t•lec:tPtl hy till! 'l'o"·n _\[<'eti11;::. Th,, ;\iodc1·a tor o t'
t lH! T own :\Ieet ittg- :-:11 ~111 clesig-1
u1.te oue me1uber
o f 0nr·h of :::a id eom n1ittee~ t o :1ct :1 s ch:iirm:ui
r he r eof.
10. The :\forte ra to r s hall a11point a committee
of li,P to he known ,i s the Comm ittee on \Vays
:ind .:\Jea ns~ w ho . hall pre pare for the c onsideras
tion of t he Conuwi ttee on Iludg-ct :11H.l Appropriati o ns :tn e s t imate or the probable 0xpc nse of t be
Town ) fc<•U11:.: for the c urre n t sea~uu.
, v1ieu
such C'Stimatc · has been con:-:ide rcd an1l orcl e re tl. by
the said Com1nittee o n B nd g-et :.11u l .Approprhlrions. th<> said \Va ys and :\Ie:1ns Co mmittee s hall
e xtend tlie taxes ll f!CPssn ry t o 1ncc-t s aid hnd::r.e t
ovPr the 'l~own .:\lceting anti appoint . :111 otti ct'rs
ueeessary to eo llef:t. c·:tre f o r anJ disburse the
same i n order!;\· and reg-n lar f,1shion .
J l. P.rfo r e sai < Co mmittee o n I:nd;;et and Apl
propri:ttious s h:1ll finally . appropriate :1ny sum
for t he support of the 'l'o wn .:\f<'eting- in its various rnnct ion~ it sh:1 II repnrt its estimate to the
full T own ~leetiu;;, and 110 snc:h r eport s hall he
:1doptt>d unless nppron~rl hy a T'Ot(~ o( two-thir1ls
of t hP. memher;,:; pre::a~nt :i t a 1·e~u l:1r Town .:\l eP. tN.
thnt
t he
rea din;;
be
dis
p0n~0d with.
~o bill shall be acted np on by the Town
:\Ieetin . : until it ha s lwen reporte l b.v the como
1u ittce to which i t hn~ lwe f.l ret:'Prrcd: provided.
H.
l, r. ,,-,-. ,• p1:__i:- li• 1t
tl lf,
\f <1 1l , -1·,.,r,·, 1• 1n ,, ~
.. n..-.n
,111,~
1S. After !'nterin;:r upon the co nsideration o!
the Orclers of t he Day. t he Town :\feeting sha ll
proc<'P.d with them in regu lar course as follows :
:\lntters not g-iyin;..: rise to a motion or debate
s ha ll he first rli sposed of in the order in which
rhev s tancl in the calPnJar : aftn whic h the mattt, rs th:lt ,vere pn ssed OYer s hall he considered in
like o rder :rnd clisposed of.
l!l. ·when the Town :\Ieetin;:: does not finish
the ,•onsideration of the Orders of the Day, those
which had . not l>een acted upon shall hP t he
Orders of the n e xt a nd each s u cceeding clay
un t il disposPi:l of, :rnd s hall he entere:1 in the
ca lentlnr. withonc chang-e in their order, to precede matters added under rules lG and 16 and 17.
The unlinishe,l uusines;; in which the Town Meetin~ ,vas e ng-a _ ed at t he time of :1djournmen t shall
~
have the preference in the Orders nf the next day,
:it'ter motions to reeonsitlered .
Sp,•eial Rules Affeetini:- the CourRe o( Proceed.
in,:;-s.
\.
:!O. ::-lo matter which has been duly plat>ed in
the Ord ers of the Day shall be discharged there- .
from ~ or co nsidered out of t~e regular course.
This rnle shall not be rescinded, or revoked or
s nspe111led except by a Yote of four-fifths of the
n1e1ube rs present ant.I. voting thereon.
·
:!1. If, un,ler t he operatio n of the previou~
f]nestion. or o ther,-vise, an an1endrnent is made
at the second , o r third reading of a bill substantially ch:rnging the greater part of such bill, the
qn<':<ti ou s hall not be put forthwith on ordering
I he hill to a th i rd reading, but t he hill, as amenrt<'tl, sh,lll he p lnced in the Orders of the next session after that on which t he amendment is made,
:111cl s hall then be open to further amendment before such question is p ut. In like manner, when.
1111,ler t he operution of the previous question or
otherwise, an amendment is made in any proposition of s n ch a nature as to change its character. ns from a hill to an order. or the like, the
proposition as amended shall be placed in the
Orders of the next session nfter that on which
the a mendment was made.
Reeonsicleration.
When a motion for reconsideration is ,lecided , that decisio n s hall not be reconsUered, a nrt
no question s hall he twice reconsidered; nor
s h:1 ll any vote be reconsidere d upon either ot the
following motions:
.._
to adjourn,
\ ..
to lay on the table. A
to take from the table: or,
for the previous rruestion.
2:C:. D e bat<' o r motions to reconsider shall be
limited to twenty minutes, and no citizen shall
occupy more than five minutes; bnt on a motion
to reconsider a vote upon any. subsidiar y or incidental question, debate shall be limited to ten·
min ntes, and no citizen shall occupy more than
three minutes:
:!:!.
Rules ot Debate.
24. No citizen s hall speak more than once to
t he preYention of those who have not- spoken and
desire to speak on the same question.
2;;. Ko citizen shall speak more than fi,e minutes upon any measure.
26. The proponent of any measure may speak
fo r ten min ntes.
·
27. Upon unanimous consent of all voting citizens present, any spea ker may have the priviJc•;::-e of suc h fnrther time as the said ,oting citizen s present 1nay cle:,ignate.
2S. Every motion sl_rnll be red need to writing.
if the :\Coderator so~
cts.
7r·
·:1r ··
1
l lit' .\ J111lt'l';L lll r 111: 1.\· :ipp11lUL ;I 1·niz.:-11 lo jll'I.' ~
fun n Lht• tlutie:,,; r,f the d1air for such pt•rirnl dnri1 1.:.:- hi:-: 1erlll o r o tli c-e :is he may e lect.
,;.
In
<::l~P.
of a 1·:tr::lll<·y in t he otlirr. o r :\fo1l-
r tH~ l\I o 1lt>r:1 tor o r t he <'iti;.:;~11
hf Uiln in :weo rrlanc·e with 1.he prec•e diuµ;
1·11Jr-. i:-. :1h~c-nt. :it the hour to whic·ll t11~ Town
PI·:1tor. 01· in c:n;e
11:11111•cl
~1o -.. ri n" ~t:rnrJ g arljourm,d, t li e ,-!erk ~hall ca ll
1111• To wll :\[eetiu~ to order :tn<l s hall proceed
1111ril th<: :\lo1ln:1tor appear or ;t tetuporary or a
,· ...c:nl:ir mo dera tor hf' elected wh ich shall he t lH,
tii-st ll11si11t•ss
111
iu order.
The :\[od er:1tor is <>x-otllcio m<>mbPr of all comittees.
Clerk.
, . The Clerk may appoint such assistants as
111• may desire and shall
.-\. K,•ep th e record of the proceedings of
the Town )Ieetin .,;.
D. Entn at large in the .Tonrnul every CJ.nestion of order with the decision thereon.
C. Prepare ,,ncl ca u se to he listed on orte
shePt for reference "- cu lenclnr of matters
f,1r r:onsitle ration :1t t he next ~ess ion of t he
To1Yn Meetin;;. Such list s ha ll he re~arrle,1
., s the Orel er 0f the Duy fo r the eon si110. ra-
t ion of t l1 r Town ::\fect iu~ at its iwxt ses -
si on and the m:tttern notert t hereon shall
11 1!
1•onsicleretl in t hei r dnc orcler unless othhy t he To,,pn J.Ieet-
••nvi:-:e s pecially YO t ed
in". An y ohjectio n to the c:1len :l:1r s l.tnll he
n,acle a nd 11ispose1l of before the 'l'own
~IN;t in . : Yotes to proc<·e<I to the consic.lernc
rion of the Or1lers of the Day.
n. Prepare a1ul ca use to be liste:l on one
,!wet :1 list of m atte r s lying o n t he ta h!I'.
Sergeant at .Arm s .
" The Se r;::ea nt at Arms sha ll be respon sible
fo,- the presenation of the order anti deco rum of
n,,. T own )leetin g. He may select such assist:111t~. door1,eepers, :1 n-1l
,l""m necessary.
o ther
officers as lle m:1y
IIe sha ll execute tbe order s of
tlu• ~Iod e r:tto r or the Town
~lt-eting- :ln d sha ll
h:l\·P the custody of the propPrty of the T own
~lt ·l'tin~ ot hfl'r thnn the rer·ords pro perly in the
,·n,roll.1· of the clerk .
Comn1ittees.
~- The fo ll owin:: st:11111in:: committees sha ll be
.-Jr•ctNl h? ba llot from the .. citizen s of the 'l'o wn
:\Jt•Pti ng-:
.\.
.-\. Committee on Rules. to consist of six
mPmher s and the ilfo clerator of the Town
~leerin;;, who sha ll be ex-otlicio chairm :11i
of sai,1 committee.·
n. A Co mmittee on Educatio n, to co n si st of
:-:eyen members.
C.
.-\. Committee on Housin g, to consis t of
se,.en members.
D. A Comm ittee on IIenlth, to co n~ist of ti ,·e
member s.
F.. A Committee on Play a nd I'.<>creation. to
con sist of ti Ye m<>m bers.
F. A Committee on Labor. to consi st of
seven 1n em hers.
G. A Committee on .Judiciary, to consist of
five members.
II. A Com mittee on Tran sportation , to co ns is t of fi,e members.
A Committee on )Iercan tile .l.fl':1irs, to
,?onsist of fi,e members.
.r. A Committee on Courtesies. to co n sist of
fiye members.
.
K. A Committee on L iquor L aws, to consist
of five members.
L. A Committee on Budget and Appropriations, to consist of seven member~.
A Committee on Municipal Affairs, to
,:oosi$t of fi'l'e members.
r:·
,I.
:idoptl·d 1111h:ss ap fH' n\·c•d l1y :l yore • ;d: lwo·~t·1~·ir1 ls
1lf t h P. tnPmlH·•1·~ prest•nt :it a rC> .~ 11l:1r To\Yn _\l ef•t i11;..:-.
l:!.
.\!! nw:isures int1•1ule<l for pr<'s<'nl":1tion by
:,,;ll:111 he fll't•s1-11t·~d In tll~ C1e rl, on
p:tpPr t:nrnb•:IH->(l hy t ll P Clt.! l'k. ~ w Cler k ~h:11l
.
el
l'P:ttl all . ltlt•:Is111·r::.: l1y 1· i t. l <.! :!IHI thP. .,ro.:lcr:.ltor ~ha ll
I hPn r<'fPr thr·111 to the ir :tpp ropria te co mmittC'<!S.
lu-•fore t he o rcl Pr of the d:1y h:1:-1 hPPn conF-ide retl
:111:v
r: ilizr•u
.1 t <'n<' h Town )Ienin~.
'l'h<>y s hall he ;::ivPn :1
eons<>cutiYe nnmhe r hy the Cl!·rk ,ml.I sha ll tb ere:it'ter be referrer! to hy n nmhe r, tit le and hy t he
The
co nunirtee~ to ,vho1n s,1 id measure~ are referred
n:1me of t he <:itizen introtlncing tlle sa m e .
s!J al! r·onsirler the same as promptly n.s may he
:rnd mny in snicl consideration ca ll before them
t he ori"inal sponsor of such measure or any citl7.en who is in fa,or of o r opposed to said men.snr<>. In ucl1lition thereto sa icl ~ommittees may, if
thPy sha ll so elect. ca ll before thPm an:, person.
wh1>ther "- citizen of the Town )Ieeting or not.
n·hose ~,i,l ence o r
arguments
mig-ht. in
their
jncl;::mc>nt. he Yalnahle to t he committee or to the
Town ::\leet iug- in t heir d~lihr-rations on tbe pa rti c· nlar 1ne:1r--11re unde r co ns id e ratio n.
f<:ii,l Committ<'es shall. ns ~pee,li ly ns possib le.
1 ort to the Town :\fc,<>tin . :. their e0ncl11sion,
·!'p
:
upo n tlle m:itters referred to thctn . g-i\""jng- in co ntlle rea sons upon whic: h s aid con c:-lu -
<· isr.- form
sions a re hased.
REGULAR
COURSE OF PROCEEDIXGS .
Pt"titions, etc. , an<l Reports of Comn1ittees.
1:-. Petitions. memorial s. remon s trances and
:
pnpers of a like nature. and reports of commitrei>s s lrnll be presented lwfore the Town- )Ieetin g
p rocee,Js to the co nsidera tion of t he Order of the
D:1:r, :in,1 the )Io,ler:1tor shnll c:1!! for such
papers.
Papers
.\d,lressecl
t<> the Town :\[eeting
Petitions.
:Xot
Pnp ers nclrlresse,l to t he Town ~feetin:;, other
than
petitio n ~.
memorh1l s
nnd
remonstrances.
111,1:r he presented hy t he )Io ,lerntor. o r hy a cit•
izPn in hi:::: pl:H.·P.~ :11111 :-;hnll be re:1<1 . nnlP~S it is
specific:111 :r or rler<'cl th:1 t t he readin:; be clispPnsi>d w ith.
1-1. Xo bill s hnll he :1cterl upon by the Town
)Ieetin:; ,mril it has been reporte:l by the com mittee to which it hns lwen ref<>rred: provided.
howeve r. th:it th e )loclerator may call upon nny
r-ommittPe to r e port rt hill before it. if in bis
jncl.:::-ment sa id report is nnrlnl y ,l f"l:1yecl.
No
h ill s hall he pnt to "- tin:1! yote without bnvingh~<' n re:icl three several times.
. Orders of t he Day.
15. Bills favo r.i bl:r reportPd to the Town )Ieet•
in:: ln· committees. and bills the q uestion of t he
re.1eetion of which is negatiYNl, sha ll be pl,1cecl in
t he Orders for the next session . and. if they h:i,e
hPt"\ n rea dbut once, s hall go to a secona. rending
withont CJ.U<'st ion.
Reso lutions rep orted in tne
T own ){ef'tin;r hy committees shall. after th<>Y
a re read. be placed in the Orders of t he Day for
the n ext" session .
16. Reports of committees not by hill or reso lve s hall be placed in the Orders of the next
session after t h at on which they are made to the
Town i\Ieeti n;; : provided. t hat the report of a
Po mmittee asking to be discharged from the furtbe r co nsi deration of a subject and recommendin;; that it be referred to another comm ittee, shall
he · immediately cons idered.
17. Bills ordPred to a third reading shall he
placed in the Orde rs of the next sessio n for such
ren.:ling.
un·u ,111 · 1 :!,
21.
1 • J1..: ;-,a:11l.
;u.1.u
If, mul P.r t he
C]UP:sticl n.
\Ol..lJlg·
L UCn:o u.
operatio n
of the
previou~
or otllerwi~e, an :1.n1e-ndme nt is made
:it the seco n d, or third reading of :t bill snbstan1i:1 lly changing t he ~reater part or such bill, the
qnestiou s hall not be put fo rthwith on orclerin;;
t be bill to :i ,hire! r eudin;;, b nt t he bill, as amen<lP<l, sh .lll 1 pl:1ced in the Orders or the next ses ,e
sion after that on which t he amendment is marle,
:ind shall t hen be npen to further amendment hefore s uch question is put. In like manner, when,
nnder the operntion of the previous CJ.Uestion or
otl11"nYise, an a me ndment is made in any proposition of such a nature as to chan ge its character. :is from a hill t o an order . or the like, the
proposition as amended shall he placed in the
Orders or- the next session after that on which
the amendment. was m a de.
Reconsideration.
a
When
motion for reconsideration is
cidetl, that decision sha ll not he recons ijered,
no question ~hall he twice reconsidered:
s h:1ll any ,ote be reconsi,Jere,J upon either ot
22.
fo llowin g motions:
rleand
nor
the
to adjourn ,
to lay on the ta bl e.
to ta ke from the ra ble: -{Ir,
for the pre,ious r1ues ~ .
::?:l. Debate or motions t o reeonsi<ler shall be
limited to twenty minutes. a nd no citizen shall
occ upy more than five miu·u tes; bnt on a motion
to reconsider "- Yote upon nny. s ub si diary or io<-i1Jental qnestion, rlebnte sha ll ht! limited to ten
min nres. a nti no citizen sha ll occupy more than
three min utes.
I
l
Rules ot Debate.
24. Z'<o citizen shall speak more than once to
the preYention of those who have not spoken and
desire to speak on the same question.
2;;. ,.;;o cit izen s hall spenk more than fi,e minutes upon any measure.
2o. The proponent of a ny measure may speak
for ten minutes.
27. Upon unanimous consent of a ll voting citizens 1ireseut, any spea ker may have the pri,il<>~e of such fnrther time as the said voting citizei1s present may de-,ignate.
2S. Every mo tion shall be reel need to writing,
if the )Ioderator so directs.
'.!!l. When a question i s before the Town Meet•
ing, nntil it is d isp osed of. the Mo;Ierator sha ll
receive · no motion that does not relate to the
same, <>xce pt the motion · to adjourn, or some
other motion that has precedence either by express rule of the T own Meeting or because !t ts
p rivi!P;;ed in its nature; and he shall recei.e no
motion r ein ting to the same, except:
to la:, on the table,
for the previous question,
to close t he debate nt u s pecified time,
to postpone to a time certain,
to commit (or recommit),
t o amend,
which se,eral motions shall have precedence in
the order in which they are arranged in this rule.
Previous Question.
All questions of order arising after a motion is made f or the previous que~tion shall be
. decided without debate, excepting on a ppeal;
and on such appeal, no citizen shall speak e:i:cept the appellant and the :Moderator.
31. The a doption of the previous question shall
put an end to all debate and brin~. the Town
Meeting to n direct vote upon pendmg amend30.
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FORD HALL FOLKS
-L TOWN MEEilNG•s
NT UP TO DATE.
, Allen de Ford.
thday of our mother, the
s, even so young a chifd
ting of ours has a right
ackward and see what is
vhat has been the accom5.rst three months of its
g in Which we have been
haps, the soup kitchen
:ed for the benefit of the
,f Boston by our Mr. and
·ator, and made possible
n with the School of Sothe Fabian Club. That
te evidence we have had
on the world outside:
eshadowed by the inclu :esies committee in the
y the Consumers· League
:.\fonicipal League to
eries of the vVest End.
we hope to see pracl'ic:al
.iemorializing of the City
Jsing Hnll street to trafyground fo r the children.
work we have already
ng many new aspecr1: of
nany new bits of insight
minds and Jives, and
; of parliamentary rule
· debate. This las t under
.ance of Mr. AIJen. Such
ose over the municipal
!er, :.\Ir. Victorson 's imGreene's marriage cerhe present one over the
bill, are of inestimabie
o short that any review
Je short also, but not so
•t pay brief tribute to the
our committees, and to
of such Town Meeting
Ioffman. :.\fr. Gallup, Mr.
nna, Miss Rogolsky, Mr.
:.\fr. Victorson and many
'our own" Miss Crawford
vVhile the 200 Town
are of this calibre we
:i.
,
TOWN
MEETING.
FORD HALL.
OTHER FORUMS.
By Miriam Allen de Ford.
Sunday evening meeting of the Peostitute in Cooper Union, New York,
btedly the oldest of the people"s
It had been in operation seven
vears when I first made my ac~ with it. It was the inspiration
eived there that led to the est of the Ford Hall Meetings. "The
unday Evening" in Rochester, N.
rted just about the same time
,tarted in Boston. The Sunday
ub in Chicago came into existe year too, I think. Thus when
all :Meetings were founded by the
.ptist Social Union in February,
were three other large - opular
p
lng forums of somewhat similar
ready under way in three other
d eastern cities.
years later, there are eighteen
rises in operation of which I
knowledge. Fourteen of them
among church people and at
them are held in church • uildb
Young Men's Christian Associa.thered two or three of them.
.are •in Massachusetts,' two are
pall.ire, two in New York State,
Jersey, one in Michigan, one in
one In Lausanne, Switzerland.
,rgaul.zation was promoted by
m. exclusively and - ecame so
b
Tery short time that it was
Deed or accommodations to
ty Council Chamber to the
the city.
at Manchester, N. H .,
gest and most successful
. The Young Men's
is responsible for it.
1 a theatre that will
It is not large enough
crowds who seek adester organization in
t Identical with that
tings.
DS In Boston, now in
ason, has gained a
gh It has suffered a
uate financial support.
of Social Science has
essru1 through several
that prospered for
,t on suburb was aiven
lhers that were b"egun
elr first season.
,-~!l.1
11111:;: melhods on which the
==~~~~~~
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5
By George W. Coleman.
-...
~
h:ivp
hPP.n
You have gathered us, 0
mother, under
your embrace,
And suddenly the world is grown a consecrated place.
*
This i s ,\'illiam Horton Foster, " )Ir. T . ).(. Moderator," to ,vhom and " )Irs. T. )1." Ford Hall
owes so much in so many ways.
Mr. Foster,
besides being )loderntor o( the Town )Ieeting,
has been the frientl and advisor of eyery one,
of the Ford Hall Folks who bas had troubles
to lighten or problems to soh·e.
FORD
HALL FROM THE STANDPOINT
OF THE PRESS.
By A. J. Philpott, of the Boston Globe.
As a newspaperman, the Ford Hall meetings appeal to me because they don't profess more than they perform. It is usually
the other way. And the people who attend
the meetings regularly are without bias and
are intelligent enough to look on both sides
of any question with candor and fairness.
They play no favorites. They are not afraid
either to listen to or discuss any decent subject, and they do both with the kind of intelligent consideration and respect that
marks true politeness.
The meetings seem to me wholly in line
with the true ideals of American Democ•
racy-justice and fairness toward all. And
they are in direct line with the educational
progress of the age. The meetings prove
that there is a strong desire in the people
for accurate- knowledge, or for light, on the
vital questions of the day ; and it is fortunate that the meetings have not been
dominated by any group or class that would
regard themselves as the chosen people or
the otherwise elect.
Besides all this, however, I am deeply
conscious of the fact that the success of
the Ford Hall meetings is largely due to
•h~ mnn ~nil woman in whom the qualities
•
•
- - - - 1~i!Pnuate
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
I am the Jew, who has faced death for G~
for twenty hundred years;
I am the Negro, dragging ·c hains, whqse
clanking still the spirit hears;
I, the Slav, inarticulate, the master's heelmark on my throat;
I, the Italian, ardent-souled, my heart tuned
to a music-note ;
,
I am the Puritan, whose God sent stern·
purposed 'cross the sea;
am the beauty-dowered Greek, newly
athirst for liberty;
I am the German, patiently probing the here
and the hereafter;
I, Irish, with the Celtic grace of spirit and
the Celtic laughter;
I am the Frenchman, cherishing my memories republican;
[, English, from whose race you draw what
most makes you American.
And I am brother to each one of these who
come to call you mother,
Learning their fellowship from you, their
kinship unto one another.
You have gathered us, 0 mother, under your
embrace,
And suddenly the . world has grown a consecrated place.
ANOTHER COOPER UNION MAN NEXT
WEEK.
Frank Oliver Hall, who discusses "The
Right to Work" next Sunday night for us,
is a New England man who has made a
great name for himself in New York as a
preacher of ·principle and power. He is one
of Cooper Union's favorite speakers, and on
the very timely topic which he announces
for our platform will be sure to have a
crowded house.
THE SURVEY
is the record of social advance, of the latest
efforts toward common good. You need it.
$3.00 per year.
NEW
ENOLAND BUREAU
WARREN DUNHAM FOSTER
WILLIAM HORTON FOSTER
41 HUNTINGTON AVENUE, BOSTON
-,- -···•··,- ---rr:
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ala. and
one Ill LaU~'1UJ.n .,, ~ ,. ____ _
]atter organizatio_n was promoted by
rch men exclusively and .b ecame so
- 1D a ven· short time that it was
~
by the need of accommodations to
trom the City Council Chamber to the
~urch in the city·.
()pen Forum at Manchester, N. H .,
_. of the youngest and -most successful
~ new forums._ The Yo_ung Me~'s
atlaJl Association 1s responsible for 1t.
meet.Ing place is a theatre that will
·1500 people, and it is not large enough
odate the crowds who seek adThis Manchester organization in
feature- is almost identical with that
Ford Hall Meetings.
Sunday Commons in Boston, now in
third or fourth season, has gained a
e reputation, though it has suffered a
deal from inadequate financial support.
e Boston School of Social Science has
increasingly successful through several
·, s. One forum that prospered for
n
years in a Boston suburb was given
and one or two others that were begun
not last beyond their first season.
-The principles and methods on which the,rd Hall Meetings are based have been
pounded before representative gatherings
citizens in places as far west as Minne,polls, Colorado Springs, and Dallas, Texas,
11d 1D cities as far south as Richmond and
ew Orleans, as well as in New York,
adelphia, and Baltimore, and in many
Iler cities in New England, New York,
d Pennsylvania. 'Literature describing
e work done at Ford Hall has gone all
er the country through the news- apers
p
d leading magazines, and requests for inrmation and assistance are comfng in
ery day from many directions.
The work of esta- lishing pu·b lic forums
b
ter the manner of our own successful enterprise could well take all the time and
strength of a very capable man, but there
ls no one who is free to take up the burden except as a' few of us do what we can in
t direction as occasion permits.
A S
a llt: w
.::>JJ ""l-""'.1.
.u...o. ..... ,._.. ,
.__ ..,
_
_
*
*
*
~
ings appeal to me because they don't profess more than they perform. It is usually
You have gathered us, 0 mother, under your
embrace,
the other way. And the people who attend
the meetings regularly are without bias and
And suddenly the world has grown a conare intelligent enough to look on both sides
secrated place.
of any questiqn with candor and fairness.
They play no favorites. They are not afraid
ANOTHER COOPER UNION MAN NEXT
either to listen to or discuss any decent subWEEK.
ject, and they do both with the kind of intelligent consideration and respect that
marks true politeness.
Frank Oliver Hall, who discusses "The
The meetings seem to me wholly in line Right to Work" next Sunday night for us,'
with the true ideals of American Democ- is a New England man who has made a
racy-justice and fairness toward all. And great name for himself in New York as a
they are in direct line with the educational preacher of principle and power. He is one
progress of the age. The meetings prove of Cooper Union's favorite speakers, and on
that there is a strong desire in the people the very timely topic which he announces
for accurate knowledge, or for light, on the for our platform will be sure to have a
vital questions of the day ; and it is for- crowded house.
tunate that the meetings have not been
dominated by any group or class that would
THE SURVEY
regard themselves as the chosen people or
is the record of social advance, of the latest
the otherwise elect.
Besides all this, however, I am deeply efforts toward common good. You need it.
conscious of the fact that the success of
$3.00 per year.
the Ford Hall meetings is largely due to
NEW ENOLAND BUREAU
the man and woman in whom the qualities
FOSTER
WILLIAM HORTON FOSTER
I like best in meetings, find such adequate WARREN DUNHAM HUNTINGTON AVENUE, BOSTON
41
personal expression-George W. Coleman
and Mary C. Crawford.
TEL. E. BOSTON I 043 M.
And finall y, the Ford Hall meetings prove
to me that Boston is not wholly an EastMRS. N. M. ATWOOD
wind state of mind, and that at least the
90 MARION STREET, EAST BOSTON, MASS.
residents of Boston who attend Ford Hall
Sunday evenings have a good deal of feel- Wishes to announce that she will take oring and regard-for others. · The term ders for fresh cut flowers for all occasions
and deliver them promptly.
"brotherhood" is not a meaningless metaphor with them.
One of our own Ford Hall Folks
NE'W CH\UJRCitiI LECTURES
· You are cordially invited to attend a course of three free lectures in
FORD HALL
Thursday evenings, March 12th, 19th, and 26th, at 8 o'clock, when the following questions
will be answered from the standpoint of the New Church:
I. Could God Write a Book? (March 12.)
II. Could God Become Man? (March 19.)
III. Can Man Discover Immortality?
(March 26.)
The lecturer will be the Rev. Julian Kennedy Smyth of New· York City, who is the
official head of the New Church in the United States and Canada.
SEATS FREE.
NO COLLECTION.
.Sunday Afternoon Conversations
COME!
Commencing March 1st at 4 P . M., in th
lecture room, 136 Bowdoin St., and continu
j ng through the month, to discuss the Dis
coveries of Emanuel Swedenborg in Scienc(
and Religion. Free-No Collection.
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THE QUESTIONS
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FORD HALL FOLKS
6
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Q: Will you give illustrations proving
the statement that there is more prejudice
and less opportunity for the colored man
today than 25 years ago?
A: When I went to Washington I could
go to any theatre and sit anywhere in it,
and now that is impossible. '.Twenty-five
years ago there were no Jim Crow car laws;
now I should _be arrested for riding in a
white man's car. Colored children used to
be able to take part in the social life of the
public schools; now in many places they
cannot.
Q: What do you think of Chief Sam, who
has just organized a movement to take
colored people back to Africa?
A: I don't think my opinion is valuable
enough to express. I don't think very much
of him.
Q:
Do you believe if political equality
were actually given to every colored citizen
that the race problem would be settled for
all time, and do you believe • the result
would be amalgamation?
A: I do not think that any ·one human
thing will solve the race problem for all
time. The only thing that will is a change
of heart on the part of the people in power.
But I do believe in political equality.
Q: Will you tell us why you called the
colored people the Sons of Ham? (Laughter.)
A: I am going to let Mr. Coleman answer that; he is more up on Bible history
than I. (Mr. Coleman): My Bible history
is in my wife's name. (Mrs. Coleman):
Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham and
Japhet. The Jews are supposed to be descended from -Shem, the white people from
Japhet, and the negroes from Ham.
Q:
Would not the giving of political
equality to the colored people in the South
bring back the days of carpet-bagging?
A: I think the carpet-bagging situation
has been much exaggerated. But I am sure
the white people of the North would not
again flock to the South in the same way,
and so there would be no opportunity for a
renewal of what they tell us the conditions
were.
A : That is an impossible dream. · .n
A:
If there were some change they
could not be done.
would be better off.
Q (Miss Rogolsky):
Q. (:Mr. Margolis):
Why is it that so
few people of the colored race belong to of Jack Johnson and the attitude of the
American public toward him?
~-.1
the _Socialist party ?
A : I think the attitude of the peopi
A: You do not know how many colored
people are interested in Socialism. (Ap- toward Jack Johnson is the most disgrace:
ful thing the American · public has been
plause.) I really believe it is better for
Socialism just now not to have some people guilty of for many years. The .man himself
l do _
not admire at all.
-~
believe that colored people are interested in
Q: Can you give statistics to show that
it.
the education of the colored people tends
Q : Do you approve of the methods of
to reduce the proportion of· criminal assauit
Beaker T . Washington ?
A: Most heartily. But I have always among them?
A: I have been all through the Sou
said that I would never discuss Booker T.
Washington unless people could go down and have heard president after president ol
there and see how he has made the wild- the colored colleges say that no graduate
of his institution has ever been accused of
erness blossom like a rose.
assault. I have never heard of such
Q : Is not race preJudice increased by
accusation against a· colored graduate of.,a
the burlesque of the negro on the stage?
A. Undoubtedly. I believe something · college or high school.
Q: What is your opinion in regard to tliit.
should be done to stop this caricaturing· of
probable feeling of the Southern peopli
all races. (ApplauseJ
·
toward the colored people if there had been'
Q (Mr. Page) : Do you think the prejusome restriction in regard to their votin~'
dice against the colored people will ever
A : That could only be a conjecture. Tht
end?
A: When the heart of mankind is feeling they did have was very natural,. b_tll
the vote was given to the colored man
changed.
protect him.
Q (Miss Corwin) : Are not the better
Q: How does the low white trash of th,
class of white people in the South becom- South compare with the ignorant bla
ing more favorable toward the · colored man ?
people?
A:
I object to the term "low whit,
A: I
quite sure of that. I never trash" as much as I do the word "nigger:
think the South is any worse than any other I can't compare the two.
part of the country.
Q (Mrs. Whitechurch):
If the wom
Q:
Are the protests made against the had the ballot, would it- be any better fo
alleged
discrimination against colored the colored people?
people by the present national administra· A: I think so. (Applause.) But m
tion justified?
colored men do not believe so, because the
_ A: I can't answer that, because I have
think the white women · would be mo
not lived in Washington for six months.
prejudiced against them than are the whi
Q:
Do you think slavery, involving the men.
transportation of the Ethiopians from
Q (Miss White): Isn't the future of
Africa, was an upward s tep in their de- coiored people of the South better than th~
velopment?
of the poor white people in the mills? -~t
A: The colored mothers of the Soutb,
A: Undoubtedly slavery was instrumental of much good. as an y e vil thing can are compelled to stay away from their chiF
be.
dren just as much as are the poor white
mothers.
Q: As long as the mad greed for wealth
and power continues. is there hope for any
Q : Why is it that the negro is allowed to
race? (Applause.)
enlist in the navy, is segregated in the
A ( Mr. Coleman l : Only for those that army, and is discriminated against in the-win the race. (LaughtP.r.)
marine corps?
A : It is safe to _s:~.v +h~• - - -Q: Aren't the white people in the South
more illiterate than the col orPrl " ~~-• - .,
m
am
.
'
''
Q : Do you believe if political equality
were actually given to every colored citizen
that the race problem would be settled for
all time, and do you believe the result
w.ould be amalgamation?
A: I do -not think that any ·one human
thing will solve the race problem for all
time . . The only thing that will is a change
of heart on the part of the people in power.
But" I do believe in political equality.
Q: • Will you tell us why you called the
colored people the Sons of Ham ? (Laughter.)
.
A: I am going to let Mr. Coleman answer that; he is more up . on Bible history
than I. (Mr. Coleman): My Bible history
is in my wife's name. (Mrs. Coleman):
Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham and
Japhet. The Jews are supposed to be descended from Shem, the white people from
Japhet, and the negroes from Ham.
Q : Would not the giving of political
equality to the colored people in the South
bring back the days of carpet-bagging?
A : I think the carpet-bagging situation
has been much exaggerated. But I am sure
the white people of the North would not
again flock to the South in the same way,
and so there would be no opportunity for a
renewal of what they tell us the conditions
were.
Q (Mr. Victorson): If the colored people
developed their own peculiar characteristics instead of seeking to imitate the
whites, would they not win greater respect?
A: If we did not imitate the white people
we should be very stupid. They have had
hundreds of years of advantage of us, and
we should not be worth saving if we did not
imitate the best:
Q: Will the education of the negro help
solve this question, or does it depend
largely upon the attitude of the white
people?
,
A: That is the crux of the question. If
it came to · a question of whether the white
or the colored people should be educated,
I should give my vote for the white people,
because it is not possible for the colored
people to rise in a community where the
whites are uneducated.
Q: What name do you apply to the
colored people?
A: I think I showed my preference in
my talk tonight. I prefer "colored people"
because our friends call us that, and because not many colored people in this country are of pure African race.
Q (Mr. Jordan): If the economic system
were changed, would the colored people
get more out of that changed system?
feeling they <11<1 have was very natural b
A : .,When the heart of mankind is
the vote was given to the colored ru;n :
changed.
protect him.
Are not the better
Q ( Miss Corwin) :
Q: How does the low white trash of
class of white people in the South becom- South compare with the ignorant bl~
ing more favorable toward the · colored
man?
people?
A:
I object to the term "low
A: I am quite sure of that. I never trash" as much as I do the word "nigger •
think the South is any worse than any other I can't compare the two.
·
part of the country.
Q (Mrs. Whitechurch):
If the womea
Q: Are the protests made against the had the ballot, would it be any better for
the colored people?
alleged
discrimination against colored
A: I think so. (Applause.) But many
people by the !)resent national administracolored men do not believe so, because they
tion justified?
think the white women · would be more
. A : I can't answer that, because I have
prejudiced against them than are the White
not lived in Washington for six months.
Q: Do you think slavery, involving the men.
Q (Miss White): Isn't the future of the
transportation of the Ethiopians from
Africa, was an upward step in their de- coiored people of the South better than that
of the poor white people in the mills?
velopment?
A: The colored mothers of the South
A: Undoubtedly slavery was instrumenare compelled to stay away from their chi}.
tal of much good, as any evil thing can
dren just as much as are the poor white
be.
Q: As long as the mad greed for wealth mothers.
Q: Why is it that the negro is allowed to
and power continues, is there hope for any
enlist in the navy, is segregated in the
race? (Applause.)
A (Mr. Coleman): Only for those that army, and is discriminated against in the
marine corps?
win the race. (Laughter.)
A: It is safe to say that negroes are disQ: Aren't the white p·eople in the South
. criminated against more or less everywhere
more illiterate than the colored people?
A : I haven't the statistics, but I hardly in the United States. At Newport News
the colored sailors told me they were very
think it is true.
Q : Didn't the Quakers in the past exer- happy.
Q: Aren't the colored government emcise the greatest tolerance toward the
in
Washington
discriminated colored people, and doesn't the Salvation ployees
.against?
A: I think I have answered that
Army do the same today?
Q: Since three-quarters of the people of
A:
The Quakers undoubtedly _did the
the world are of other than white race,
most, but all the churches did something.
Q : What do you think of intermarriage what has caused the supremacy of the
whites?
between whites and colored people?
A: Sometimes in a family one child is
A: My attitude on that subject is the ·
same as on any other; that each and every precocious and another backward; but
sometimes the backward child gets ahead
individual should live up to the life that he
has, and exercise his freedom of judgment in the end.
Q: Is not race prejudice due in the last
in marriage as in everything else.
Q: Aren 't the church and the lawmakers analysis to a misunderstanding on the part
responsible for the way we treat the of the white race?
A: I am quite sure that is true, and that
colored people?
and white
A: I don't think the church is respon- is why I regret that the colored _
children are being separated in the schools
sible, but both it and the lawmakers could
and elsewhere.
do a great deal more than they do.
Q : Isn't a good deal of the trouble due
Q (Miss Satran) : I should like to ask
to the fact that the white man thinks God
Mrs. Coleman if she doesn 't think the Jews
are white people, when she says all the made the black man his inferior?
A: Yes, I think that is the prevailing
\\'hite people were descended from Japhet?
opinion, although it gets some rude shocks
A (Mrs. Coleman): Of course the ·Jews
are white. The descendants of Japhet are now and then.
Q: Are not the colored people descended
the Aryans.
Q: If the colored people are so op- from Cain, and therefore do they not bear
pressed, would it not be well for them to his mark?
A: I never heard that before; it is very
have a nation of their own, operated by
themselves, and giving all their own people interesting. It is a new burden for us to
carry.
employment?
(Continued on Page 8.)
whiie
--
esuons u .. cent. scrYice.
)las done.
--
.
This
Tl-IE FORD HALL
JNGS.
Ill page 4 . )
ill all open lette.r adat Ford Hall," to the
the movement had
0
t-more strongly than
,rhile he hoped to be
the work again in the
assurance that such
"Sbould it prove," ~e
. we are never ·agam
ball that there will
e th~se here, we will
,y what this priv~legE
thstanding the bitter
ent."
d this time by ~
an ever before-thi
et the work go on, an<
· n began October 15
•, n of "What Is the Mai
o
!" by Dean Hodges o
,l ogical School in Can:
a consideration of "Wha
the People Outside th
L Swift., champion c
The red-letter night tha
·-ember 19, 1911, when D
!bell of the City Temp!,
address on "Recent Soci:
Progress in England:" Pre~
,v.n University also spol
out in the discussic
address on "The 1\12
the appalling fact that
audience present fom
y labor. It was duril
, that Prof. James H. Hysl,
.ii- Society · for .Psychical :B
.his impressive talk on "Scien
r." • And again, in Februa1
le priest on our platform,
Ryan of St. Paul's Semina·
L."Who talked on "The Livi
tlle season drew to a close l
'of London lectured brillian
~ Brother's Keeper?"; Jo
__. interpreted' Syndicalism.
U.ffCent Lawrence strike; 2
.l lathews· gave a fascinat
~ o n of the Modern Ma
I mth season is a matter of
,t . it is worth while to re<
on "The Un-Social E v
, Baroness Yon Suttner,
the greatly lamented Jos,
of those who made up :
· And it was last wir
ilfli.
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·-.:
FORD HALL FOLKS
u impossible dream.
.ky) : What do you think~
and the attitude of the
toward him ?
Le attitude of the people"
tson is the most disgrace-·
merican public has been. :
.
r years. The man himself
at all.
ive statistics to show that."
the colored people tends··
portion of criminal assault
,
?:n all through the Sou~
resident after president ot
ges say that no graduate
has ever been accused o( ·
never heard of such an.
:t a colored graduate of a
chool.
ur opinion in regard to the
of the Southern people::
,d people if there had been'
in regard to their voting!
only be a conjec.ture. The·
1a ve was very natural,. but'
·en to the colored man to
to the term "low white
ts I do the word "nigger."·•
he two.
/
ichurch):
If the women
rou]d it be any better for'
e?
(Applause.) But many
ot believe so; because the
women · would be more
;t them than are the white
) : Isn't the future of the
the South better than tha
?: people in the mills?
·ed mothers of the Sou
stay away from their chil·
ch as are the poor white
:hat the negro is allowed to
ivy, is segregated in the
,criminated against in the. :,
:o say that negroes are dis• •
st more or less everywhere
itates. At Newport News
·· .r-'l. - ~1
- · ···-
.. •nT"V'
that that glorious birthday party occurred
(February 23, 1913), and that Ford Hall
Folks began to be issued each week.
The meetings are now in their seventh
season, and the appearance of Mary Antin
served again to break the record in the matter of attendance.
Symposium addresses,
held on an average of once a month, are a
recently-introduced feature, perhaps the
Ford
Hnll
most significant given thus far being that of
February 15, 1914, when "Breeding Men" was
Folks.
If lt
were not for the topic, and two physicians and a clergyher it · would man talked in the plainest of English about
be quite im- the right of every child to be well-born.
possible for us Several important speakers are still to come,
to offer to our among them John Cowper Powys, the ·welshreaders · such man from Cambridge University, England,
w e 11 rounded who created a veritable sensation when
reports of the heard on this platform last season; · Dr.
Thomas C. Hall, a favorite ·at Cooper Union;
lectures.
::lfiss de Ford's life should offer much in- and the ever-popular Rauschenbusch, who is
scheduled to close the series of 1913-14 on
spiration to Ford Hall Neighbors.
For
·
years she ccmbined earning her living with April 19 next. * * *
There is. of course, in the audiences, a
fighting for an education, Only a woman
With a knowledge of the work being rather large proportion of those who have
done by big men and women in many fields lost touch with every form of organized reo[ human endeavor could report the Ford ligion. Through the intimate talks which
Hall lectures and questions and answers the · Secretary has had this winter with -a
With one hundred per cent. service. This
number of the leading figures in the audiwork ::IIiss de Ford has done.
ence it has, however, been brought out that
in not a few cases those- who had become
estranged from their churches are now
THE STORY OF THE FORD HALL
ready to be active church workers again.
MEETINGS.
As one man put it, "After five years at Ford
(Continued from Page 4.)
Hall, I am more sure than ever before that
man is incurably religious."
lll&D drew attention, in an open letter adThe splendid Christian character of Ford
Cressed to .. the folks at Ford Hall," to the
fact that opposition to the movement had Hall's director, however, and the noble unselfishness of the clergymen and laymen who
aow· broke:i out afresh-more strongly than
~ torore--and that while he hoped to be here talk as m en on various topics of social
import undoubtedly exercise an immense in,ennitted to take up the work again in the
111D he· could give no assurance that such fluence for religious uplift. Nor should it be
"-Id be the case. "Should it prove," he forgotten that we pray very wonderful
laJd bl closing, .. that we are never again . prayers at Ford Hall,-prayers in which· the
together in this hall, that there will topic of the day ·is inspiringly associated
- . more meetings like these here, we will with petitions for divine grace. If it be true,
nmember with joy what this privilege as the poet tells us, that
-.zit to us. notwithstanding the bitter"Prayer is the . soul's sincere desire
fol our disappointment."
Uttered or unexpressed"
Ye o.nce again-and this time by a every Ford Hall Meeting is a prayer meet. majority than e,·er before-the ing. For the people who make up this audi,tee Toted to let the work go on. and ence all care and care t remendously that
llall•, fifth season began October 15, the Kingdom of Heaven shall speedily come
With a discussion of "What Is the Mat- on earth.
rtth the Church?" by Dean Hodges of
~
pal Theological School in Cam- A CHURCHMAN'S VIEW OF FORD HALL.
followed by a consideration of " What
By Rolfe Cobleigh.
Xatter With the People Outside the
I regard the Ford Hall Meetings as among
= • ~ . - ?'" ~,. .ll?rrison T. Swift. champion of
~
_!:r!ost powerful local a gencies for good
Here is Miriam, Allen de
Ford, who,
more perhaps,
than any other
i,ndi vid ual ~s
responsible for
the present
excellence of
'.
/,
~''ii\t1(
..... . -:;<·
..;;_~~-·:__
7
it brings the dissolution of prejudice, the
·b irth of desire to co-operate in the fight
against wrong and injustice and in behalf of
the common good ; it inspires a constant
striving upward for the realization - f high
o
ideals.
Out of it. all must come action. I believe
that Ford Hall Folks put into practice per-·
sonally real brotherhood and real democracy
and will do so more and more as time
goes on.
As long as I see our country and our
fellow citizens suffering from man's inhumanity to man, from industrial and
political injustice and social corruption,-as
long as I .b elieve, as I do believe, in America as God's appointed Melting Pot of the
Nations and in the universal brotherhood
of man, I shall want to see the Ford 'Hall
Meetings continue. I hope to see George
Coleman keep on conducting them just as
he conducts them now, and I wish to ·b e
count ed among the most grateful and loyal
of his Ford Hall Folks.
THE YOUNG MEN'S HEBREW ASSOCIA. TION.
Dear Ford Hallites of the Christian faith:
-Do you remember in what admiration
the typical orthodox Jew of a few years ago
was held by even a prejudiced world? To
you who were familiar with the Jewish
home, can you ever obliterate from your
·memory the beautiful home ties that existed therein? Was not the child' s devotion
to its parent the comment of their gentile
neighbor? Was not the honor and virtue
of the Jewish maiden held to be spotless and
above reproach, and will you ever again behold such divine humility and forbearance
as did their fathers display when missiles
and vile epithets were hurled at them?
Such was the Jew as God intended him to
be, and as he himself wished to remain.
But sad to relate, ignorance and persecution on the part of so called Christians have
caused this type to become well nigh extinct. What a painful loss and calamity to
the religious world this would mean, if it
were not for the divine truth that the God
of Israel still lives. For behold! as has
happened a hundred times before in
Israel's history, a miracle is happening before our very eyes .
Listen, my Christian . friends, and take
courage.
For the past few years have
arisen all over the country bands of young
Jewish men, firmly resolved to forsake the
beaten path and hark back to their ancient
f~ i th.
These ~
ized bodies are known
.,,:q
:f.
·!
-·•-----,r
-
·"·"'il'"
-~gi:e
3
~~ f
Lld it
t
,(Applause.) But many
believe so, because they
romen · would be more
hem tlia:n are the_White
Isn't the• ~uture of the
South better than that
iople in the mills?
IIIlothers qf the South
y away from their chiJ.
as are the . poor White
.·
ne or less everywhere
i. .At Newport News .
id me they were very
e
family one child is
her backward; but
i.rd child gets ahead
l dice due in the last
r anding on the part
that is true, and that
ie colored .and white
trated in the schools
f
ii of the trouble due
iite man thinks God
is inferior?
it is the prevailing
some rude shoc~s
:s
I
ed people descended
:e do they not bear
I
Lt before; it is very
w burden for us to
• tinued on Page 8.)
n
...._Vl,,.._,.L
V.I..
..,._, V A U
-:r
...,::1t.o
t
bred government emngton
discriminated
r I have answered that.
rters of the people of
ier than white race,
supremacy of the
.._,.._.._..,. •
~J•
.
f that negroes are dis-
._,.._.._ • .._._.._ ....... .....i.
,.,...... !f
f
p:he negro is allowed to
fi s segregated in the
1inated against in the
. .,_ _. .._. ..,t'_ ...., ....,..,.. .. ._.,
Jks at Ford Hall, . w cut::
. . to
el ? to the movement had Hall's director, however, and the noble unselfishness of the clergymen and laymen who
-~t oppos uon
·
...
fresh-more strongly t 1
ian here talk as men on various topics of social
ouJ tiat while he hoped to be import undoubtedly exercise an immense in~ t a k up the work again in the fluence for religious uplift. Nor should it be
no assurance that such forgotten
we pray very wonderful
all ·..lie the case. "Should it prove," he . prayers at that Hall,-prayers in which the
CD 4
Ford
:__.,__u
·
.. that we are never agam topic of the day ·is inspiringly associated
~ ta
in this hall, that there w~ll with petitions for divine grace. If it be true,
.....
eetings like these here, we_will as the poet tells us, that .
M• aore
with joy what this priv~lege
"Prayer is the . soul's sincere aesire
us, notwithstanding the bitterUttered or unexpressed"
... c6
disappointment."
•
every Ford Hall Meeting is a prayer meetagain-and this time by a ing. For the people who make up this audiYa
majority than ever before-the ence all care and care tremend-Ously that
voted to let the work go on, an_?- the Kingdom of Heaven shall speedily come
;.. e.an•.- ftfth season began October l <> , on earth.
· 111. wltll a . discussion of "What Is the Mat1
. W1th the Church?" by Dean H?dges of A CHURCHMAN'S VIEW OF FORD HALL.
:._
Efaeopal Theologica~ Sch<?ol m" CamBy Rolfe Cobleigh.
lda&e. followed by a consideration of_ What
.. tbe )latter With the People Outsi~e the
I regard the Ford Hall Meetings as among
Qlllrda?" by Morrison I. Swift, champion of
the most powerful local agencies for ·good
. . maelllPloyed. The red-letter night that
in the United States. They stand for the
.,- wu o.n November 19, 1911, when Dr. highest ideals in our national life and they
Jtclna)d ,._J ; ..Campbell of the City Temp~e. are actually helping to solve some of our
t,oDdoa. gave an address on "Recent Soc13:l
most serious problems.
ad Economic Progress in England:" Pres1When we have enough Ford Halls to
ilallthunce of Brown University also spoke cover the country, "government of the peodlat 'Willter. bringing out in the discussion
ple by the people and for the people" will be
,W1lldl followed his address on "The Man
nearer than ever before. The brotherhood cf
..a the Machine," the appalling fact that a man will be realized as it never has been
..... majority of the audience present found
realized, and a ·b ig advance will have been
N Joy In their daily labor. It was during
made in upbuilding the Kingdom of RightOlis season. too, that Prof. James .H. Hyslop
eousness. I am glad to learn that already
QI tlie .American Society · for .Psychical Reseveral other forums modeled on the Ford
aean:h gave his impressive talk on "Science Hall plan have been established successaad- lmmortality." And again, in February, . fully.
we had a Catholic priest on our platform,in church, and state and industry.
ReY. · John ·A. Ryan of St. Paul's Seminary,
I am thrilled as I see the rush of eager
at.· Paul.··Minn., who talked on "The Living Ford Hall Folks when the doors are flung
Wage.,. ' :As the season drew to a close Dr.
open each Sunday evening. I feel the earnStan.ton Coit · of London lectured brilliantly
est seeking after truth within the hearts
- ~ "'Am I lily Brother's Keeper?"; John
of those who constitute· that throng. I feel
Graham Brooks interpreted' Syndicalism. as
their insistent demand for justic'e and oplbowu.- In the recent Lawrence strike; and
portunity, and the ever-growing realization
Dean _
Sba.ller :Mathews· gave a fascinating
of human brotherhood.
The Ford Hall
taDt OD '"The Religion of the Modern Man." spirit has helped us all to feel, that, while
Ford Hall's sixth season is a matter of re- we differ in race and outward appearance
emit record, but it is worth while to recall
and in opinions on creeds and political
dlat Cllfford Roe on "The Un-Social Evil," platforms, we are all brothers in God's
Jo4p Lindsey, Baroness von Suttner, Dr.
great family.
Ta:mel Kin and the greatly lamented Joseph ·
That spirit brings good will, tolerance,
Na were a few of those who made up last willingness to listen to the honest opinions
Wiater'• J>rogram.. And jt was last winter of others, to acknowledge our own mistakes;
• _:e
---:!",...
nei ghbor? Was not the honor and virtue
of the Jewish maiden held to be spotless and
above reproach, and will you ever again behold such divine humility and forbearance
as did their fathers display when missiles
and vile epithets were hurled at them?
Such was the Jew as God intended him · to
be, and as he himself wished to remain.
But sad to relate, i.gnorance and persecution on the part of so called Christians have
caused this type to become well nigh extinct. ·what a painful loss and calamity to
the religious world this would mean, if it
were not for the divine truth that the God
of Israel still lives. For behold! as has
happened a hundred times before in
Israel's history, a miracle is happening before our very eyes.
Listen, my Christian . friends , and take
-:ourage.
For the past few years have
arisen all over the country bands of young
Jewish men, firmly resolved to forsake the
beaten path and hark back to their ancient
faith. These organized bodies are known
as the Young Men's Hebrew Associations .
They are filled with an enthusiasm and a
vision as were the prophets of old. None
of their kin have fallen so low that they
are not willing to reclaim men as their own.
Be he prince or pauper, a Y. M. H . .A. member stands on perfect equality and the right
hand of friendship is ever extended in fra~
ternal greeting. To rekindle in the child's
heart a yearning for love, justice and
eternal truth is with them a passion.
Thrice fortunate indeed is the West End
of our city, in the fact that it has established a Y. M. H . .A., whose members desire to consecrate their lives to Jewish
ideals, virtue and love of home and family,
all tending to splendid .American manhood.
.Although but recently formed, it numbers
already some seven hundred odd members.
and is now in quest of a permanent building- that it may carry on its -noble work.
Therefore, on behalf of its members, of
which I have the honor of being one, we
<tsk of you good people of Ford Hall ·to
offer your heartfelt prayer to our Common
Father that He may so guide us in our
efforts as to tend our helping to make this
world a better and a happier one for all His
children.
·
Your Friend,
SAMUEL S.ACKM.ARY.
i
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FORD HALL FOLKS
8
UNCLE SAM AND THE SONS OF HAM.
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WE
(Continued from Page 3.)
am personally acquainted with young
colored men and women whose race is not
apparent, who were dismissed from posts
they filled very well, when their colored
blood was discovered. Of course this does
not always happen; all the just, generous
white people are not dead yet. (Applause.)
But these things happen much more frequently than the white people know. (The
speaker told of a case in a Washington department store.)
These things make me
think of the hunter who crawled into a
hollow log for shelter from the rain, which
contracted the wood so that he was unable
to escape. He resigned himself to die. and
started thinking of all the evil deeds of
his life. At last he remembered a colored
man he had discharged simply for his color.
and then he felt so small he crawled out
of the hole again! (Laughter.)
When I taught in a high school in Washington I used to urge my pupils to get as
good an education as thev could. so as to
be able to advance themselves in life. More
than once a girl or boy would say: "Why
are you urging us to get a thorough education? We cannot all be ministers or
lawyers or doctors, and besides that there
are only a few menial positions that colored
people can get." This lack of incentive to
effort has such a depressing effect on thousands and thousands of colored boys and
girls in this country as it is impossible for
the average white American to understand.
"Leave hope • ehind, all ye that enter
b
here" is printed on the hearts of many
colored men and women. The outlook for
colored men . is bad enough, out for colored
women this cruel, unreasonable prejudice
means in many instances misery and despair. Many a well-intentioned, virtue-loving colored girl has been led, from her
point of view, to live a life of shame, because is was impossible for her to secure
employment. With the exception of teaching,
where the supply far exceeds the demand.
and cooking, sewing and nursing. there is
practically nothing a colored girl can get
to do. Colored girls are often sent as servants to houses of ill fame where they
would not dare send white girls. Surely
the moth ers anrl fa.thP.r!': of the dominant
I did not come here to answer
Will you kindly tell us . hoy,
colored people regard the Japanese fi'
country?
·
A: I have never sounded more .
very few on the subject, but perso·
have the greatest admiration for th,
wish for their success. (Applause.)
Q : Would it not be better for
persecuted races to band together a
in unison?
~A : What do you mean-the Irish
Hebrews and the colored men? If'
suit would not be like the Kilke
it would be very fine. (Laughter.YQ: Are the Jews any better of!'.
colored people?
:) .
A: E ven the Jews in Russia are
badly off as the colored people in
This is "Jack" London, who hns done s o much
Q: If the cause of this -prejudice is
actually to bring Ford Hall Folks to its readance, why don't more colored peop:
ers, and who has all the cares and responsibilities of being its business manager.
advantage of an opportunity for ;
like this at Ford Hall?
,
A: There are comparatively fe·w
existing conditions in the United States!
(Applause.) A white mother knows that if people in Boston, and they haleit is in her baby to be great all the exterior church affiliations, which· are like ~
conditions are his without the asking_ From them. I suppose that is the reason.
his birth he is a king in his own right, and it does not excuse them.
Q: Do you think the colored _
is no suppliant for justice. But how great
the North are contented with the'
the contrast with the colored mother! Before her ·b aby the colored mother sees the
tion?
•··
A: By no means. Why should'_
thorny path of race prejudice which his
Their only advantage over the coI
little feet must tread. So rough does the
way of her infant appear to many a poor ple of the South is the possibility
colored mother that she trembles with ap- ing justice in the courts of raw.• ·
Q: Is not the only hope of the ·b
prehension and despair.
This picture is not a whit overdrawn to merge with the white race, SJ1
or exaggerated.
But we are not sit- that the desire of educated colo~
A: It is not their desire as a w)i,
ting supinely by.
God has blessed
Q (Mr. Bodfish): What is beilJg;
us with a cheerful spirit, and more
the South to teach the colored
than you think are up and doing.
till the· soil. and o'wn their own .
Whenever we get such a splendid chance as
I have tonight, we are appealing to our . a means of disarming prejudice?
A: A great deal, but the col,
large-hearted. broadminded brothers and
sisters of . the dominant race to observe who has had that training is oft, .
themselves, and teach their children to ob- - who is discriminated against the~
A (Mr . Meltzer): After the
serve, the principles of justice and liberty,
and above all, equality of opportunity, upon is enlightened and the colored
which this country was founded. We are emancipated. is it not left for
asking them to teach their children to judge and the white man to march
people by their intrinsic merit rather than ward the Millennium?
by the adventitious circumstances of race
A: I think so.
or color. and that if they prevent their
Q : Will you mention one
colored brothers from earning an honest that is closed to colored men?
living the Father of all men will hold them
A: In Washington there ar;.
A:
Q:
1
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lawyers or UU\,;l..l.JJ.O, t..o..u.u ... .., _ __ •
are only a few menial positions that colored
people can get." This lack of incentive to
effort has such a depressing effect on thousands and thousands of colored boys and
girls in this country as it is impossible for
the average white American to understand.
"Leave hope behind, all ye that enter
here" is printed on the hearts of many
colored men and women. The outlook for
colored men . is bad enough, out for colored
women this cruel, unreasonable prejudice
means in many •instances misery and despair. Many a well-intentioned, virtue-loving colored girl has been led, from her
point of view, to live a life of shame, because is was impossible for her to secure
employment. With the exception of teaching,
where the supply far exceeds the demand,
and cooking, sewing and nursing. there is
practically nothing a colored girl can get
to do. Colored girls are often sent as servants to houses of ill fame where they
would not dare send white girls. Surely
the mothers and fathers of the dominant
race, no matter how much personally they
may dislike colored people, are willing to
agree that colored girls should receive the
same protection as white girls! Therefore
those of you who are reallv interested in
the moral welfare of colored people cannot
consistently ignore this boycott which so
seriously hampers the colored girl in her
desperate struggle for existence, and so
0ften leads to her moral ruin. The thing to
do is to create a wholesome public opinion
which will open trades and occupations to
colored girls. So long as the womanhood
of any- race is sacrificed ·with impunity on
the altar of lust. so long is the womanhood
of no race absolutely secure. (Applause.)
But in soite of these untoward conditions
to which I have referred, remember that
statistics show that immorality among colored women in the United States is not so
l!'reat as among women similarly situated in
:i.t least five foreign countries. And one of
thP. most encouraging and hopeful signs of
colored American orogress is the high
moral standard in which those of the race
who have had the advantag-es of education
and moral training religiously believe. and
to which they rigidly adhere. We are doing everything in our power as colored
people to work out our own salvation. We
are trying to imnress upon our children the
necessity of cultivating their minds and being honest and energetic and industrious.
But how difficult it is for a colored ·mother
to inspire her children with hope under the
undrums. (Laughter.)
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little ·feet must tread. ::;o n,u:;,u ~~-way of her infant appear to many a poor
colored mother that she trembles with a pprehension and despair.
This picture is not a whit overdrawn
or exaggerated.
But we are not sitting supinely by.
God has blessed
us with a cheerful spirit, and more
than you think are up and doing.
Whenever we get such a splendid chance as
I have tonight, we are . appealing to our
large-hearted, broadminded brothers and
sisters of . the dominant race to observe
themselves, and teach their children to ob- ·
serve, the principles of justice and liberty,
and above all, equality of opportunity. upon
which this country was founded. We are
asking them to teach their children to judge
people by their intrinsic merit rather than
by the adventitious circumstances of race
or color, and that if they prevent their
colored brothers from earning an honest
living the Father of all men will hold them
responsible for the human wrecks they will
make. In . the name of American childhood
-black as well as white-we implore you
to make the future of our boys and girls
as bright as should be that of every child
in a country which owes its existence to the
love of liberty in the human heart. (Applause.)
In the race problem there is much that
is complicated and vexatious; but I believe
the American people will break these bonds
as they did those of slavery, and afford the
colored man the opportunity of reaching the
highest point it is possible for him to attain.
The feelings o! the Son of Ham toward this
country may be expressed by the words of
the old song. "With all her faults, I love
her still." The colored American is no ingrate. He knows he is a debtor to the
American nation for favors past and present, and the majority of colored people if
offered the opportunity to leave this land
would indignantly spurn it. Uncle Sam is
still being trusted and loyally served by
the faithful, trusting, grateful Sons of Ham.
THE QUESTIONS.
· (Continued from Page 6.)
Q : Isn't the race prejudice nowadays due
to the fact that the colored man is competin~ economically with the white man, as he
did not immediately after his emancipation?
A: That is undoubtedly true, to a large
extent.
Q: What is the attitude of ex-President
Roosevelt toward .the colored people?
E. L. Grimes Company, Printers, ~
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pie of the ::;ouLu i::, cu., ,,v•o w 111 t
ing justice in the courts of la"· 'J'
Q: Is not the only hope of the\.
to merge with the white race. a
that the desire of educated color:f
A: It is not their desire as a"'. 1
Q (Mr. Bodfish) : What is bein
the South to teach the colored g
till the · soil and own their own
. a means of disarming prejudice?
A: A great deal, but the col
who has had that training is often
who is discriminated a gainst the 1
A (Mr. Meltzer): After the "'
is enlightened and the colored race
emancipated, is it not left for
and the white man to march tog,
ward the Millennium?
A: I think so.
Q: Will you mention one
that is closed to colored men?
A: In Washington there are
Q: What is the religion of the
negro?
A : I have n ever been in Africa
but he bas a religion, and he is a v
man-he never learned immorality
came here.
.
Q (Mr. Cosgrove):
Did any f,
civilization manifest itself among
colored people in Africa before they
to this country?
•
A: I have read that there Wei'!
universities in Africa before there w,
in England.
.,
Q : Can you point out some class or
that stands for equality for the
race?
A : I think I know one-the S
(Applause.)
Q (A boy): Is there still a gm
tween the North and South in r
slavery?
A: None whatever, son.
Q (Mr. Harbour) : Do you think
equality possible between the black.
white?
..
A: I can see it all over the counti,.:
have it here tonight, in a way.
Q (Mr. Fraser): How does tbe
of the people in the West Indies
with that here?
A : The relations there are most
There is practically no friction .
Q: How would you suggest uni
the friends of the colored people?
A: They would be united if they
the conditions; so I should say, by
ening them.
Pearl Street, Boston, Mass.
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f New York will discuss '' Religion
lution. '' Following close on the
farry Ward's remarkable address
nge of Soda/ism to Christianity' '
.o link inextricably in the minds of udience the very intimate relation
should exist between the religious
~ social motive in any effective
1 reconstruction. Dr. Hall is the
m Hall, one of the most famous
ica has ever kno,vn, and he himsel{
rical gift as well as the delightful
~ Ireland . . One of Cooper Union's'.
:;peakers, he scored a big hit here,
so ago on '' The Morals qf Anarchy
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:public ' '
1 OLUME
V
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MAGAZIN ·E
-NUMBER
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NEIGHBORLINESS
· MARCH 15, 1914
21
; -~ -
PRICE FIVE CENTS
OUR SIXT_HBIRTHDAY NUMBER
SOLVING THE RIDDLE OF DEMOCRACY
By GEORGE W. COLEMAN
HE Ford Hall meetings are six
years old.
They have now a
wide reputation. A sc.-ore or more
of similar popular forums have
been instituted in other cities and
States by those who got their inspiration
trom Ford Hall. For more than five years,
Ford Hall has not been large enough to accommodate the crowds who desire to attend.
The most famous speakers in the country
gladly give their. services to Ford Hall, even
tllough their regular charge for platform enClgements is from fifty to a hundred dollars and expenses. Likewise some of the
alllest musicians generously give their serYlees for the good of the cause. The chair.Illian ,and director of the meetings and the
Iliad usher and .his assistants likewise give
IMlr services without compensation.
· The Boston Baptist Social Union gives the
Cnle '.1158 of the hall, appropriates the money
~ for running expenses from the
~ funds. and makes itself responsible for
• management of the meetings.
W'bat
from
sacri. . and .are the resultswhat isall this worth
devotion. and
really
Wld1e In all this superficial evidence of sue. , _? The answer to that question can
~
be outlined within these limits.
Of the greatest .results from this s ix
York is a totally unexpected one and
QhunJnation to the old sa yin"' that it
re blessed to gi\·e than to"'' receive.
lhe Ford Hall meetin gs have been inInspired and maintained by a
age.ncy Without seekin g the least adfor itself, asking onl y for a chance
~ t hers, I wonder if the "'reatest
d meetir:gs have accompl~hed is
~ ln their refl ex action on the
·
lbemsel\·es. Let one single fact
lle. th e correctn ess of that state'~
~ re th an a sco re of churches have
~e~~o~s employed at Ford H al l.
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effect on the speaker himself. Many a man anarchists, agnostics and atheists. Nearly
and woman exerting a wide influence as a half of our people are Jews. Catholics and
leader of our civilization has gotten a won- Protestants, loyal to their faith, are happy
derful tonic from his or her contact with the
in our midst. Besides large numbers of the
Ford Hall audience.
working class will be found a ·due proportion
Mr. James Schermerhorn, editor of the De- of business and professional :t;11en and womtroit Times, ·and a speaker .much in demand en. One would naturally suppose -that such
all over the country, has since his experi- a combination of elements would furnish
ence in addressing the Ford Hall audience ideal material for a spiritual explosion and
-carried the message of our work wherever conrtagration. How could you uring tohe has gone. In a recent article in his paper gether elements more fiercely antagonistic?
Yet, in all my six years of presiding over
he draws a word picture of the ideal city by
gathering into one municipality the best that heterogeneo.us company, in the midst of
things he had found in a score of our lead- the most exciting discussions and wlien the
ing American cities. In making his selec- emotions were most profoundly stirred,
tion from Boston's many attractions he · there has never ueen a disturbance and
picked the Boston Common, the Public Li- there was never a moment when the chairbrary, the Ford Hall Meetings, the ·Christian man had to use a gavel nor when the audi-'
ence has lost control of itself:
Science ·Monitor.
That is a truly remarkable accomplishment in the interest of our democratic life.
I do not think its significance can be easily
exaggerated. If a little cosmopolitan world
of several thousand people in Boston can
make a record like that, it can be repeated
all over our country and on any scale you
please. There is the answer to those who
are filled with gloom over the growing polyglot nature of our population.
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FORD HALL.
(A Dream and a Symbol.)
By Angela Morgan.
I dreamed I saw a wonder-ship, a ship of
fire, a ship of light.
Bound for a far and splendid goal,
A barge of freedom for the soul
Ablaze upon the night.
Crowded from deck to deck was she
With throngs that hungered to be free;
From rail to rail. and mast to mast
A thousand hands were clinging fa~t
To truth and justice. found at last.
r,
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of ligh t . 0 . shio_of 2:old~ __
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e..~'i;n s generuu .... _ . . .
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t 111usic .,, 00 d of the cause.
The cnan-
f ~ tor of th e meetings and the
... 4 j !~d his assistants lik_ewi se give
tor th
picked the Boston comwuu , ---~ .
brary, the Ford Hall Meetings, the Christian
Science Monitor .
111an 11c1u 1.v __ _
ence has Jost control of itsea.
That is a truly remarkable accomplishment in th e interest of our democratic life.
I do not think its significauce can be easily
exaggerated. If a little cosmopolitan world
of several thousand people in Boston can
make a record like that, it can be repeated
all over our country and on any scale you
please. There is the answer to those who
are filled with gloom over the growing polyglot nature of our population.
~
without compensation .
.:.-1ces Baptist Social u mon gives th e
·
· ·
--• •
hall, appropriates the money
f r runnin.,. expenses from the
~ - ~d make; itself_ responsible for
· ~ment of the meetmgs.
.
_
,,,_~- the results . from_ all this sacndevotion. and w_hat is_ really worth
ID all this superficial evidenc~ of suci.Tbe answer ~o . that que~ti<?n can
be.-0utlined withm these llmit~. .
ol. the greatest .results from this six
work is a totally unexpected one and
ll)amination to the old saying, tha~ it
re blessed to give than to receive.
tJae Ford Hall meetings have been inInspired and maintained by a
agency without seeking the least ad_tor itself, asking onl y for a chance
88l'Ye others, I wonder if the _greate~t
these meetings have accomplished is
d ·in their reflex action on the
es themselves. Let one single fact
1u the correctness of that stateMore than ·a score of churches have
the methods employed at Ford Hall,
hardly a day goes by without some
la ·1s eagerly inquiring the way. The
ed attitude of individual church people
GEORGE "IT'. COLEMAN.
d social and economic problems, and
changed feeling toward those who are
The biggest thing by all odds that we
aDJjlentlfied with organized religion is an- have accomplished is the demonstration
.
·. llappy result toward which the Ford through a period of six years without a sin~eetings have made no inconsiderable gle failure or relapse that ·the most uncom' ilatribution.
a
promisingly antagnostic elements in our cos· Oil !}le other . hand. those outside the mopolitan American life can be brought tohes who atterid Ford Hall, while still gether and kept together in peace ·and mu: unsympathetic with any form of ory
tual respect while they thresh out with perpnlsed religion, have · lost much of their
fect frankness and freedom all the great
l'llnner bitterness, and are more open to problems that are a part of our common,
Jalr considerations, and have learned to
every-day life. We have discussed great
bcil~ and love many a representative of the religious questions like immortality and per.
du1rch aud s:i\nagogue . . Some few, Catholics,
sonal responsibility, intimate personal probrn,testants and Jews, have under the infiu- · lems, such as sex hygiene and eugenics, big
mee •o~ the Ford Hall spirit been led back social questions like poverty and disease, farto their abandoned faiths . Practically all
reaching economic platforms such as the
who have identified themselves with our single tax and Socialism. and new political
work _for any length of time have learned issues such as the•initiative and referendum.
ID respect each other's religious views.
And we have discussed these issues pro and
Another great work accomplished by our con. It is a matter of indifference to us
JD8e!,ings is also in the nature of a by-prod- largelyjlliYhich sid~ of a ?-uest~on the speak~r
~c~ We have had on our platform . during
takes, ior the audience mvanably sees to 1t
Past six years nearly a hundred of the before h e is through that he does not have
..__Ing speakers of the country. Not one of
thin gs all his own way.
has failed to comment on the remarkIn our audience there are always present
•l\ character of our audience a nd its vital 1·ery considerable groups of Socialists,
8°6-f;e
....
,
.
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FORD HALL.
(A Dream and a Symbol.)
By Angela Morgan.
I dreamed I saw a wonder-ship, a ship of
fire, a ship of light,
Bound for a far and splendid goal,
A barge of freedom for the soul
Ablaze upon the night.
Crowded from deck to deck was she
With throngs that hungered to be free;
From rail to rail, and mast to mast,
A thousand hands were clinging fast
To truth and justice, found at last.
0 , ship of light, 0 , ship of gold,
0, ship of human brotherhood,
What wealth of treasure in thy hold
And knowledge for the people's good !
Thou art the hope of humankind,
A trail of glory for the blind,
Bondage and terror cease to be
For those who cling to thee.
I dreamed I saw a wonder-ship, a ship of
.
gold, a ship of flame,
And all the waters and the sky blazed ruddy
where it came.
Its sails were made of living fire,
Fanned by the breath of God's desire,
And lifted human . faces y earned
To where the glory burned.
While over all the blackened sea,
Where slavery and sorrow be,
Triumphed the torch of 1ibert:r.
0 ship of fire. 0 torch of hope,
0 herald of a better day,
Light up the way for those who gropeLight up the way, light up the way!
Thy name is freedom from despair,
Thy name is love, thy name is prayer,
And all the future thrills to see
Thy mighty destiny!
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FORD HALL FOLKS
2
THE
STORY
OF THE
FORD
MEETINGS.
HALL
By Mary C. Crawford, Secretary.
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The Yoiith's Companion, with the entire
able to impregnate even cold and so
control of a magniticent building on Beacon suspicious Boston audiences with a
Hill, in one portion of which is a hall adthe Cooper Union spirit. The speakera,
mirably suited to forum purposes. More- !irst season, and the subjects which
ever, there was at the disposal of the Union
discussed were--besides Sprague S
a considerable income which Mr. Ford had Rabbi Samuel Schulman of _New Y<iii,
devised in his will to be used, as the Union "What the Jew Has Done for the ··
should see fit, to "soften the inevitable con- and What the World Has Done to the.
fiict" already clear to his keen sight be- Rev. Leighton Williams, D.D., on "Th~
tween the opposed forces of capital and la- ocratic Gospel"; Rev. Thomas R\ S
bor. The task to which Mr. Coleman im- D.D., on "Three Ways of Doing Go~
mediately addressed himself, therefore, was Rev. Thomas C. Hall, D.D., on ''The"
the preparing of the way for the introduc- tion of Modern Christian Life to thei
tion in Boston, under the auspices of the Problem." All preachers, please note.
Baptist Social Union, of meetings like the and this is the important point, no(
Their names were
one he had just attended at the Cooper tiseci as snch.
without any handles whatever in all
Union, New York.
Two prayerful, careful years were now printed matter; what was said of them
spent in laying the foundations of his that they had been "frequently welco:
project. Though young, Mr. Coleman is not the great Sunday evening vVork·
precipitate; though enthusiastic, he is not Meetings in Cooper Union."
Yet, even with these very w<in1
rash. And he has the farsight and the
foresight, the persistence and · the patience speakers and with all that wide an
which always mark the men of real tactful advertising, the largest audie
sembled, during the first season, in ..
power.
Finally, he persuaded the Social Union' s that can hold about twelve or thirte
Committee on Christian 'Nork to grant him dred, numbered only five hundred.
a few hundred dollars and the use of Ford average attendance was less than fo
Obviously the thing would have:
Hall on six successive Sunday evenings;
early in 1908, in order that he might try "worked up" iri an organized and s
out his idea. The enormous difficulties tic way.
That was where the paid secreta
which -he had to overcome, not only with
in.- Right here, at the risk of - eingb
his committee, but with the suspicious outwhat personal, I am going to dwell
side public, can only be hinted at here. With
moment on the relation of an executi:
what tact and courage these difficulties were
retary to a forum which hopes to do a;
met would take a column to relate. To interest the labor leaders in his project Mr. Cole- and valuable work. A good many m
· !Dan personally addressed their delegates of Mr. Coleman's committee could not
see why a paid worker was necessary
In a smoke-heavy atmosphere one Sunday
a_fternoon; and though they listened atten- success of his undertaking, ·when he·.
to ask them for funds with which totively, they probably cared much less for
th e scheme as it looked to them, than for
tinue his experiment the second year:
~he ~arnest, clear-eyed man who was urg- many people who write or call in se
mg it upon them. But, one of their num- information as to how . they may
ber, Henry Abrahams, was to speak at the forums do not see now why hiring a_
firS t m~etmg, an~ it is customary in Boston and announcing an attractive list of
l3:bor circles to · rally round Henry." If the ers is not all that needs to be done.
mght were fair and they felt like it, many fact is, however, that we live in an age
inated by publicity. People do not g~
of th e labor men would very likely come.
The night was not fair. It was, in fact, where or do anything nowadays Wl
cold and disagreeable.-that first night of having had their attention called repea
to the particular duty or opportunit.1
the Ford Hall :\Ieetings, February 23, 1908
volved. Boston is honey-combed with o
-and. although the meeting had been ver;
izations which are holding free meetings
w_idely advertised_ by window-ca rds. by paid
display 5 );ace m the newspapers, by Sunday; but most of them are merelY ~
"write-up s. and by circulars in Italian. Ene-- ing- timP. hi'.\.-. ...~ - -- · ·-
At the very begimning of this
sketch it is meet
to pay tribute to
the late, Charles
·,spnagire Smith
of The People's
'' ' "' ,) Institute, . New
__
',t\,. ,. York-the man
r:;;;: ;. who struck out
:.. · s- at
the Coope;
Union in that
city, the Sunday
night ·experiment
upon which.
George vV. Coleman C'f Boston
1 ate r modelled
these
meetings
at Ford Hall. A very remarkable man was ·
Sprague Smith-a scholar, a poet. and one
who had come, through deep tribulation, to
feel a compelling passion for humanity, exactly the man to fan into flame the alreadykindled enthusiasm of Mr. Coleman, when
the latter came to him, aglow with his plans
and asked for suggestions and co-operation. ·
It was while seated in the Pullman of a
Southern expresit steaming towards New
York, that the rf oper Union Meetings were
first brought a:::Jl'estingly to Mr. Coleman's
attention. Wi;, the man who had been attending a reli* ous convention in his cornpany he was talking of the various religious
movements of our time, when the former
observed, "If only the church, now, .co_
uld
get the people. as the Cooper Union does
on Sunday evenings! Ever been to one of
their meetings?" Mr. Coleman replied that
he never had. But, after a moment of reflection, he added, "I'd greatly like to,
though, and I think I will stay over in New
York tomorrow for the sake of going."
That resolution was the beginning of the
Ford Hall Meetings. For upon the warm
and sympathetic nature of the Boston man
Prof. Charles Prospero Fagnani's address &t
Cooper Union, that next night, and the
unique audience there gathered to listen
and ask questions after the lecture. made
a profound and an indelible impression. At
the Cooper Union the Russian Jew. still
quivermg from recent persecution~ in..JJis___lish
~.,+1 .. ,,... .... 1 .... - . . l
<l':'t_,.
~nrl y ; ,1,1; ~1,
· '· ·
Ai!Y o:
'
tiseme
which:
what:
Ham · i
the Ham;
·America:
and me
- weighed ~
g; but thl
to consider:
this rear
\
- -
who had come, through deep tribulation, to
feel a compelling passion for humanity, exactly the man to fan into flame the alreadykindled enthusiasm of Mr. Coleman, when
the latter came to him, aglow with his plans
and asked for suggestions and co-operation.
It was while seated in the Pullman of a
Southern express, steaming towards New .
· York, that the Cooper Union Meetings were
first brought arrestingly to Mr. Coleman's
attention. With the man who had been at., tending a religious convention in his com·pany he was talking of the various religious
movements of our time, when the former
observed, "If on·ly the church, now, .could
get the people. as the Cooper Union does
on Sunday evenings! Ever been to one of
their meetings?" Mr. Coleman replied that
he never had. But, after a moment of reflection, he added, "I'd greatly like to,
though, and I think I will stay over in New
York tomorrow for the sake of going."
That resolution was the beginning of the
Ford Hall Meetings. For upon the warm
and sympathetic nature of the Boston man
Prof. Charles Prospero Fagnani's address at
Cooper Union, that next night, and · the
unique audience there gathered to listen
and ask questions after the lecture. made
a profound and an indelible impression. At
the Cooper Union the Russian Jew, still
quivering from recent persecutions in his
Fatherland, may be seen sitting close by the
side of the up-town youth whose interest in
social questions has just been awakened.
And together these two will applaud the
strirring utterances of a Fagnani. a John
Spargo, or a Morris Hillquit.
When the
time comes for questions, the custom-tailored man and his shabby neighbor may rise
to their feet almost at the same second.
Yet, because the glowing eyes of the Russian have more quickly caught those of the
presiding officer, .his question, in barbarous
English, will be listened to first, and every
effort will_ be made by the chairman and
speaker to give him the additional information for which · he is hungering. "This is
brotherhood, social justice, real democracy
and applied ·Christianity in one," thought
George W. Coleman, looking on. "Oh, if
we in Boston could only have such meetings as this on Sunday evenings! If, ij I
could only get the Baptist Social Union to
stand for them!"
For Mr. Coleman was at that time president of the splendid body of laymen known
as the Boston Baptist Social Union, and
this body had been endowed by the will of
the late Daniel Sharp· Ford,· publisher of
Note.--Owin;:!' to tb<> exi;:!'encies of sp:t c<'. part
of Miss Crawford 's '\":llnable :irticl<' has bod to
he omitted, the omissions being m:irkecl h;s- a ster_isks. The article is to be reprinte:l. later in fuJJ,
Finally, he persuaded the Social Union's
Committee on Christian ·work to grant him
a few hundred dollars and the use of Ford
Hall on six successive Sunday evenings,
early in 1908, in order that he might try
out his idea. The enormous difficulties
which he had to overcome, not only with
his committee, but with the suspicious outside public, can only be hinted at here. With
what tact and courage these difficulties were
met would take a column to relate. To interest the labor leaders in his project Mr. Cole. man personally addressed their delegates
in· a smoke-heavy atmosphere one Sunday
afternoon; and though they listened attentively, they probably cared much less for
the scheme as it looked to them, than for
th·e earnest, clear-eyed man who was urging it upon them. But, one of their number, Henry Abrahams, was to speak at the
first meeting, and it is customary in Boston
labor circles to •'rally round Henry." If the
night were fair and they felt like it, many
of the labor men would very likely come.
The night was not fair. It was, in fact,
cold and disagreeable,-that first night of
the Ford Hall Meetings, February 23, 1908,
-and, although the meeting had been very
widely advertised by window-cards, by paid
display space in the newspapers, by
··write-ups," and by circulars in Italian, English and Yiddish, there were only one hundred and fifty people present.
I felt myself a great deal of a pioneer
when I climbed Beacon Hill the second
night of the series, to see what kind of
thing it :was that was going on up there under Baptist auspices. Sprague Smith of the
Cooper Union was -the advertised speaker
that night and the topic announced was
'"The Brotherhood of Man." Two hundred
and seventy people were present by actual
count. But I think every person of that two
hundred and seventy must have resolved, as
did the present writer, not to miss a single other meeting in that splendid course
of six. Kever shall I forget the grandeur
of that evening's address, its impassioned
appeal to all that is most idealistic in
human nature and its exquisitely poetic
form! lts tone was as exalted as that of
Browning' s " Saul," and I shall always count
myself extremely fortunate in belng so introduced to the movement in which I was
soon to share as a paid worker. Nor was
there any let-down in the other four addresses of that initial sj'lason. For Mr. Coleman had had the good judgment to choose
.only tried and true Cooper Union speakers
for his experimental series,-men skilled in
the presentation of a subject ethical but not
religious, social but not merely economic.
Bringing with them the Cooper Union tone
and Coo'per Union topics, these men were
__ .._ ~.._,~l.
\\
<illd.i
sembled, during the first season, in
that can hold about twelve or thirte 1
dred, numbered only five hundred ea
average attendance was less tha~
dred. Obviously the thing would haYe
"worked up" in an organized and s
tic way.
That was where the paid secretary
in. Right here, at the risk of being
what personal, I am going to dweu
moment on the relation of an executiv,
retazy to a forum which hopes to do a
and valuable work. A good many me
of Mr. Coleman's committee could not
see why a paid worker was necessary to
success of his undertaking, ·when he
to ask them for funds with which to
tinue his experiment the second year
many people who write or call in sea
information as to how they may
forums do not see now why hiring a
and announcinl5 an attractive list of 6
ers is not all that needs to be done.
fact is, however, that we live in an age
inated by publicity. People do not go
where or do anything nowadays Wi
having had their attention called repeat,
to the particular duty or opportunity
volved. Boston is honey-combed with o
izations which are holding free meetings
Sunday; but most of them are merely m
ing time because they only get out a h
ful of people; it is not worth the new.
pers' while, therefore, to " cover" what
there said, no matter how startling or h,
important.
Thirteen hundred people, on the o
hand, hear the Ford Hall speakers
Sunday night of the season. And m:
times thirteen thousand people get the g·
Qf what goes on there through the repo
printed in the newspapers next day. If
crowds fell off our newspaper opportunitie!
would fall off, also. At the beginning it wa!.
the job of the paid secretary to get the hail:
packed. It is her job today to keep h
packed. This task is, of course, considerably easier than it was. But it is not yet
possible-and I believe it will never be-to
slacken effort in this particular. Our opportunity to large usefulness at Ford Hall
is in direct proportion, I believe, to the size
of the crowd which we turn away each Sunday night.
To those . who desire to start a successful
forum I always say, at once, therefore:
There are two supremely important things:
(1) securing for your presiding officer a
man as much like Mr. Coleman as you can
possibly find, and ( 2) concentration on the
problem of packing your house.
With all kinds of co-operation from the
labor unions and the press and with verr
strenuous work on the publicity side, we at
· ( Continued on Page 4.)
r:
.U C
U
think of the
yer'" recent
past,· for the
awakening of
the American
people a f t e r
- ' the dark chap~
ter of American slaverY is
one
of
the
most thrilling
episodes
in
history. As
slavery is one
of the black· ·
the consecration of many
:a 80
noblest sons and daugl1ters
of the slaves is one of the sub·
To--emancipate, educate and elevate
that had been reduced almost to
- of brutes, there went torth an
11
)leroic men and women from your
4 o( the country.
,re think of the Herculean efforts
)lave been put forth in the colored
1,ehalf, it is natural that we should
,t her as a beneficiary the negro can
:oater today. View the colored man:s
,'WOl'S in any field-as a student, lil
and trade so far as he has been
to'"go; behold proofs of his patriotism
pd citizenship; and surely no honest
will say that the sacrifice and the
have been given in vain. For nearyears the colored man has been en·
~ g to make himself worthy of the
be so admires. Fifty years ago nearly
colored people were illiterate; •now onlY
Jel' cent. are so; and most of this iniaetD81 progress has been made in the
llaDL. . The most coveted prizes of your
. . . ·HarVard have been carried off by
calli'ed boys. (The speaker then read sta•
1lldcs from The Crisis and elsewhere to
.,_ the high standard of colored people
la tcholarship and in the professions and
trades.)
·Jt 'would seem that the progress of the
Cllllored people would satisfy the mosteX·
atmg demands. And among what circumltances was this progress gained? Along
line! th~ colored roan has found huge
cles m his path. In some sections the
COiored man is a victim of both lawlessness
111d" law, and everywhere of prejudice.
.lA4 where, pray, are the men and women
but a few years ago so courageously
Yocated the colored man' s cause? Echo
answers, where? The tide has set against
~ colored man. By an exaggeration of his
colees and an obscuring of his progress, the
, lored man's enemies have almost suc~ed in persuading the whole world that
1>ru are martyrs and the coJored roan a
te. The rapidity with which our foes
·
=
:,:0
-
~ ~edspbeeches and tbe questions nnd · answers
Y Miriam Allen de Ford.
-- ---- -
-
---r-- - - - - -
---
----- --·
1·
rn
<Lu1,:: c.u 1111pregnate even cold and sollle·
suspicious Boston audiences with a
the Cooper. Union spirit. The speakera,
tirst season, and the subjects Which
disctiss_
ed were-besides Sprague s
Rabbi Samuel Schulman of New Yort,
··What the Jew Has Done for the '\ti
and What the World Has Done to the ·
Re v. Leighton Williams, D.D., on "Th~
ocratic Gospel"; Rev. Thomas R.
D.D., on "'Three Ways of Doing Goad•·
Rev. Thomas C. Hall, D.D., on '"The,'
tion of Iviodern Christian Life to the .
Problem." All preachers, please note.,
and this is the important point, not 1
t·isecl as such. Their names were
without any handles whatever in aJf
printed matter; what was said of them
that they had been "frequently weicom
the great Sunday evening Work· ·
Meetings in Cooper Union."
Yet, even with these very won,
speakers and with all that wide and
tactful advertising, the largest audien
sembled, during the first season, in.
that can hold about twelve or thirteen.
dred, numbered only five hundred. .Al
average attendance was less than
dred. Obviously the thing would hav:
"worked up" in an organized and s ·
tic way.
.
That was where the paid secreta~
in. Right here, at the risk of being,,
what personal, I am going to dwen:
moment on the relation of an executi
retary to a forum which hopes to do a,
and valuable work. A good many m,
of Mr. Coleman's committee could not
see why a paid worker was necessary· success of his undertaking, ·when he· .
to ask them for funds with which .
tinue his experiment the second yea1.
many people who write or call in se
information as to how they may,
'arums do not see now why hiring :
tnd announcing an attractive list of.
irs is not all that needs to be done'.·
act is, however, that we live in an age
nated by publicity. People do not g?
, here or do anything nowadays ,..
.aving had their attention called rep
:, the particular duty or opportuni
olved. Boston is honey-combed with
rntions which are holding free mee
unday; but most of them are merely
tg time because they only get out a..
11 of people; it is not worth the n1
~rs' while, therefore, to "cover" -vr.
.ere said, no matter how startling
1portant.
,.
Thirteen hundred people, on the ·
.nd, hear the Ford Hall speakers
mday night of the season. And .
nes thirteen tho~isana people get tb.
what goes on there through the re,
inted in the newspapers next day.
.
>wds fell off our newspaper opport
uld fall off, also. At t.h "-b e.itiJJJ'.li_ it.
ni?:
fou
UNCLE SAM AND THE SONS OF HAM*
By MARY CHURCH TERRELL
A);Y of you have seen the advertisement of a certain kind of ham,
which declares it to be " the ham
what am." Likewise, .the Son of
Ham is really the Ham what am
the Ham who is so often caricatured
e American press, or the Ham whose
and moral capacity has so often
weighed in the balance and found
g; but the real, genuine Ham. I want
to consider the relationship existing bethis real Son of Ham and his Uncle
The situation is all the
more· strange
wh en
we
think of the
very recent
past, for the
awakenin" of
the Ame~ican
people a ft er
the dark chapter of American slavery is
one
of
the
most thrilling
episodes
in
h is t O r y. As
slavery is one
of the blackpters, so the consecration of many
rica's noblest sons and daughters
f o! the slaves is one of the subTo emancipate, educate and elevate
that had been reduced almost to
_el o! brutes, there wem rorth an
of heroic men and women from your
o( the country.
L.ll'e think of the Herculean efforts ·
Jlaye been put forth in the colored
behalt, it is natural that we should
er as a beneficiary the neo-ro can
r today. View the colored man's
. 1n any field-as a student in
_
&Dd trade so far as he has been
behold Proofs of his patriotism
,.:tizenship; and surely no honest
lla aay th3:t the sacrifice and the
.,.!~been given in vain. For near..- . the colored man has been ento ~ake himself worthy of the
admires. Fifty years ago nearly
f:°Ple were illiterate; now only
are so; and most of this inTb.~ess has been made in the
n 1.rc1.most coveted prizes of your
loy
have been carried off bv
r•
11111111!~~-~~,.,-L~ ~;h~rf~!a~~r,. tl~;~ -~~~~
st_i-
have succeeded in alienating our friends
,s a splendid tribute to the power of these
people, while it resembles nothing so much
as a skillful trick. of legerdemain. And so
it happens that we have lost the interest
or nearly all our former friends.
Sometimes I think that interest is reaching the
vanishing point just as fast as it can.
LJo you say, ··.l!.nough has been done for
the colored man; now· let him shift for
himself?" Do you remember that unhappy
ma:1d in "Titus Andronicus," who, when her
t9.Pgue was cut out and her hands cut oft;,
was bidden to tell the world of her woes ?
. I sometimes think the condition of the
colored man in this country 1s quite similar to hers. Has not race prejudice, forbidding him speech in the press, and keeping .him from securing employment, depnved him of his tongue and his hands·/
'1 here is a great similarity between the
situation before the War and that today.
And even today there are many who realize
that injustice is being done, but there
are very few who dare to attack it. A
large part of the work of the Civil War
has been undone~
The constitutional
amendments which gave the franchise to
the colored people · are today practically a
dead letter in a large section of the United
States; and yet we are scarcely allowed to
mention the subject. • And public wrath is
no longer turned against the sinners, but
against him who dares call the sinner to
repentance. Every da y we hear arguments
to prove it was an egregious error to give
the elective franchise to the negroes; but
who is there who is urging us to obey the
Constitutio1~? It . is inconceivable that any
other law could be so broken without protest. (Applause.) I know many do honestly believe it was a mistake to confer
citizenship on a race held in bondage for
300 years. But law-abiding people seem to
forget that their individual opinions do not
matter. The fact remains that the enfranchisement of the colored people has been
incorporated .in the Constitution of the
U_nited Sla tes. (Applause.) But the pulpit ar:,d the _
press ar~ in the main ?ilent
on this burnm_g quest10~ of human rights.
No one sect10n of this country has any
right to point the finger of scorn at any
other in respect to the treatment of the
color~d pe<?ple, . ex~ept. perhaps in the matter of gettmg Justice m the courts of law.
If this lawlessness resulted in nothing more
than that thousands of colored people were
deprived -0f their right to vote, the matter
~ i"~~;;~ ~ -~IIIP~~tant
~
,~~~l:e. 5,0
a s it is.
But
go forever unpunished. \,Vhat has that to
uo with Uncle Sam and the Sons of Ham·?
Just tn1s: Is it. not true that the shameful
red record of the United · States may be
1a1ge1y accounted for by the impunity with
which colored men and women and chilaren are murdered every day? (Applause.)
And so rapidly has this crime of lynching
spread that now it breaks out not in one
secnon out all over the country.
Few
white men really know or understand this
suoject. Whenever a lynching occurs distinguished gentlemen tell us that if assaults
on white women by colored men , were
stopped lynching would stop.
.Nothing
could oe farther from the truth than that
that is the only cause of lynching. Eighty
or · 85 out of every 100 lynchings are for
other causes. It is the most unusual of all
the crimes for which colored men have
been lynched.
Moreover, often white men
blacken their faces when they are about to
commit crime so that colored men may get
the blame. Remember that some people, in
the United States at least, are born black,
some achi~ve blackness, an:d some have
blackness thrust upon them.
(Laughter
and Applause.)
It is difficult for a colored person to tell
the truth about conditions today without
being accused of bitterness; but one can
be an optimist without closin·g his eyes to
existing conditions. The task imposed upon
the colored people is like that of Sisyphus.
There are few spectacles • more pathetic
than the efforts made by colored fathers
and mothers all over the country to raise
their children properly, in the face of temptations particularly strong and alluring, and
in the midst of the worst possible surroundings. And these very people are condemned for not accomplishing what it is
not. in the power of human beings to perform.
Colored -people are forced everywhere to live in surroundings which throttle
their highest aspirations and kill the desire to improve. They are compelled to
live in districts of protected vice, and rear
their children there. (The speaker read
extracts from the report of the Chicago
Vice Commission proving this.) Thousands
of colored boys and girls are being practically doomed to vice by the government
of the cities in which they live. And yet
we are continually hearing about the evil
tendencies of colored youth. I am told they
are innately vicious. But justice demands
that side by side with their records of
crime t~ere s_hould be Placed the miserable
hovels m wluch these children are ohli·o-~"
,__,_~- ·
I
.
-- 1,.,,_ l1lfi' . . l -~
_
1
worker ,,:as necessar'.I; to
, undertakmg, ·when he
or funds with Which to
:iment the second Year
ho write or call in sea
to 'hqw they may
see now why hiring a
, an attractive list Of
that needs· to be done.
r, that w~ live in an age
bty. People do not g
0
inything :t10wadays Wi
lr attention · called repea
a.r duty or opportunity•
lis hone:i:--combed with 0
are holdmg free meetin1:1•
ist of them are merely
le they only get out a
it is not worth the new
frefore, to "cover'' What
b.atter how startling or
i
f
.
ired people, on the o
fFord Hall speakers
f the season. And
'housand people get the
i there through the reJ)O
ewspapers next day. If
fur newspaper opportuni~
so. At the beginning it
i.id secretary to get the
1ter job today to keep
ask is, of course, consider.
I it was. But it is not yet
believe it will never be--b,
i this particular. Our op.
ge usefulness at Ford Han
ortion, I believe, to the size
ich we turn away each S1111-
f
.'
desire to start a successful
t say, at once, therefore:
t1Premely important things:
your presiding officer a
,e Mr. Coleman as you caD
d (2) concentratio11. on the
ing your house.
l of- c::o-operation from the
i the Press and with veir
,n the publicity side, we at
&ued on Page 4.)
f
/_
01
l.llC
.., ., _ _ _
the consecration of many
..~ . - - : ; S:oblest sons and daughters
·:& the slaves is one of. the subemancipate, educate and elevate
Uaat had been reduced almost to
of brutes, there wenL torth an
1
berolc men and women from your
ol the country.
think of the Herculean efforts
been put forth in the colored
1,ehalf it is natural that we should
~h
'as a beneficiary the negro can
&..
~
today. View the colored man_'s
wors 1n any field-as a student, m
' and trade so far as he has_ b~en ·
~- behold proofs of his patriotism
jood' citizenship; and surely no honest
,.;m· say that the sacrifice and the
pve been given in vain. For nearyears the colored man has been en~ 'to make himself worthy .of the
, lie
'
admires. Fifty years ago nearly
i,)ored people were illiterate; now only
,_. cent. are ·so; and most of this in- l' progress has been made in the
_ The most coveted prizes of your
liarvard have been carried off by
boys. (The speaker then read statrom The Crisis and els·e where to
the high standard of colored people
acholarship .and in the professions and
,.:i
ba;:
so
lea.) ,;1_ -.
no longer turnea agau1~t. u1t :::iuuJ.cJ...,, ...........
against him who- dares call the sinner to
repentance. Every day we hear arguments
to prove it was an egregious error to give
the elective franchise to the negroes; but
who is there who is urging us to obey the
Constitutio1~? It is inconceivable that any
other law could be so broken without protest. (Applause.) I know many do honestly believe it was a mistake to confer
citizenship on a race held in bondage for
300 years. But law-abiding people seem to
forget that their individual opinions <10 not
matter. The fact remains that the enfranchisement of the colored people has been
incorporated in the Constitution of the
United States. (Applause.) But the pulpit and the press are in the main silent
on this burning question of human rights.
No one section of this country has any
right to point the finger of scorn at any
other in respect to the treatment of the
colored people, except perhaps in the matter of getting justice in the courts of law.
If this lawlessness resulted in nothing more
than that thousands of colored people were
deprived -of their right to vote, the matter
would not be so important as it is. But
the violation of one law always leads to
the infraction of another. This country has
more murders than any other in the civilized world. And man,· of these murders
a would
seem that the progress of the
llared ' people would satisfy the mostex- ·
ldfDg demands. And among what circumwas this progress gained? Along
"VJ .line, the colored man has found huge
' .tacles in his path. In some sections the
ealDred man is a victim of both lawlessness
...:· la.w, and everywhere of prejudice .
.1114 where, pray, are the men and women
wllo but a few years ago so courageously
UYOCS.ted the colored man's cause? Echo
llll1fers, where? The tide has set against
~ clCilored man. By an exaggeration of his
Tices and an obscuring of his progress, the
colored man's enemies have almost suceeeded in persuading the whole world that
theJ·.are martyrs and the coJored man a
brute.·. The rapidity with which our foes
.-ces
THE PRAYER
Almighty God, help us to understand that injustice to any one or to
any class or race must inevitably return upon . the hel?fis of those who
countenance it. Make us determined
to live by truth and not by lies, to
found our common life on the eternal
foundations of righteousness and love,
and no longer to prop -the tottering
house of wrong by legalized cruelty
and force. Help us make the welfare
of all the supreme law of our land,
that so our commonwealth may be
built strong and secure on the love of
all .its citizens. Amen.
"Tbe speeches and the questions and · answers
ftported by Miriam Allen de Ford.
. . . . . . . ----o -.----.
the colored people is like that of Sisyphus.
There are few spectacles . more pathetic
than the efforts made by colored fathers
and mothers all over the country to raise
their children properly, in the face of temptations particularly strong and alluring, and
in the midst of the worst possible surroundings. And these very people are condemned for not accomplishing what it is
not. in the power of human beings to perform.
Colored people are forced everywhere to live in surroundings which throttle
their highest aspirations and kill the desire to improve. They are compelled to'
live in districts of protected vice, and rear
their children there. (The speaker read
extracts from the report of the Chicago
Vice Commission proving this.) Thousands
of colored boys and girls are being practically doomed to vice by the government
of the cities in which they live. And yet
we are continually hearing about the evil
tendencies of colored youth. I am told they
are innately vicious. But justice demands
that side by side with their records of
crime there should be placed the miserable
hovels in which these chlldren are obliged
to reside because of their race and color.
Kext to debasing surroundings, that
which is most responsible for the downfall
of colored people is their inability to find
employment. A gentleman tonight has said
that hundreds of men today in Boston are
looking in vain for work. I wonder how
they would feel if they had to say to themselves: "N6 matter how skillful or efficient
I may be, I have the mark on my face which
makes it impossible for me to receive employment." Colored men either are not allowed to enter many unions or are discriminated against in favor . of white people
when they do join. We are told that people
no longer employ negroes because they are
not skillful or reliable.
There is some
truth in the charge, and we are trying to
make our young people feel the need of
gaining these qualities. But unfortunately
the colored boys and girls are not deaf or
blind; they can see for themselves many
cases in which skill and reliability have
aYailed colored people nothing. I myself
(Continued on Page 8.)
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FORD HALL -FOLKS
4
A PROMISE AND A PROPHECY.
THE STORY OF THE FORO HALL
By Thomas Dreier.
MEETINGS.
If I were not absolutely sure in my heart
that the present Ford Hall Folks Magazine
is but a seed from which will spring a
greater publication, I would not spend a
moment of time upon it. Never have I been
able to keep alive for any length of time an
interest in a person or thing that didn't
promise to grow into something bigger and
better. My own passion is to help make
things grow-to plant a few handsful of
seed and reap a harvest.
New England needs a weekly newspaper
that will interpret its industrial and social
life. This weekly must be creative.
It
must tell the exact truth. People demand
· nourishing mental food. They will not entertain for Jong a· person or paper that proclaims the doctrine of calamity. In industry there are always three partners: Capital, Labor and the Public. The first two
must co-operate harmoniously and efficiently to serve the third.
(Continued from Page 2.)
Ford Hall have not found it easy to build
up a large attendance. We packed our
house for the first time on the fourth night
of the second season, when the topic announced was " S'ocialism as I See It," and
the speakers four clergymen, three of whom
were Socialists, while the fourth had been
a miner and was deeply sympathetic with
the workingman. The newspaper comment
on that meeting occupied many columns in
the various papers. For we had turned
away several hundred people. Incidentally,
mighty good things were said from the platform; Ford Hall was henceforth recognized
as a source of "good copy."
Nothing succeeds like success.
At last
the seemingly impossible had been accomplished: A couple of thousand working people had been persuaded to climb Beacon
Hill on a Sunday night in winter, for the
sake of attending a meeting fathered by
Baptists! They have been coming ever
since.. And just as it was a group of parsons who drew the first big crowd. distinguished preachers have been notably successful in attracting large audiences ever
since: Dr. Lyman Abbott. Father Gass-on.
Reginald Campbell of London, Rabbi Wise,
Alexander Irvine, Bishop Charles D. Williams, Shailer Mathews. John Hayne·s
Holmes and Walter Rauschenbusch. Which
shows that the unchurched are quite willing
to listen to preachers when the preachers
-alk about things which interest. them.
That birthday celebration brought out a
great many friendly. enthusiastic tributes
-some from the people and some from
those who have spoken on our platform ;
the letters are all embalmed in a superb,
big red leather scrapbook which was then
presented to Mr. Coleman as a token of love
and appreciation.
The plans for this celebration were carried out through the Ford Hall Folks. a little
nucleus of people bound tog-ether by their
devotion to the Ford Hall idea, who have
been meeting- and havine: suoper together
in Kine:sley Hall at the Ford Building, once
in three ,..,.eeks for two seasons now. Anv
member of the bi~ upstairs audience ma:;.,
t\
lJ:_
·1
.,l
1
Ii -.
THO)IAS DREIER.
;";" t hP ,m~llPr o- r"nn "nrl c- ""~'"'~ .: ............... .... ,., ... :.,
now a feature of each of their
lawyers, doctors and teachers, auth,
book-peddlars and students, settlem,
workers, editors and shop-girls, stenogra1
ers, clerks and day-laborers all mingle
pily in social intercourse under their•-:
pitable auspices, each content to be for;!
time--just one of the Ford Hall Folks. ·.
Out of the Folks gathering grew, also-~
without fear lest the Meetings should '
come too "ritualistic," the choir which:
numbers nearly fifty and helps valiantly•
th€! singing of the social hymns. Some•
t.hese hymns-music as well as won:
have been written by some of the
This notwithstanding the fact that it• ·
with a good deal of misgiving that
Coleman gave out Ford Hall's first
not so very long ago! 'l'he hymn-singi
like the attendance, had to be care
worked up, but, under the direction of:
John Harris Gutterson, the people now
der two social hymns each meeting 1
a good. deal of spirit and feeling. Espe ·
Jy do they enjoy Sprague Smith's "l\!
of Freedom," sung to militant strains_
the "Marseillaise," and Ebenezer Ellii
'·God Save the People," which, . thg1
written nearly four-score years ago, . _
a very modern sound as set to music Cl
posed especially for Ford Hall use. ,._ •
It was during this third year of
Hall's history that volunteer concerts.:
developed. From the . beginning there
been a half-hour concert at each mee
but it had been paid for,-and was of 1ing artistic value. Russell B. Kingm~
young business man with a passion for
sic, advanced the idea that better
could be obtained from volunteers tha·
being had fo- quite a considerable sum,
night. And he . proceeded to prove his
tention. Since then the musicians, !ikEI
speakers, have come without money
without price.
._
If there had been· any doubt as to tb
peal which a purely religious toriic ·
make to the heterogeneous Ford Hall
ence, that doubt was answered when, d
the fourth season, Dr. Lyman Abbott
dressed the biggest crowd of that year
·'Why I Believe in Immortality." Re
was, also, prominently to the fore whf&, '
little later, Right Reverend WilliaIIJ: LI
C
L The Ford
k i:-dat.iYe pow•
""1r within ,,n
]b.ss:1chn~etts.
:To"·n )lectin;;
,rl:lle to the b•
llderin;.: t h e s11
Fa
ronr>a
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~ - The elec1
n
be :1 :110
is who sh::r
.b e st!c•on<l
rily nf :ti
choice.
The :llocJ,
tbc dntiE
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t c rin o
or in
1,,. bin
;,hsen
;: :--t:uu
,wn :\It
he :llod
mode:
slues:+
llo•ler3
I
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he Cle
y •leslr,
Keep1
e To1
Enter
ion 0!1
Prep1
'• beet 1
for
eon
TO\\'Q
the
rlon
lllon
ll a
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...
THOMAS DREIER.
r
l
Ideas of neighborliness must be sent into
the minds of men who are creating the
thoughts that will control the workers in
the tomorrows. Ford Hall is now doing this
work. But Ford Hall, great as is its influence, reaches but a handful of those who
need its teachings. What Ford Hall represents must be made known to the people
who cannot enter the building. · The ideals
of -the Ford Hall leaders must be carried
into the offices of the men and women who
are influencing the thought of the community.
Philip Davis contends that the question
which will receive the greatest attention in
the immediate future is the question oi
Leisure. The new weekly, therefore, must
have in it the elements that give color and
strength- to such weeklies as The St. Louis
Mirror, The San Francisco Argonaut, and
the Minneapolis Bellman. It must represent in its editorial columns, not the world
of industrial strife, but the world of 'industrial peace. It must speak of the people,
of the institutions, of the ideas that make
for beauty and harmony and neighborliness.
Many of us feel sure that such · a weekly
.will grow out of the little publication that
is ·not yet two seasons old. Up to date we
have been able to do little more than report the Sunday meetings. But such interest has been shown in the present publication, small as it is, that the publishers
feel justified in thinking that the day is not
. , ............
""'
J.L.
vva..:,
ct
e,ruup or par-
sons who drew the first big crowd. distinguished preachers have been notably successful in attracting large audiences ever
since: Dr. Lyman Abbott, Father Gasson.
Reginald Campbell of London, Rabbi Wise.
Alexander Irvine, Bishop Charles D. Williams, Shailer Mathews. John Haynes
Holmes and Walter Rauschenbusch. Which ·
shows that the unchurched are quite willing
to listen to preachers when the preachers
talk about things which interest them.
That birthday celebrati- n brought out a
o
great many friendly, enthusiastic tributes
-some from the people and some from
those who have spoken on our platform;
the letters are all embalmed in a superb,
big red leather scrapbook which was then
presented to Mr. Coleman as a token of love
and appreciation.
The plans for this celebration were carried out through the Ford Hall Folks. a little
nucleus of people bound together by their
devotion to the Ford Hall idea, who have
been meetin~ and havin~ sunper together
in Kingsley Hall .at the Ford Building, once
in_ three weeks for two seasons now. Any
member of the big upstairs audience may
join the smaller group and sometimes nearly one hundred persons are present. More
than a hundred of these Folks and their
friends enjoyed a dinner together to mark
the close of the lectures i_ -the spring of
n
1913. Our paper, Ford Hall Folks. now in
its second successful season-it was issued
first on December 29. 1912-was fathered by
this group, and so fittingly bears their name.
The recently inaugurated Ford Hall Town
Meeting is an expression of the Folks' desire .to study Civics together; and they intend, soon. to launch a Credit Union.
Yet of the Folks it may truly enough be
said, as of beauty. that they are their "own
excuse for being." After a short address
by some well-known social worker, which is
far distant when a better weekly will be
published fifty-two weeks in the year. This
may not come next year, or even the year
after. But if the veople who are interested
in developing the neighborhood spirit will
keep thinking of such a publication,
dream_will surely come true.
We get what we desire and in just
measure of desire. Men with a definf
purpose and alive with a burning- desire always find their way through, under, over, or
around any obstacles that obstruct their
path to their goal. Will you_join with us
in thinking into existence a weekly newspaper that will multiply a thousand fold the
work now being done by the folks of Ford
Hall?
the ".Marseillaise," and Ebenezer Pi" ,
" God Save the People," which,
written nearly four-score years ago
a very modern sound as set to music'
posed especially for Ford Hall use. • •
It was during this third year of
Hall's history -that volunteer concerts 1r1
developed. From the beginning there
been a half-hour concert at each rnee
but it had been paid for,-and was of
ing artistic value. Russell B. Kingma._
young business man with a passion for
sic, advanced the idea that better in.
could be obtained from volunteers than •
being had fo- quite a considerable sum
night. And he . proceeded to prove his
tention. Since then the musicians, like ·
speakers, have come without money
without price.
If there had been any doubt as to the
peal which a purely religious topic Ill"
make to the heterogeneous Ford Hall a·
ence, that doubt was answered when, dun
the fourth season, Dr. Lyman Abbott ai
dressed the biggest crowd of that Year ...:.
"Why I Believe in Immortality." Religi(i
was, also, prominently to the fore when,
little later, Right Reverend William La1rence, Episcopal Bishop of Massachusetti.J
spoke on "Has the Church Failed ?"-answering his own question, of course, in the neg»,
tive. And another Bishop, Charles D. WJI.!
liams of Detroit, . Michigan, also came tl!Jl,I
year for the first time.
His topic wai
"Wealth-Productive, Predatory and Pansitic." Thus did the people learn tlw
church dignitaries are not necessarily wit!,.'
out interest in social ideals.
It was during this fourth season of 1910-11
that the most paradoxical thing in all Fori
Hall history happened: when Father Gasson.
a Jesuit, spoke on a Baptist platform-Baptist, at least, in support-advocating antiSocialism to a company of people includinl
a great many ardent Socialists. And it W&!
all done with the utmost good will! Th,
numerical response to that meeting was Ullprec ·?,;:: ed and has been only once sinct
surp ,;!,<";,.: when Mary Antin gave her_addr _:_,¢;,~ che f_ ll of }913, on "The AmenW
a
~·'ci'""- •.- .• y by Day.
-,t_'.&,;J;Jf: ,ary, 1911, Ford Hall celebrated ii!
-::7i:.:fi•t,._, ;:.•-:: •day by a meeting ' at which foll!.
~_,.....~. ::-,.
-~~~_;;; n speakers told "What the For,;
~ ,Meetings Have Done for Boston." On~
minute testimonies from the audience wert
another feature of this occasion and man!
variations were presented of the statement:
"Ford Hall stands for the rights of the other
fellow."
As this richly-packed season came to 1
close with a lecture by Norman Hapgood ot
"The Social Function of the Press," Mr. Cole( Continued on Page 7.)
~
or:1 11• •· ·
~ o , tt,~rntor 1n:·1:,. npp n in t :1 <-itiZPl~ to
1"'1lw.- duel<·~ nf tlll' .-ll:lir for ~u ch JH.•no<.l
o! r,tli<>' :is he 111:1,· <'h'ct.
t~
::'i"rin of
•-~.e
~
:1
va c:in<·y in th<' otli<"<' of .
lo < ... t lw ~loilt•r;1l?l' or t l.1 C c l
•:1:--t.
blDl in :1<•t·or1'l :1 n c•f• 't\·11.ll 1 Il e~ prec·:.
'1Jb·s:ieut :it the l1 ~1 ur to whit·h tl! C- .
• .Of!
•lllJllld• udjourrw<l , th e
clNI< s!r:111
~r<•tln:: to order :1nrl sh:111 pr<
:1ppe:1r or :1 _t<•1upo r:1ry
- . . - a,()der.uor h<' .. 1cctcll wl11c h sh:1ll h<
----=-.,inc;<< In ord er.
.
)lo<l... r:ttor is (')C ·Offi Cl O TIIC'JllbPl' of nil
_
L.-.;;.r
• _..,11),(~dn:ttor
.
Clerk.
~ Clerk mnY :ippoint such nssistan1
at -0e;dre and shall
1,. ~~p tile record of the proceeding
, tlae To= )leeun:;.
1'-- Enter at lar:;e in tile :rom:nal e"\'"ery ,
-. · ttoa of order with tile d ec1s1on tl1e reon
·
c
rrepare and cau se to b e listed on
·• beet for referenc<' " ca lenuar o_f ma
for ("Onsidcr:.1tion at the next ~e~s100 o
To..-n Meetin:;. Such li,t shall he re::~
.as the Order of the Day for the consi•
t1on of t.llP '}'own )lectin;:,: at its nc,xt
.ion anll the matte" n ot ed t11ereon
he considerell in t h eir unc or(l cr unles s
e-rwlsc speci:1lly yoted by tile '.[own )
Ii»:- AnY ohjection to tbe c:1lt>nl:1r sba
mllde and dispose<l of before t he 1
· ~leetin;:,: votes to proct>ed to tile consi•
tlon of tbe Orders of tl1e Day.
'J>. Prepare and cause to be Ji,te :l on
sheet a list of matters lying on tile t n 1
Sergeant at Arms.
The Ser;:,:eant at Arms shall b e re spon
, - .I.be preser"\'"ation of tile order alll1 <lecoru
cw Town )leeting. He ma~· select s uch a,
ou, doorkeeper s, and otber officer, as Il e
Melll neces,ary. Ile sball exe<;ut e tbe orde1
di,, llodcrat or or the Town '.\lt•etiu;:,: and
11,att the custody of the prop<'rtY of tlle 1
)IN-tin;:,: oth er tba n the r c<·orcls p roper ly it1
e,o,ctodY of the clerk.
.
Comn1ittees .
.!I. The foll owin:; stantlin;:,: committees sha
tlfocted by ballot from the , citiZ<' llS of til e 'J
)leetln;:,: : •
_\. A Committee on Rules. to consist o·
members a nd the ?.louerat or of the 'J
~leetin;:,:, who shall be cx-oflicio c h:1i 1
of said committee.·
· n. A Committee on Education, to con si
seven members.
C. A Con1mittee on I1on!=-in g 1 t o consi~
se'l'en members.
D. A Committee on H ea lth, to c:on~ist 01
member s.
E. A _
Committee on Play and r.<'cr eatio:
con~1~t of fiye m n uberg.
F. A Committee on L:1bor. to ~onsis
seven rn em bers.
G.fi A Committee on .J111lid a ry , to consi:
ve members.
II .. A Committee on 'l'rnnsportntion, to
s,st of fi"\'"e members.
I. A Committee on Mercantile Affair,
eonsist of fi'l'e m em hers.
J . A Committee on ConrtesiPS. to con si:
_fiw member s.
K . A Committee on Liquor Laws, to co
of five memhers.
L . . A Committee on Budget and Appro
lion s. to consist of se'l'en members.
?II. ,, A _Committee on Municipnl Affairs
i.vns1H of fh•c n1emhers.
~
' 7 .. ,.
:->:...<'. . -- - : •. -----~
I
-:~
_ ;;:-.~
.~
__,,____
-
-- -
I
....-:·•-rr-· -
-~1 1
;--
roent:-! , tr :1ny, 111 r.U.::-n· t<'gnl :H· ol'd, ~r, :H1,·1
t11eit
upon tile m,1in question.
l\Iotion to Co1nmit.
32. When a motion is made to ~ommit. and
different committees are proposed. tile question
shall be taken in the following order:
a standing committee of the Town :11Ieeting,
a select committee of the Town 1Ieetin:;, ·
nnd n subject may be recommittc,1 to tile ~.1me
committee or to anotller colllmittee at the plea s ure of the Town ~Ieeting.
i\Iotions to An1end.
3.i. A n1otion to amend an :1menrln1cnt may
be reeei,ed: but no amendment in tile tllird cle;;ree s hall be nllowed.
Enacting- Cause.
3-!. A motion to strike out the enacting clause
of a bill shall only be recei.ecl when the bill is
before the Town "Ieeting for enactment.
Parliamentary Practice.
3;'.i.
Cushing's :\Ianual shall ~oT"ern the Town
1[eeting in all cases to which they are applicable, ;rncl in which they are not inconsistent with
these rules.
Debate on )lotions for the Suspension of Rules.
:ii:;. Dehate upon a motion for the suspension
of ,my uf the rules shnll be limited to fifteen mi1111res, :.1nd no e itize n shall occupy Dtore tllan three
minute~.
:-r,. Unless o t her,vi::-e ~t:1te1l !l majority yute or
t hnse prese nt sllall decide any c111t~stiou.
Sns1>ensions, .A men,lment a .nd Ucpeal.
38. ~otlling in these rnles shall be clispe nsetl
with , altered or repealed, nnless two -thirls of
tbe d t ize11s present con~ent tllereto;
but this
rule ,rnd rul e twenty -one s hall not be s11spen,lecl.
11nlc ~s hy un:1ni1uuus c on:-:e ut of the citizens
presPnt.
CALE::S-DAR.
\
.✓
·
'--·
Order No. 1, municipal lodgin::;- houses, ref erred to committee 011 city pl:mui11 g. In .c ommittee.
Order Xo . -!. municipal auditorium in W est
End. referred to committee on municipal affairs.
RepNt,erl unfavorably. On orde r of day.
Bill No. -!. to ;;iYe notice of u nempl oyment, refe rrer! to eommittee on labor. In committee.
Bill No. i"i, to im·esti:;ate unemployment. refe rrer\ to committee on lnbor. In committee.
Bill No. G. individual licen se a<:t. r eferred to
r:01nmittee on liquor l:nvs. In co1un1i t tPe.
Bill Xo. ,. to ;.:iYe c- ffect to D ec laration of IndepenUeur:e, referr·etl to committee on judiciary. In
con1n1ittP.e.
Bill No. 8. lights in t enement houses. referrecl
\ o c:ommittee on llousin;r. In committee.
Order No. 5, municipa·l hath-house in ·ward 8.
1·eferrecl to committee on -municipal affairs.
Reporter] 1mf,worab!y. · On order of day.
Bill No. 10, occupancy of cellars and bnsern e uts. referred to committee on housing-.
In
committee.
Gill Xo. H. reduction of liceuse fees. referred to
c ommittee on liquor laws. Reported favorably .
On order of rlay.
Bill No. 15, tran s portation and cleli,ery of
liqitors, referred to committee on liquor laws. Reported fa,orubly. On order of clny.
Bill Xo. 16, s nle of liquors by clrn:;:;ist.s anl
apothecaries. r<>ferrecl to committee on liquor
Jaws. Reported fayornbl y . On order of clny.
Bill No. 18. remo,nl of hnts by lnclie~. referred
to committees on rules nnd courtesie s jointly. In
committee.
Dill No. rn, " tin plate law." introduced by committee on publicity . Recommitted.
Hill No . ~O, injunction law, intro,lnced b y committ~e on puhlic it y . On orrler of ,1.1,·.
Or,l e r ~o. li. eonil r mning- \Vartl S 1nuni<'ip:i.l
hni111in;.:. r efc rrP1l to eommit t ee o n municipal af1':lii-~. In eonnnittr-e .
l\ill No. :!l, pnl>lie.ltion of ,,rekl y by ~fas s a c:hn,r•H s t own~. rPf1-. n·P<l t o r·om1nittf>t.~ on j ud i<· ia rY.
•· • -::.,: 1
•• n .;•_, , • ..,,, , • • , 1.1.-
n _
_:: • · • • .: . .. . ,. 1
•
THE FOFtD HALL iOWN MEETING'S
noc ,>.ven a rorm or st:ue. H ls not a. m:i.tACHIEVEMENT UP TO DATE.
ter of majorities or minorities, it is not a
question of schools or churches, of palaces
By M iram Allen de Ford.
or cottages. It is that intangible something
On the ~ixth birthday of our mother, the
which may permeate the most complex in- Ford Hall Meetings, even so· young a child
ternational affairs, dominate a single city
as this Town }Ieeting of ours has a right
ward. or inspire a group of any kind to work
to cast a glance backward and see what is
for the common good. It is the kindly spirit the tendency and what has been the accomwhich holds all men as brothers-it is applishment of the first three months of its
plied brotherhood. You cannot measure it
existence .
or weigh it or see it ; you can only feel it.
Tlle biggE,st thing in which we have been
What is it? It is equal opportunity for self
concerned is, perhaps, the soup kitchen
expression. That self-expression must be
now being conducted for the benefit of the
of one's best, but everyone born into the
unemploy.-:d men of Boston by our Mr. and
world has the right to demand his opportu- }Irs. T. M. Moderator, and made possible
nity.
by our co-operation with the School of SoThis does not mean that men are equalcial Science and the Fabian Club. That
they are not. It does not say that one man
is the firBt concrete evidence we have had
has the right to as much as every other man
of our influence on the world outside ;
-he may or he may not ha ve the right.
though it was foreshadowed by the incluIt does not say to Rockefeller: "You must
sion of · our courtesies committee in the
divide your wealth with yonr neighbors,"
work l.Jeing done by the Consumers· League
but it does say to Rockefeller: "All your · and the Women·s }1unicipal League to
wealth shall not de11rive your neighbor of
clean up the l>akeries of t he ·west End.
his opportnnity." It says to creeds : "Put Before long, also, we hope to see 11ractical
brotherhoods in yonr crucibles and· test results from our memorializing of tile City
your product by its alchemy." It says to
of Boston as to closing Hull street to trafe very man: "Test your right to Jive and fic to make it a playground for the chiltlren.
to enjoy hy your desire to assist every
In :;elf-educative work we have already
other man to live and to enjoy." This is
done much, learning m·any new aspects of
democracy, and while its spirit has been
public questions, many new· bits of insight
manifest at the Ford Hall meetings on
into each other' s minds and lives, and
Sunday nights. it is manifest in equal
many new details of parliamentary rule
power in the Town :VIeeting, the Ford Hall and the practice of debate. This last under
mid-week activity.
the particular guidance -of :"11r. Allen. Such
The work of the Town ::\feeting is devel- discussions as those over the municipal
oping the latent powers of its citizens. As
lodging house order. }Ir. Victorson's imthey seek their best self:expression-not
migration bill, l\Ir. Greene's marriage ceronly that best in form and style. but that
tificate bill, and the present one over the
best in thought and substance-they find , "Oregon tin-plate·• bill, are of inestimable
sometimes to their amazement, that they .-alue.
have things to express of which they were
Our history is so short that any review
never conscious before. It is no figure of
of it must needs be short also, but not so
speech to say that tl:eir pent-up emotions. short that it cannot pay brief tribute to the
once released, reveal new ideas, new consplendid work of our committees, and to
ceptions, new thoughts. as hidden even to
the co-operation of such Town Meeting
themselves, as are the submerged logs in
citizens as Mrs. Hoffman, }1r. Gallup, Mr.
some timber-jam just before the dam is
Ewing, ::VIr. lVIcKenna, Miss Rogolsky, Mr.
broken and the pressure is withdrawn.
and Mrs. Sullivan. Mr. Victorson and many
:Moreover. our citizens are finding them- others-including "our own" }1iss Crawford
selves not simply in a readiness for debate.
and Mr. Coleman. While the 200 Town
in thinking on their feet. but in the more
l\'Ieeting eitizens are of this calibre we
constructive activities of committee work.
cannot but succeed.
I have in mind recent reports of a committee whose young chairman. untrained as he
LAST WEEK'S TOWN MEETING.
was, brought to his work · an open-mindedWe missed " Mrs. T. M. Moderator" at
ness and earnestness which would have
our meeting last week, but we we~~ glad
been creditable to a ;-eteran legislator.
The Town :"11eeting is bringing to the dis- to give her up for the sake of the ,,reat
work she is helping to do at the · soup
cussion of most civic questions a new point
of view. There is large humanness in our kitchen on Avery street. That same soup
sociology. The personal equation is prom- kitchen and the work it is doing thinned
our ranks somewhat-but what valuable
inent. The questions are viewed from the
citizens they will be when they return. with
inside; they are not investigated. laboraton·
fashion. from the outside.
:vran:v of our their first-hand knowledge of some of the
citizens are lh·ing. e,·ery day. the prob- social conditions with which we are all
concerned!
lems others are reading 8 bont. They lmo"l\-:•
*
the 'iVest End a nd the ::-forth End at first
*
1;;
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\T fl n,·
n f ___ t h o n,
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:. 1 11rl rot "nt ,•o.n1 ~ ,.1.~ -.lJ2h~i1T
.)
···n 1
r·*
;1 t1fi•·o -,-.-;-
i:-: :tl •~l' 11 t :ir ! li t· l1our 111
lt't•tin:.: ~t:HHl~ :ul .1 ourn<•1l , the
ul1 •.
\1111>
.....
1·lerk
~IJ :lll
cal l
lw ,.,·,w 11 :\l <"<'tin g- to n1·<l cr :11ui sh :111 proc~e<l
~u iil tltl· :\I otlPr:Jto r appc:1 r nr :1 _te111porary 0 1· :1
... 11 1nr
111orler:11or h,• ,,Jeered whr<:h s h:rll Ile tlH,
( ...:. h11silH•ss ill order.
i·1,c. )J otl <'r:1 tor is <'X-officio m<'mbn of nil comJtt ees.
Clerk.
,
Tb<' Clerk may a ppoint such a ssistant s as
·, 71 nY clesire and s hall
A .: KPep the r ecord of the proceedings of
the T own Meetin g .
r:. ·E~ r :it large in the :ronrn al ever y q uestion of order witll the decision t hereon.
c. i•repare and cn u se to he listed on orte
·she<'t for r eference a ca lend ar of matters
fnr <'onsider ation at the next session of the
Town J\leetin;;. Such list sllnll be re;;:irrle<l
:rs the Or<ler of the Day for t he consid ernrion -of th<' T own ?-fecting- nt its nc;xt scs:
sion and the matters not ed t hereon sha ll
ht! ,·onsidered in t heir dne orcler unl ess oth<'rwisc s peci:iJly YOted by th e Town Meet in:;:-. An y ohjection t o the c:ilenJnr slJall he,
m:1d <' nnd disposed of before the T own
)Jpeti ng- Yotes t o proc<>ed to the con s idera ti on of the Orders of the Day.
n. Prepn r e and cause t o be Jist e1 on one
sheet a list of m atter s lying on the tnhl c.
Sergeant at Arms. •
s.
The Ser;;ea nt at Arm s s hall be r espon sibl e
for the preserYation of the order and decorum of
tile Town )I eetin;;. H e m n:r select s uch assist-tnts, ,loorkeepers, nnd other officer s as he m n:r
df'ern necessn ry. He sh all execnte the orders of
tb,· )Jodcrator or t.he Town ~lt>eting nnd sha ll ·
11:t,·e the cu st ody of tbP propPrt,· of t he T own
llPPtin~ other thnn t he record s properly in the
custody of the clerl,.
Con1n1 ittees.
The foll owin g- stnnrlin;; com mittees sh all be
f'leetPd hy ba llot from the citizens of th e Town
!l.
.lfC"('till:;:
_\ _ A CommitteP on Rules. to consist of six
memhers and the ;lloclern t or of the Town
::\leering, who s ha JI he ex -otlicio ch:1irm :11i
of said committPe. ·
Committee on Education , to con sist of
~ nembers.
~ ~,.,,,., .,~,>ommittee on H ou sing, to con sist of
~~. -:w
"<;-.r~., n1e1n bers.
I:}?~ '); <Committee on H ea lth, t o consi st of fi,·e
f.~1~
,t,.,e.,, .:- : ·ber s.
~~£:,.
~-"-::._.,committee on Piny nnd I!PC'r eation. to
.;.,I.st of five mP111bns.
L:1b or . to con si st of
-".t) r«-,.;:- Committee on
iar--~ "en 1
n~,1nbers.
<" A Committee on ,J1Hlici:1r:r, to consi st of
~
. five member s.
A Committee on Trnnsportntion, to consist of five members.
I. A Committee on )Ieren n t ile Affai r s, to
consist of fi,e memhers.
J. A Committee on Court esies. to consist of
1h·e membe r s.
K . A Committee on Liquor Lnws, to cons ist
of fiYe memhers.
L. . A Committee on Budget and Approprla. hons, to consist of sel'en mem hers.
•1. A Committee on Muni ci pal Affairs, to
.co nsi st of fi'l'e mPmhers.
11.
tlit>IJ n•f1•r tl11·111 ru 11w11 . ,,. 1 . . . . , . . . . . .
ht\ fn1°<! t l1 ~ nr<l<'J' of th1! cJ:1~· ll:1 :-: bN•11 co u~idcrt!d
:1t <•:1<·l1 'l'nwn :\If'<'ti n~.
'J'h PY ~hall h e c-iv<~n a
,-onsN:11ti\'P. nnmher hy th e; Clt;rl, nnd slln!I tl.rere:ifr<'r b" r<'f,•rr('(l t o hy unmher, title :md by the
n :r me nf t he r:itizen introdu cing- tl.ie same.
The
c-ommi rtees to w bom s:1icl m ea sures are referred
slrnJI < sirler the same as prompt.I :,- M may be
·on
and m",· in snicl consid eration call before th em
the orig-inal sponsor of such meas ure or any citizen wlr o i s in fn,or of or. opposed to said mensnre. In ad ,liti on thereto said committees mar, if
thPy shall so elect, call befo re them any person,
whether n citizen of th e T own Meetin g or not.
whose PYi<lence o r
:1r;;-nn1en ts
mi~bt, in
their
.indg-ment. he yaJuable to t he committee or t o the
Town ill eeting- in th eir cl P)i bPrations on tbe pnrti<-nlnr me:i snre unc.l er cons id erat ion.
i'lnirl Committ<>e~ shnll. a s spceclil :r a s possihl e,
r<' port to the T own i\lP<'tin:;:-. t heir conclnsions
upon the; m:1tters r eferrerl to them. ;ziving- in eon <·is<' form the r ea sons npon wl1ich s:iicl con clu~ions are haserl.
REGUL.-\R COURSE OF PROCEEDINGS.
Petit ions, etc., and Reports of .Committees.
13. Petitions. memorial s. remonstrances and
papers of a li ke nat ure. an d reports · of comm ittees shnll be presented hefore the Town Meeting
proceed s t o th e considera tion of the Ord er of the
D:1 y, :ind the ?.l oder ntor sha ll call for sn cb
p a pers.
J>a pers
..\d<lressed
to the Town Jlleeting
Petitions.
Not
Pnpers ncl,lressed to the T own ::lleetin;;, other
than petitions, m em orial s nnd remonstrances.
m ay lie presen ted h:r t he l\loderntor, or by n citizPn in his p]a('e, and shall be r e:Hl. nn! Pss it i s
specifi cnlly orrl er<•d th:i t t he rending be di s1wnsPcl wi t h.
14. No hill s hall be acted upon hy the Town
::IIeetin;:- 1m ti l it ha s bPen r eporte J by the committe<> t o wl1i ch · it hns hPen r cfn red: proYided.
howC\'<'r. thnt th e ?-l orl erator mny ca ll upon · any
<·ommittee r.o r eport a hill b<'fore it. if in his
.inrl;:-m<'nt snirl r eport is 11nrl11J y rlPl :1yNl.
No
hill sh:111 h@ pnt to a fin al \'Otc withont hnYing1,,.,,n re:1d t hree sc, ernl times.
Or,lers of th e Day .
15. Dill s fnyor:1 bl,· r eportPcl to the Town Meeting- hy comm ittees. :r nd bills th e qnest.i on of the
rejection of whi <:h is 11 pg-:1ti\'Nl , s hall be pln cerl in
the Orrl Pr s for t he n ext session. nnd . if they h:1,e
h~~n rP:1 Ohnt nn c:c, sha ll f!O t o :1 seco nd. ren din;-
wi t h ont <JlH'sti on.
n esolution s r eport en in tnP
Town )!ePting- hy r·ommittees sh al l. aftC?r th<'y
:1 re r e:1<l, be pln cerl in the Orders of the Dny f or
t.hc n ext session.
l G. R ep orts of C'ommittees not by hill or resolve s hall llP pla ced in the Orders of the next
sPssion after t.hn t on which they are marle to the
T o,nr ?-leeting-: pro,·irled, t.hnt the r eport of a
MmmittPe asl,in;; to be dischnr;;ed from the further consideration of a sub.i ect a nd recommenrlin ;; th:lt it i 1e referre d t o anotller.' commi ttee, s haJI
lw immediate ly considered.
17. Bills or.dnerl t o a thircl r eading sbnll be
placed in the Orders of the next session for such
rea.:ling.
·- ---
.J
n:. - -
:111d shall u1c11
---
1., ......... _ .
_
Reconsideration.
22. When a motion for reconsideration is rlecid ed, t hat decision shall not be reconsijered, and
no q uestion s ha ll he twice reconsidered; nor
s hnJI any \'ote be r eco nsi rlered upon either of the
fol lowing motions :
to adjourn,
t o Ja y on the ta hle.
t o take from the t able ; or,
f or the preYious question.
23. Debate or m otion s to recon sider ·shall be
limited to twenty minutes, and no citizen sbnll
occup y m or e than fil'e minutes; but on a motion
to r econsider a Yot e upon any. subsidiary or inc,ide nta l que stion, debat e shall be limited t o ten
minutes. and no citizen s hall occupy more than
three minutes.
Rules or Debate.
24. No citizen sha ll speak -more than once to
the preYention of those who hn\'e not spoken and
desire to speak on th e same question.
2;;. No citizen shall speak more than fi'l'e minutes upon a ny mea sure.
.2G. The proponent of nny measure may spea k
for ten minutes.
27. Upon unanimous consent of all voting citizen s Jll'esent, nny speaker may have the priYi•
Ic•;;e of s ncb further time as the said voting citizens present m ay de.,ignate.
28. El'ery motion sba!J be . reduced to writing,
if the Moderator so directs.
20. Wh en a question is before the Town l\leetin ;:-. until it is disposed of, the Jlfojerator s hall
r eceive no motion that does not relate to th e
s,1me, Pxcept the motion · to adjourn, or some
other mot ion that ba s precedence either by express rule of the Town Meeting- or because it ts
priYil Pged in its nat ure ; and be shall r eceive no
motion rein ting t o the same, except:
to Jay on the table,
for the previou s question,
to close the debate at a specified time,
to postpone to a time certain,
to commit (or r ecommit).
to amend ,
which seYeral motions shall have precedence in
t he order in which they are arranged in this rule.
Previous Question.
30. All questions of order arising after a motion is m ade for the previous que•tion shall be
decided "·itbout debate, excepting on appeal;
and on such appea l, no citizen shall speak except the appellant and the Moderator.
31. The adoption of the previous question shall
put an end to all deb ate and bring- the Town
Meeting to a direct vote upon pending amend-
N .;~::~ ~~:/~;
t~,~~'
-~-:
u,~ "Jl\; 11
J'orc s nch question i s put. In like m a nner , when,
nnrl <'r t he oper:rtion of the prel'ious question or
otl1 Pr\\·ise, an amendment is mad e in any proposition of such a n ature as t o change its character. ns from a hill t o an order. or the like, the
proposition a s amended sllall be placed in th e
Orllers of the next session after that on which
th e amendment was made.
-
·- ·-·-
·----~------ - .....
y - · \,,. -,
.I
I
.,
C
FORD HALL TOWN MEETING RECORD
RULES
,Jurisdiction.
l. T he
leg-i~lativr.-
Ford Hall Town :\[ePti n;; has ,111 the
power s po:--:-.es!:i~d by any legi:.:;J:1tiYe
hotly wi t hin aurl ineln<lin .::- the Con1monwea l t h of
:
~lass:1eh11:.:.:ett:--. Every hill introtln eed into ~:ti<l
Town Meetin;:: s h:1 11 · lle;::in witb lau;:rna;::e :tppro{Jl'i:tr e 10 t il e body whkb is ~uppo~r·d to he c:o n-
;,:iclerin;.;: th e s:1me.
:il.lemhersbip.
:!. Xo t<'st of raee. cree<l. sex. or prop<'rty s hall
be :1pp lic 1l iu d e te rmining- e itizens hip in the Font
Hall T own MPetin;::.
_ y person si;;-nin . : the roll
-\.n
e
:ind suh:.:.:C' rihiu;:! to the J"ullowing dee l:1r:1tion :--1.J :tll
r lwr~upon IJL• r e[.!':.i rde<l as a dtizen .
De<•laration .
::.
I do sol emnl y ,lec: Iare that I w ill s tri\·e to
:1d,·anc e the eotnrnon g-Oo(l :ind the Commonwt•:1lrh of For1l I-.J:1I 1 hy all mean s in my powe r.
Ollfoers.
-!. Th e el<'cti\·e officers of the Town 1foetin .::
:
,h:111 Ile a -'l otl e rator. Clerk, and a Sn;;-eant-:1t_
\rn1 s who sh:111 he <•lectcd J.,y Prefe r e ntial B,1Jlot
:it
the sec-o n,l rf'~ ul:1r meet in . ; of e a c h season.
:
A
m:1.iorit:r or :1ll th e Yores cast shall be necessa ry
tr, a c hoice.
:i. Tlw ~foil0rntor m:iy :1ppoiot n c itizPn to pe rt"o rn1 tllf! dutie s of t he chair [or ~nch period dnriu . lli:=-: rer111 of ottiee ns he n1:.ty elect.
~
Ii. In c·:1se of a \"::tC:tn c-y i n the ot.tiPe o( ) [oclPr:1t or . or in case tlw ?\ Io dt>r: ttor or tile ci tiz r~ n
11:tlllt! tl by llim in necor,1anc:e ,vith the prec~edin~
i-11!1•, i:-. ab sent at the hour to ,,·hil:l1 t hP. Town
.\l1•1•riu.
~ st:1n<ls acljourne cl ~ the e ler k ~h:dl e all
t lu• Town ).fet:ting- to order anrl shall proeeerl
u11ril tht: ~I c,d e L·:1to r :1ppe:1r or :t teiupor:1ry or a
n·;..:nlar rno,lerutor hP. elec ted whic h s hall he th e
ti r:-:t hu:•-inl:s :-. in order.
The _\[otl e r:itor is ex -officio membPr of all comrnittees.
Clerk.
7. The Clerk may :,ppoint such assistants as
lw 111:ty ,lesire and shall
A . Kee p the record of the proceedings of
the Town :\Ieeting-.
r:. Enter :1 t large in the .Tournul every question of order with the decision thereo n.
C. Pre pare a ncl ca u se to be listed on o!le
shePt fo r refere nce a ca le ndar of matters
for r,o n s i<l eration at the n ext session of the
T o,Yn ,Vleeting-. Such list sha ll he reg-arrl e •I
as t he Order of the Dav for the consideration of t hP Town _\feet i"n::: nt its nf' xt sessi o n "nd thP. matters noted thereon s hall
h" 1•011si1lered in t heir dne order nnless otb•·rwise s per:ially YOted lly the Town :\fee tin;:. Any ohjection to the c:ilen :lnr slrnll he
mn<l <' ,1nd dispose<l of before the Town
_\[eetine: Yote s to procPed to the consideration of the Orders of the Day.
D. Pre pare a nd cause to be lis te:l on one
sheet a list of matters l y ing on the table.
Sergeant at Arms.
s. The Ser;:reant at Arms shall be respon sible
!"<11· the preser,ation of the order and decorum of
thl• T own )Ieeting. fie n1ay select s uch assist:111t~. rl oor k ee pers, :1ncl other offi cers as lte m:1y
,l,•e m necessary. Il e s hall execute the orders of
rh,• ,I nd e r:ttor nr t he Town :\[t>eting and sha ll
h:l\"t> the custody of the propPrty oi' tile Town
~r,,c-rin~ o ther thnn t he reconlR 11roperl y
1·11~rod~· of tlle c le rl,.
in th e
~1c•f>t in . ::
:
( ' ,-• IYll\"l ~ A
,-, n
T")
,, J,-, _,.
>- r,,
r,,...,. ,;, ; ,~ ,f-
0.
i11;.:.
l:!.
All n1f':1snre ~ intPnch~,l for prf':=-entation by
r:it iz0u sll:1ll be pre:•
a•ntP.tl to tlie Cle rk on
papf'r f nr nislwil by the Clerk. 'l'he Clerk shnll
r P:HI :111 m,·:isnrl's by titlr, :111tl t he, _\{o:le r,ltor sh:ill
then rPfr•r th0tn to thcit· appropriate committees.
lit-~
[ore t he orclf'r of t he day h:1s hN•n consid ered
:-iny
at enc l! T own -'lening-.
They s hall he ;;iven a
r·onsN:ntive nnmhe r hr the Clerk and s llall there:ifter be r eferrer! to hy nnmher, title a nd by the
n:nne of t he <
:itizen introtln cin~ the sa me.
The
c on11uittees to ,vho1n sa id 111easures are referred
s hall consicler the same as promptl y ll.6 may be
and mny in said co n sideration ca ll before them
the ori.:::inal sponsor of such measure or any citizen who is in fa vor of or opposed to said measnre. In a d<lition ther eto s aid committees may, if
they shall so e lect, ca ll before them any person,
whether a citizen of the Town :\Ieetin;; or not.
whose ei;-i<l ence o r a rgume nts 1nigbt. in their
jud;;-ment. he valnable to the committee or to the
Town :\Ieetin .:: in their <lPliherations on tbe par:
ti<:n lnr 1ne:umre und er consid eratio n.
l'lai,l Committees s hall. as speeclily as possible.
r011ort to the 'l'own ?\ lePting-. their conclusions
npon tlle m:1tters re ferred to them, .c:ivin;;- in co nr-ise form til e r easons 11pon which snid conclusions are hased.
REGULAR
COURSE OF PROCEEDINGS .
P etitions, etc., and Reports of Committees.
rn. Petitions. memorials. r emonstrances and
papers of a like nature. and repo rts of committees s hall be presented hefore the Town Meeting
proceeds to the consideration of the Order of the
D:iy, :ind the :\lode rator shall call for such
papers.
Papers
_-\.cldressed
to the Town :l[eeting
Petitions.
r, ~
,.: ,•
Not
Papers addressed t o the Town :\[eetin;;, other
than petitions. me morials and remonstrances.
may lie presen·ted hy t he i\Iotl erator. or hy a citizen in Iii:=- pl:H:e, ,uul shnll he re:1 cl . nnl ess it is
specifieall;· or rle r<'d
Con1n1ittees.
Th e followino: sta n•lin::: connnittePs sha ll be
,•lf•et<'rl h? ha llot ·from the · citizen s of the Town
!l.
\
-~ Committee on City Pl~nnin g, to consist of :-;eve n 1ne1nbers.
A Co rumittee on Innnig-ration and ~aturalizntion . to eon s ist o f sevPn meinhers.
All of sai 1l cnmmittees s lrnll Ile n o minated hy :1
no111in: 1t.in~ c·onHnittr•c co nsi;;;tin;.; of ~e,-en citi:✓-ens
t•lec:tPtl hy till! 'l'o"·n _\[<'eti11;::. Th,, ;\iodc1·a tor o t'
t lH! T own :\Ieet ittg- :-:11 ~111 clesig-1
u1.te oue me1uber
o f 0nr·h of :::a id eom n1ittee~ t o :1ct :1 s ch:iirm:ui
r he r eof.
10. The :\forte ra to r s hall a11point a committee
of li,P to he known ,i s the Comm ittee on \Vays
:ind .:\Jea ns~ w ho . hall pre pare for the c onsideras
tion of t he Conuwi ttee on Iludg-ct :11H.l Appropriati o ns :tn e s t imate or the probable 0xpc nse of t be
Town ) fc<•U11:.: for the c urre n t sea~uu.
, v1ieu
such C'Stimatc · has been con:-:ide rcd an1l orcl e re tl. by
the said Com1nittee o n B nd g-et :.11u l .Approprhlrions. th<> said \Va ys and :\Ie:1ns Co mmittee s hall
e xtend tlie taxes ll f!CPssn ry t o 1ncc-t s aid hnd::r.e t
ovPr the 'l~own .:\lceting anti appoint . :111 otti ct'rs
ueeessary to eo llef:t. c·:tre f o r anJ disburse the
same i n order!;\· and reg-n lar f,1shion .
J l. P.rfo r e sai < Co mmittee o n I:nd;;et and Apl
propri:ttious s h:1ll finally . appropriate :1ny sum
for t he support of the 'l'o wn .:\f<'eting- in its various rnnct ion~ it sh:1 II repnrt its estimate to the
full T own ~leetiu;;, and 110 snc:h r eport s hall he
:1doptt>d unless nppron~rl hy a T'Ot(~ o( two-thir1ls
of t hP. memher;,:; pre::a~nt :i t a 1·e~u l:1r Town .:\l eP. tN.
thnt
t he
rea din;;
be
dis
p0n~0d with.
~o bill shall be acted np on by the Town
:\Ieetin . : until it ha s lwen reporte l b.v the como
1u ittce to which i t hn~ lwe f.l ret:'Prrcd: provided.
H.
l, r. ,,-,-. ,• p1:__i:- li• 1t
tl lf,
\f <1 1l , -1·,.,r,·, 1• 1n ,, ~
.. n..-.n
,111,~
1S. After !'nterin;:r upon the co nsideration o!
the Orclers of t he Day. t he Town :\feeting sha ll
proc<'P.d with them in regu lar course as follows :
:\lntters not g-iyin;..: rise to a motion or debate
s ha ll he first rli sposed of in the order in which
rhev s tancl in the calPnJar : aftn whic h the mattt, rs th:lt ,vere pn ssed OYer s hall he considered in
like o rder :rnd clisposed of.
l!l. ·when the Town :\Ieetin;:: does not finish
the ,•onsideration of the Orders of the Day, those
which had . not l>een acted upon shall hP t he
Orders of the n e xt a nd each s u cceeding clay
un t il disposPi:l of, :rnd s hall he entere:1 in the
ca lentlnr. withonc chang-e in their order, to precede matters added under rules lG and 16 and 17.
The unlinishe,l uusines;; in which the Town Meetin~ ,vas e ng-a _ ed at t he time of :1djournmen t shall
~
have the preference in the Orders nf the next day,
:it'ter motions to reeonsitlered .
Sp,•eial Rules Affeetini:- the CourRe o( Proceed.
in,:;-s.
\.
:!O. ::-lo matter which has been duly plat>ed in
the Ord ers of the Day shall be discharged there- .
from ~ or co nsidered out of t~e regular course.
This rnle shall not be rescinded, or revoked or
s nspe111led except by a Yote of four-fifths of the
n1e1ube rs present ant.I. voting thereon.
·
:!1. If, un,ler t he operatio n of the previou~
f]nestion. or o ther,-vise, an an1endrnent is made
at the second , o r third reading of a bill substantially ch:rnging the greater part of such bill, the
qn<':<ti ou s hall not be put forthwith on ordering
I he hill to a th i rd reading, but t he hill, as amenrt<'tl, sh,lll he p lnced in the Orders of the next session after that on which t he amendment is made,
:111cl s hall then be open to further amendment before such question is p ut. In like manner, when.
1111,ler t he operution of the previous question or
otherwise, an amendment is made in any proposition of s n ch a nature as to change its character. ns from a hill to an order. or the like, the
proposition as amended shall be placed in the
Orders of the next session nfter that on which
the a mendment was made.
Reeonsicleration.
When a motion for reconsideration is ,lecided , that decisio n s hall not be reconsUered, a nrt
no question s hall he twice reconsidered; nor
s h:1 ll any vote be reconsidere d upon either ot the
following motions:
.._
to adjourn,
\ ..
to lay on the table. A
to take from the table: or,
for the previous rruestion.
2:C:. D e bat<' o r motions to reconsider shall be
limited to twenty minutes, and no citizen shall
occupy more than five minutes; bnt on a motion
to reconsider a vote upon any. subsidiar y or incidental question, debate shall be limited to ten·
min ntes, and no citizen shall occupy more than
three minutes:
:!:!.
Rules ot Debate.
24. No citizen s hall speak more than once to
t he preYention of those who have not- spoken and
desire to speak on the same question.
2;;. Ko citizen shall speak more than fi,e minutes upon any measure.
26. The proponent of any measure may speak
fo r ten min ntes.
·
27. Upon unanimous consent of all voting citizens present, any spea ker may have the priviJc•;::-e of suc h fnrther time as the said ,oting citizen s present 1nay cle:,ignate.
2S. Every motion sl_rnll be red need to writing.
if the :\Coderator so~
cts.
7r·
·:1r ··
1
l lit' .\ J111lt'l';L lll r 111: 1.\· :ipp11lUL ;I 1·niz.:-11 lo jll'I.' ~
fun n Lht• tlutie:,,; r,f the d1air for such pt•rirnl dnri1 1.:.:- hi:-: 1erlll o r o tli c-e :is he may e lect.
,;.
In
<::l~P.
of a 1·:tr::lll<·y in t he otlirr. o r :\fo1l-
r tH~ l\I o 1lt>r:1 tor o r t he <'iti;.:;~11
hf Uiln in :weo rrlanc·e with 1.he prec•e diuµ;
1·11Jr-. i:-. :1h~c-nt. :it the hour to whic·ll t11~ Town
PI·:1tor. 01· in c:n;e
11:11111•cl
~1o -.. ri n" ~t:rnrJ g arljourm,d, t li e ,-!erk ~hall ca ll
1111• To wll :\[eetiu~ to order :tn<l s hall proceed
1111ril th<: :\lo1ln:1tor appear or ;t tetuporary or a
,· ...c:nl:ir mo dera tor hf' elected wh ich shall he t lH,
tii-st ll11si11t•ss
111
iu order.
The :\[od er:1tor is <>x-otllcio m<>mbPr of all comittees.
Clerk.
, . The Clerk may appoint such assistants as
111• may desire and shall
.-\. K,•ep th e record of the proceedings of
the Town )Ieetin .,;.
D. Entn at large in the .Tonrnul every CJ.nestion of order with the decision thereon.
C. Prepare ,,ncl ca u se to he listed on orte
shePt for reference "- cu lenclnr of matters
f,1r r:onsitle ration :1t t he next ~ess ion of t he
To1Yn Meetin;;. Such list s ha ll he re~arrle,1
., s the Orel er 0f the Duy fo r the eon si110. ra-
t ion of t l1 r Town ::\fect iu~ at its iwxt ses -
si on and the m:tttern notert t hereon shall
11 1!
1•onsicleretl in t hei r dnc orcler unless othhy t he To,,pn J.Ieet-
••nvi:-:e s pecially YO t ed
in". An y ohjectio n to the c:1len :l:1r s l.tnll he
n,acle a nd 11ispose1l of before the 'l'own
~IN;t in . : Yotes to proc<·e<I to the consic.lernc
rion of the Or1lers of the Day.
n. Prepare a1ul ca use to be liste:l on one
,!wet :1 list of m atte r s lying o n t he ta h!I'.
Sergeant at .Arm s .
" The Se r;::ea nt at Arms sha ll be respon sible
fo,- the presenation of the order anti deco rum of
n,,. T own )leetin g. He may select such assist:111t~. door1,eepers, :1 n-1l
,l""m necessary.
o ther
officers as lle m:1y
IIe sha ll execute tbe order s of
tlu• ~Iod e r:tto r or the Town
~lt-eting- :ln d sha ll
h:l\·P the custody of the propPrty of the T own
~lt ·l'tin~ ot hfl'r thnn the rer·ords pro perly in the
,·n,roll.1· of the clerk .
Comn1ittees.
~- The fo ll owin:: st:11111in:: committees sha ll be
.-Jr•ctNl h? ba llot from the .. citizen s of the 'l'o wn
:\Jt•Pti ng-:
.\.
.-\. Committee on Rules. to consist of six
mPmher s and the ilfo clerator of the Town
~leerin;;, who sha ll be ex-otlicio chairm :11i
of sai,1 committee.·
n. A Co mmittee on Educatio n, to co n si st of
:-:eyen members.
C.
.-\. Committee on Housin g, to consis t of
se,.en members.
D. A Comm ittee on IIenlth, to co n~ist of ti ,·e
member s.
F.. A Committee on Play a nd I'.<>creation. to
con sist of ti Ye m<>m bers.
F. A Committee on Labor. to consi st of
seven 1n em hers.
G. A Committee on .Judiciary, to consist of
five members.
II. A Com mittee on Tran sportation , to co ns is t of fi,e members.
A Committee on )Iercan tile .l.fl':1irs, to
,?onsist of fi,e members.
.r. A Committee on Courtesies. to co n sist of
fiye members.
.
K. A Committee on L iquor L aws, to consist
of five members.
L. A Committee on Budget and Appropriations, to consist of seven member~.
A Committee on Municipal Affairs, to
,:oosi$t of fi'l'e members.
r:·
,I.
:idoptl·d 1111h:ss ap fH' n\·c•d l1y :l yore • ;d: lwo·~t·1~·ir1 ls
1lf t h P. tnPmlH·•1·~ prest•nt :it a rC> .~ 11l:1r To\Yn _\l ef•t i11;..:-.
l:!.
.\!! nw:isures int1•1ule<l for pr<'s<'nl":1tion by
:,,;ll:111 he fll't•s1-11t·~d In tll~ C1e rl, on
p:tpPr t:nrnb•:IH->(l hy t ll P Clt.! l'k. ~ w Cler k ~h:11l
.
el
l'P:ttl all . ltlt•:Is111·r::.: l1y 1· i t. l <.! :!IHI thP. .,ro.:lcr:.ltor ~ha ll
I hPn r<'fPr thr·111 to the ir :tpp ropria te co mmittC'<!S.
lu-•fore t he o rcl Pr of the d:1y h:1:-1 hPPn conF-ide retl
:111:v
r: ilizr•u
.1 t <'n<' h Town )Ienin~.
'l'h<>y s hall he ;::ivPn :1
eons<>cutiYe nnmhe r hy the Cl!·rk ,ml.I sha ll tb ere:it'ter be referrer! to hy n nmhe r, tit le and hy t he
The
co nunirtee~ to ,vho1n s,1 id measure~ are referred
n:1me of t he <:itizen introtlncing tlle sa m e .
s!J al! r·onsirler the same as promptly n.s may he
:rnd mny in snicl consideration ca ll before them
t he ori"inal sponsor of such measure or any citl7.en who is in fa,or of o r opposed to said men.snr<>. In ucl1lition thereto sa icl ~ommittees may, if
thPy sha ll so elect. ca ll before thPm an:, person.
wh1>ther "- citizen of the Town )Ieeting or not.
n·hose ~,i,l ence o r
arguments
mig-ht. in
their
jncl;::mc>nt. he Yalnahle to t he committee or to the
Town ::\leet iug- in t heir d~lihr-rations on tbe pa rti c· nlar 1ne:1r--11re unde r co ns id e ratio n.
f<:ii,l Committ<'es shall. ns ~pee,li ly ns possib le.
1 ort to the Town :\fc,<>tin . :. their e0ncl11sion,
·!'p
:
upo n tlle m:itters referred to thctn . g-i\""jng- in co ntlle rea sons upon whic: h s aid con c:-lu -
<· isr.- form
sions a re hased.
REGULAR
COURSE OF PROCEEDIXGS .
Pt"titions, etc. , an<l Reports of Comn1ittees.
1:-. Petitions. memorial s. remon s trances and
:
pnpers of a like nature. and reports of commitrei>s s lrnll be presented lwfore the Town- )Ieetin g
p rocee,Js to the co nsidera tion of t he Order of the
D:1:r, :in,1 the )Io,ler:1tor shnll c:1!! for such
papers.
Papers
.\d,lressecl
t<> the Town :\[eeting
Petitions.
:Xot
Pnp ers nclrlresse,l to t he Town ~feetin:;, other
than
petitio n ~.
memorh1l s
nnd
remonstrances.
111,1:r he presented hy t he )Io ,lerntor. o r hy a cit•
izPn in hi:::: pl:H.·P.~ :11111 :-;hnll be re:1<1 . nnlP~S it is
specific:111 :r or rler<'cl th:1 t t he readin:; be clispPnsi>d w ith.
1-1. Xo bill s hnll he :1cterl upon by the Town
)Ieetin:; ,mril it has been reporte:l by the com mittee to which it hns lwen ref<>rred: provided.
howeve r. th:it th e )loclerator may call upon nny
r-ommittPe to r e port rt hill before it. if in bis
jncl.:::-ment sa id report is nnrlnl y ,l f"l:1yecl.
No
h ill s hall he pnt to "- tin:1! yote without bnvingh~<' n re:icl three several times.
. Orders of t he Day.
15. Bills favo r.i bl:r reportPd to the Town )Ieet•
in:: ln· committees. and bills the q uestion of t he
re.1eetion of which is negatiYNl, sha ll be pl,1cecl in
t he Orders for the next session . and. if they h:i,e
hPt"\ n rea dbut once, s hall go to a secona. rending
withont CJ.U<'st ion.
Reso lutions rep orted in tne
T own ){ef'tin;r hy committees shall. after th<>Y
a re read. be placed in the Orders of t he Day for
the n ext" session .
16. Reports of committees not by hill or reso lve s hall be placed in the Orders of the next
session after t h at on which they are made to the
Town i\Ieeti n;; : provided. t hat the report of a
Po mmittee asking to be discharged from the furtbe r co nsi deration of a subject and recommendin;; that it be referred to another comm ittee, shall
he · immediately cons idered.
17. Bills ordPred to a third reading shall he
placed in the Orde rs of the next sessio n for such
ren.:ling.
un·u ,111 · 1 :!,
21.
1 • J1..: ;-,a:11l.
;u.1.u
If, mul P.r t he
C]UP:sticl n.
\Ol..lJlg·
L UCn:o u.
operatio n
of the
previou~
or otllerwi~e, an :1.n1e-ndme nt is made
:it the seco n d, or third reading of :t bill snbstan1i:1 lly changing t he ~reater part or such bill, the
qnestiou s hall not be put fo rthwith on orclerin;;
t be bill to :i ,hire! r eudin;;, b nt t he bill, as amen<lP<l, sh .lll 1 pl:1ced in the Orders or the next ses ,e
sion after that on which t he amendment is marle,
:ind shall t hen be npen to further amendment hefore s uch question is put. In like manner, when,
nnder the operntion of the previous CJ.Uestion or
otl11"nYise, an a me ndment is made in any proposition of such a nature as to chan ge its character. :is from a hill t o an order . or the like, the
proposition as amended shall he placed in the
Orders or- the next session after that on which
the amendment. was m a de.
Reconsideration.
a
When
motion for reconsideration is
cidetl, that decision sha ll not he recons ijered,
no question ~hall he twice reconsidered:
s h:1ll any ,ote be reconsi,Jere,J upon either ot
22.
fo llowin g motions:
rleand
nor
the
to adjourn ,
to lay on the ta bl e.
to ta ke from the ra ble: -{Ir,
for the pre,ious r1ues ~ .
::?:l. Debate or motions t o reeonsi<ler shall be
limited to twenty minutes. a nd no citizen shall
occ upy more than five miu·u tes; bnt on a motion
to reconsider "- Yote upon nny. s ub si diary or io<-i1Jental qnestion, rlebnte sha ll ht! limited to ten
min nres. a nti no citizen sha ll occupy more than
three min utes.
I
l
Rules ot Debate.
24. Z'<o citizen shall speak more than once to
the preYention of those who have not spoken and
desire to speak on the same question.
2;;. ,.;;o cit izen s hall spenk more than fi,e minutes upon any measure.
2o. The proponent of a ny measure may speak
for ten minutes.
27. Upon unanimous consent of a ll voting citizens 1ireseut, any spea ker may have the pri,il<>~e of such fnrther time as the said voting citizei1s present may de-,ignate.
2S. Every mo tion shall be reel need to writing,
if the )Ioderator so directs.
'.!!l. When a question i s before the Town Meet•
ing, nntil it is d isp osed of. the Mo;Ierator sha ll
receive · no motion that does not relate to the
same, <>xce pt the motion · to adjourn, or some
other motion that has precedence either by express rule of the T own Meeting or because !t ts
p rivi!P;;ed in its nature; and he shall recei.e no
motion r ein ting to the same, except:
to la:, on the table,
for the previous question,
to close t he debate nt u s pecified time,
to postpone to a time certain,
to commit (or recommit),
t o amend,
which se,eral motions shall have precedence in
the order in which they are arranged in this rule.
Previous Question.
All questions of order arising after a motion is made f or the previous que~tion shall be
. decided without debate, excepting on a ppeal;
and on such appeal, no citizen shall speak e:i:cept the appellant and the :Moderator.
31. The a doption of the previous question shall
put an end to all debate and brin~. the Town
Meeting to n direct vote upon pendmg amend30.
:.t i
• --i-,.-"- :••·-'171, ~
-m- .. I
•·~~
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,·<\t/i\ ;:·,·, >,_tr\;~-,.~5\-): · ·_:; ';.
....
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._)
-
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I
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. "' ....... ·,. ( . _. . . l
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7
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-:;,fi
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;~
FORD HALL FOLKS
-L TOWN MEEilNG•s
NT UP TO DATE.
, Allen de Ford.
thday of our mother, the
s, even so young a chifd
ting of ours has a right
ackward and see what is
vhat has been the accom5.rst three months of its
g in Which we have been
haps, the soup kitchen
:ed for the benefit of the
,f Boston by our Mr. and
·ator, and made possible
n with the School of Sothe Fabian Club. That
te evidence we have had
on the world outside:
eshadowed by the inclu :esies committee in the
y the Consumers· League
:.\fonicipal League to
eries of the vVest End.
we hope to see pracl'ic:al
.iemorializing of the City
Jsing Hnll street to trafyground fo r the children.
work we have already
ng many new aspecr1: of
nany new bits of insight
minds and Jives, and
; of parliamentary rule
· debate. This las t under
.ance of Mr. AIJen. Such
ose over the municipal
!er, :.\Ir. Victorson 's imGreene's marriage cerhe present one over the
bill, are of inestimabie
o short that any review
Je short also, but not so
•t pay brief tribute to the
our committees, and to
of such Town Meeting
Ioffman. :.\fr. Gallup, Mr.
nna, Miss Rogolsky, Mr.
:.\fr. Victorson and many
'our own" Miss Crawford
vVhile the 200 Town
are of this calibre we
:i.
,
TOWN
MEETING.
FORD HALL.
OTHER FORUMS.
By Miriam Allen de Ford.
Sunday evening meeting of the Peostitute in Cooper Union, New York,
btedly the oldest of the people"s
It had been in operation seven
vears when I first made my ac~ with it. It was the inspiration
eived there that led to the est of the Ford Hall Meetings. "The
unday Evening" in Rochester, N.
rted just about the same time
,tarted in Boston. The Sunday
ub in Chicago came into existe year too, I think. Thus when
all :Meetings were founded by the
.ptist Social Union in February,
were three other large - opular
p
lng forums of somewhat similar
ready under way in three other
d eastern cities.
years later, there are eighteen
rises in operation of which I
knowledge. Fourteen of them
among church people and at
them are held in church • uildb
Young Men's Christian Associa.thered two or three of them.
.are •in Massachusetts,' two are
pall.ire, two in New York State,
Jersey, one in Michigan, one in
one In Lausanne, Switzerland.
,rgaul.zation was promoted by
m. exclusively and - ecame so
b
Tery short time that it was
Deed or accommodations to
ty Council Chamber to the
the city.
at Manchester, N. H .,
gest and most successful
. The Young Men's
is responsible for it.
1 a theatre that will
It is not large enough
crowds who seek adester organization in
t Identical with that
tings.
DS In Boston, now in
ason, has gained a
gh It has suffered a
uate financial support.
of Social Science has
essru1 through several
that prospered for
,t on suburb was aiven
lhers that were b"egun
elr first season.
,-~!l.1
11111:;: melhods on which the
==~~~~~~
al"o
h:11=:Arl
'~
5
By George W. Coleman.
-...
~
h:ivp
hPP.n
You have gathered us, 0
mother, under
your embrace,
And suddenly the world is grown a consecrated place.
*
This i s ,\'illiam Horton Foster, " )Ir. T . ).(. Moderator," to ,vhom and " )Irs. T. )1." Ford Hall
owes so much in so many ways.
Mr. Foster,
besides being )loderntor o( the Town )Ieeting,
has been the frientl and advisor of eyery one,
of the Ford Hall Folks who bas had troubles
to lighten or problems to soh·e.
FORD
HALL FROM THE STANDPOINT
OF THE PRESS.
By A. J. Philpott, of the Boston Globe.
As a newspaperman, the Ford Hall meetings appeal to me because they don't profess more than they perform. It is usually
the other way. And the people who attend
the meetings regularly are without bias and
are intelligent enough to look on both sides
of any question with candor and fairness.
They play no favorites. They are not afraid
either to listen to or discuss any decent subject, and they do both with the kind of intelligent consideration and respect that
marks true politeness.
The meetings seem to me wholly in line
with the true ideals of American Democ•
racy-justice and fairness toward all. And
they are in direct line with the educational
progress of the age. The meetings prove
that there is a strong desire in the people
for accurate- knowledge, or for light, on the
vital questions of the day ; and it is fortunate that the meetings have not been
dominated by any group or class that would
regard themselves as the chosen people or
the otherwise elect.
Besides all this, however, I am deeply
conscious of the fact that the success of
the Ford Hall meetings is largely due to
•h~ mnn ~nil woman in whom the qualities
•
•
- - - - 1~i!Pnuate
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
I am the Jew, who has faced death for G~
for twenty hundred years;
I am the Negro, dragging ·c hains, whqse
clanking still the spirit hears;
I, the Slav, inarticulate, the master's heelmark on my throat;
I, the Italian, ardent-souled, my heart tuned
to a music-note ;
,
I am the Puritan, whose God sent stern·
purposed 'cross the sea;
am the beauty-dowered Greek, newly
athirst for liberty;
I am the German, patiently probing the here
and the hereafter;
I, Irish, with the Celtic grace of spirit and
the Celtic laughter;
I am the Frenchman, cherishing my memories republican;
[, English, from whose race you draw what
most makes you American.
And I am brother to each one of these who
come to call you mother,
Learning their fellowship from you, their
kinship unto one another.
You have gathered us, 0 mother, under your
embrace,
And suddenly the . world has grown a consecrated place.
ANOTHER COOPER UNION MAN NEXT
WEEK.
Frank Oliver Hall, who discusses "The
Right to Work" next Sunday night for us,
is a New England man who has made a
great name for himself in New York as a
preacher of ·principle and power. He is one
of Cooper Union's favorite speakers, and on
the very timely topic which he announces
for our platform will be sure to have a
crowded house.
THE SURVEY
is the record of social advance, of the latest
efforts toward common good. You need it.
$3.00 per year.
NEW
ENOLAND BUREAU
WARREN DUNHAM FOSTER
WILLIAM HORTON FOSTER
41 HUNTINGTON AVENUE, BOSTON
-,- -···•··,- ---rr:
-~
!:;:
'"ill
--.,..- --·
ala. and
one Ill LaU~'1UJ.n .,, ~ ,. ____ _
]atter organizatio_n was promoted by
rch men exclusively and .b ecame so
- 1D a ven· short time that it was
~
by the need of accommodations to
trom the City Council Chamber to the
~urch in the city·.
()pen Forum at Manchester, N. H .,
_. of the youngest and -most successful
~ new forums._ The Yo_ung Me~'s
atlaJl Association 1s responsible for 1t.
meet.Ing place is a theatre that will
·1500 people, and it is not large enough
odate the crowds who seek adThis Manchester organization in
feature- is almost identical with that
Ford Hall Meetings.
Sunday Commons in Boston, now in
third or fourth season, has gained a
e reputation, though it has suffered a
deal from inadequate financial support.
e Boston School of Social Science has
increasingly successful through several
·, s. One forum that prospered for
n
years in a Boston suburb was given
and one or two others that were begun
not last beyond their first season.
-The principles and methods on which the,rd Hall Meetings are based have been
pounded before representative gatherings
citizens in places as far west as Minne,polls, Colorado Springs, and Dallas, Texas,
11d 1D cities as far south as Richmond and
ew Orleans, as well as in New York,
adelphia, and Baltimore, and in many
Iler cities in New England, New York,
d Pennsylvania. 'Literature describing
e work done at Ford Hall has gone all
er the country through the news- apers
p
d leading magazines, and requests for inrmation and assistance are comfng in
ery day from many directions.
The work of esta- lishing pu·b lic forums
b
ter the manner of our own successful enterprise could well take all the time and
strength of a very capable man, but there
ls no one who is free to take up the burden except as a' few of us do what we can in
t direction as occasion permits.
A S
a llt: w
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ings appeal to me because they don't profess more than they perform. It is usually
You have gathered us, 0 mother, under your
embrace,
the other way. And the people who attend
the meetings regularly are without bias and
And suddenly the world has grown a conare intelligent enough to look on both sides
secrated place.
of any questiqn with candor and fairness.
They play no favorites. They are not afraid
ANOTHER COOPER UNION MAN NEXT
either to listen to or discuss any decent subWEEK.
ject, and they do both with the kind of intelligent consideration and respect that
marks true politeness.
Frank Oliver Hall, who discusses "The
The meetings seem to me wholly in line Right to Work" next Sunday night for us,'
with the true ideals of American Democ- is a New England man who has made a
racy-justice and fairness toward all. And great name for himself in New York as a
they are in direct line with the educational preacher of principle and power. He is one
progress of the age. The meetings prove of Cooper Union's favorite speakers, and on
that there is a strong desire in the people the very timely topic which he announces
for accurate knowledge, or for light, on the for our platform will be sure to have a
vital questions of the day ; and it is for- crowded house.
tunate that the meetings have not been
dominated by any group or class that would
THE SURVEY
regard themselves as the chosen people or
is the record of social advance, of the latest
the otherwise elect.
Besides all this, however, I am deeply efforts toward common good. You need it.
conscious of the fact that the success of
$3.00 per year.
the Ford Hall meetings is largely due to
NEW ENOLAND BUREAU
the man and woman in whom the qualities
FOSTER
WILLIAM HORTON FOSTER
I like best in meetings, find such adequate WARREN DUNHAM HUNTINGTON AVENUE, BOSTON
41
personal expression-George W. Coleman
and Mary C. Crawford.
TEL. E. BOSTON I 043 M.
And finall y, the Ford Hall meetings prove
to me that Boston is not wholly an EastMRS. N. M. ATWOOD
wind state of mind, and that at least the
90 MARION STREET, EAST BOSTON, MASS.
residents of Boston who attend Ford Hall
Sunday evenings have a good deal of feel- Wishes to announce that she will take oring and regard-for others. · The term ders for fresh cut flowers for all occasions
and deliver them promptly.
"brotherhood" is not a meaningless metaphor with them.
One of our own Ford Hall Folks
NE'W CH\UJRCitiI LECTURES
· You are cordially invited to attend a course of three free lectures in
FORD HALL
Thursday evenings, March 12th, 19th, and 26th, at 8 o'clock, when the following questions
will be answered from the standpoint of the New Church:
I. Could God Write a Book? (March 12.)
II. Could God Become Man? (March 19.)
III. Can Man Discover Immortality?
(March 26.)
The lecturer will be the Rev. Julian Kennedy Smyth of New· York City, who is the
official head of the New Church in the United States and Canada.
SEATS FREE.
NO COLLECTION.
.Sunday Afternoon Conversations
COME!
Commencing March 1st at 4 P . M., in th
lecture room, 136 Bowdoin St., and continu
j ng through the month, to discuss the Dis
coveries of Emanuel Swedenborg in Scienc(
and Religion. Free-No Collection.
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THE QUESTIONS
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FORD HALL FOLKS
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Q: Will you give illustrations proving
the statement that there is more prejudice
and less opportunity for the colored man
today than 25 years ago?
A: When I went to Washington I could
go to any theatre and sit anywhere in it,
and now that is impossible. '.Twenty-five
years ago there were no Jim Crow car laws;
now I should _be arrested for riding in a
white man's car. Colored children used to
be able to take part in the social life of the
public schools; now in many places they
cannot.
Q: What do you think of Chief Sam, who
has just organized a movement to take
colored people back to Africa?
A: I don't think my opinion is valuable
enough to express. I don't think very much
of him.
Q:
Do you believe if political equality
were actually given to every colored citizen
that the race problem would be settled for
all time, and do you believe • the result
would be amalgamation?
A: I do not think that any ·one human
thing will solve the race problem for all
time. The only thing that will is a change
of heart on the part of the people in power.
But I do believe in political equality.
Q: Will you tell us why you called the
colored people the Sons of Ham? (Laughter.)
A: I am going to let Mr. Coleman answer that; he is more up on Bible history
than I. (Mr. Coleman): My Bible history
is in my wife's name. (Mrs. Coleman):
Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham and
Japhet. The Jews are supposed to be descended from -Shem, the white people from
Japhet, and the negroes from Ham.
Q:
Would not the giving of political
equality to the colored people in the South
bring back the days of carpet-bagging?
A: I think the carpet-bagging situation
has been much exaggerated. But I am sure
the white people of the North would not
again flock to the South in the same way,
and so there would be no opportunity for a
renewal of what they tell us the conditions
were.
A : That is an impossible dream. · .n
A:
If there were some change they
could not be done.
would be better off.
Q (Miss Rogolsky):
Q. (:Mr. Margolis):
Why is it that so
few people of the colored race belong to of Jack Johnson and the attitude of the
American public toward him?
~-.1
the _Socialist party ?
A : I think the attitude of the peopi
A: You do not know how many colored
people are interested in Socialism. (Ap- toward Jack Johnson is the most disgrace:
ful thing the American · public has been
plause.) I really believe it is better for
Socialism just now not to have some people guilty of for many years. The .man himself
l do _
not admire at all.
-~
believe that colored people are interested in
Q: Can you give statistics to show that
it.
the education of the colored people tends
Q : Do you approve of the methods of
to reduce the proportion of· criminal assauit
Beaker T . Washington ?
A: Most heartily. But I have always among them?
A: I have been all through the Sou
said that I would never discuss Booker T.
Washington unless people could go down and have heard president after president ol
there and see how he has made the wild- the colored colleges say that no graduate
of his institution has ever been accused of
erness blossom like a rose.
assault. I have never heard of such
Q : Is not race preJudice increased by
accusation against a· colored graduate of.,a
the burlesque of the negro on the stage?
A. Undoubtedly. I believe something · college or high school.
Q: What is your opinion in regard to tliit.
should be done to stop this caricaturing· of
probable feeling of the Southern peopli
all races. (ApplauseJ
·
toward the colored people if there had been'
Q (Mr. Page) : Do you think the prejusome restriction in regard to their votin~'
dice against the colored people will ever
A : That could only be a conjecture. Tht
end?
A: When the heart of mankind is feeling they did have was very natural,. b_tll
the vote was given to the colored man
changed.
protect him.
Q (Miss Corwin) : Are not the better
Q: How does the low white trash of th,
class of white people in the South becom- South compare with the ignorant bla
ing more favorable toward the · colored man ?
people?
A:
I object to the term "low whit,
A: I
quite sure of that. I never trash" as much as I do the word "nigger:
think the South is any worse than any other I can't compare the two.
part of the country.
Q (Mrs. Whitechurch):
If the wom
Q:
Are the protests made against the had the ballot, would it- be any better fo
alleged
discrimination against colored the colored people?
people by the present national administra· A: I think so. (Applause.) But m
tion justified?
colored men do not believe so, because the
_ A: I can't answer that, because I have
think the white women · would be mo
not lived in Washington for six months.
prejudiced against them than are the whi
Q:
Do you think slavery, involving the men.
transportation of the Ethiopians from
Q (Miss White): Isn't the future of
Africa, was an upward s tep in their de- coiored people of the South better than th~
velopment?
of the poor white people in the mills? -~t
A: The colored mothers of the Soutb,
A: Undoubtedly slavery was instrumental of much good. as an y e vil thing can are compelled to stay away from their chiF
be.
dren just as much as are the poor white
mothers.
Q: As long as the mad greed for wealth
and power continues. is there hope for any
Q : Why is it that the negro is allowed to
race? (Applause.)
enlist in the navy, is segregated in the
A ( Mr. Coleman l : Only for those that army, and is discriminated against in the-win the race. (LaughtP.r.)
marine corps?
A : It is safe to _s:~.v +h~• - - -Q: Aren't the white people in the South
more illiterate than the col orPrl " ~~-• - .,
m
am
.
'
''
Q : Do you believe if political equality
were actually given to every colored citizen
that the race problem would be settled for
all time, and do you believe the result
w.ould be amalgamation?
A: I do -not think that any ·one human
thing will solve the race problem for all
time . . The only thing that will is a change
of heart on the part of the people in power.
But" I do believe in political equality.
Q: • Will you tell us why you called the
colored people the Sons of Ham ? (Laughter.)
.
A: I am going to let Mr. Coleman answer that; he is more up . on Bible history
than I. (Mr. Coleman): My Bible history
is in my wife's name. (Mrs. Coleman):
Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham and
Japhet. The Jews are supposed to be descended from Shem, the white people from
Japhet, and the negroes from Ham.
Q : Would not the giving of political
equality to the colored people in the South
bring back the days of carpet-bagging?
A : I think the carpet-bagging situation
has been much exaggerated. But I am sure
the white people of the North would not
again flock to the South in the same way,
and so there would be no opportunity for a
renewal of what they tell us the conditions
were.
Q (Mr. Victorson): If the colored people
developed their own peculiar characteristics instead of seeking to imitate the
whites, would they not win greater respect?
A: If we did not imitate the white people
we should be very stupid. They have had
hundreds of years of advantage of us, and
we should not be worth saving if we did not
imitate the best:
Q: Will the education of the negro help
solve this question, or does it depend
largely upon the attitude of the white
people?
,
A: That is the crux of the question. If
it came to · a question of whether the white
or the colored people should be educated,
I should give my vote for the white people,
because it is not possible for the colored
people to rise in a community where the
whites are uneducated.
Q: What name do you apply to the
colored people?
A: I think I showed my preference in
my talk tonight. I prefer "colored people"
because our friends call us that, and because not many colored people in this country are of pure African race.
Q (Mr. Jordan): If the economic system
were changed, would the colored people
get more out of that changed system?
feeling they <11<1 have was very natural b
A : .,When the heart of mankind is
the vote was given to the colored ru;n :
changed.
protect him.
Are not the better
Q ( Miss Corwin) :
Q: How does the low white trash of
class of white people in the South becom- South compare with the ignorant bl~
ing more favorable toward the · colored
man?
people?
A:
I object to the term "low
A: I am quite sure of that. I never trash" as much as I do the word "nigger •
think the South is any worse than any other I can't compare the two.
·
part of the country.
Q (Mrs. Whitechurch):
If the womea
Q: Are the protests made against the had the ballot, would it be any better for
the colored people?
alleged
discrimination against colored
A: I think so. (Applause.) But many
people by the !)resent national administracolored men do not believe so, because they
tion justified?
think the white women · would be more
. A : I can't answer that, because I have
prejudiced against them than are the White
not lived in Washington for six months.
Q: Do you think slavery, involving the men.
Q (Miss White): Isn't the future of the
transportation of the Ethiopians from
Africa, was an upward step in their de- coiored people of the South better than that
of the poor white people in the mills?
velopment?
A: The colored mothers of the South
A: Undoubtedly slavery was instrumenare compelled to stay away from their chi}.
tal of much good, as any evil thing can
dren just as much as are the poor white
be.
Q: As long as the mad greed for wealth mothers.
Q: Why is it that the negro is allowed to
and power continues, is there hope for any
enlist in the navy, is segregated in the
race? (Applause.)
A (Mr. Coleman): Only for those that army, and is discriminated against in the
marine corps?
win the race. (Laughter.)
A: It is safe to say that negroes are disQ: Aren't the white p·eople in the South
. criminated against more or less everywhere
more illiterate than the colored people?
A : I haven't the statistics, but I hardly in the United States. At Newport News
the colored sailors told me they were very
think it is true.
Q : Didn't the Quakers in the past exer- happy.
Q: Aren't the colored government emcise the greatest tolerance toward the
in
Washington
discriminated colored people, and doesn't the Salvation ployees
.against?
A: I think I have answered that
Army do the same today?
Q: Since three-quarters of the people of
A:
The Quakers undoubtedly _did the
the world are of other than white race,
most, but all the churches did something.
Q : What do you think of intermarriage what has caused the supremacy of the
whites?
between whites and colored people?
A: Sometimes in a family one child is
A: My attitude on that subject is the ·
same as on any other; that each and every precocious and another backward; but
sometimes the backward child gets ahead
individual should live up to the life that he
has, and exercise his freedom of judgment in the end.
Q: Is not race prejudice due in the last
in marriage as in everything else.
Q: Aren 't the church and the lawmakers analysis to a misunderstanding on the part
responsible for the way we treat the of the white race?
A: I am quite sure that is true, and that
colored people?
and white
A: I don't think the church is respon- is why I regret that the colored _
children are being separated in the schools
sible, but both it and the lawmakers could
and elsewhere.
do a great deal more than they do.
Q : Isn't a good deal of the trouble due
Q (Miss Satran) : I should like to ask
to the fact that the white man thinks God
Mrs. Coleman if she doesn 't think the Jews
are white people, when she says all the made the black man his inferior?
A: Yes, I think that is the prevailing
\\'hite people were descended from Japhet?
opinion, although it gets some rude shocks
A (Mrs. Coleman): Of course the ·Jews
are white. The descendants of Japhet are now and then.
Q: Are not the colored people descended
the Aryans.
Q: If the colored people are so op- from Cain, and therefore do they not bear
pressed, would it not be well for them to his mark?
A: I never heard that before; it is very
have a nation of their own, operated by
themselves, and giving all their own people interesting. It is a new burden for us to
carry.
employment?
(Continued on Page 8.)
whiie
--
esuons u .. cent. scrYice.
)las done.
--
.
This
Tl-IE FORD HALL
JNGS.
Ill page 4 . )
ill all open lette.r adat Ford Hall," to the
the movement had
0
t-more strongly than
,rhile he hoped to be
the work again in the
assurance that such
"Sbould it prove," ~e
. we are never ·agam
ball that there will
e th~se here, we will
,y what this priv~legE
thstanding the bitter
ent."
d this time by ~
an ever before-thi
et the work go on, an<
· n began October 15
•, n of "What Is the Mai
o
!" by Dean Hodges o
,l ogical School in Can:
a consideration of "Wha
the People Outside th
L Swift., champion c
The red-letter night tha
·-ember 19, 1911, when D
!bell of the City Temp!,
address on "Recent Soci:
Progress in England:" Pre~
,v.n University also spol
out in the discussic
address on "The 1\12
the appalling fact that
audience present fom
y labor. It was duril
, that Prof. James H. Hysl,
.ii- Society · for .Psychical :B
.his impressive talk on "Scien
r." • And again, in Februa1
le priest on our platform,
Ryan of St. Paul's Semina·
L."Who talked on "The Livi
tlle season drew to a close l
'of London lectured brillian
~ Brother's Keeper?"; Jo
__. interpreted' Syndicalism.
U.ffCent Lawrence strike; 2
.l lathews· gave a fascinat
~ o n of the Modern Ma
I mth season is a matter of
,t . it is worth while to re<
on "The Un-Social E v
, Baroness Yon Suttner,
the greatly lamented Jos,
of those who made up :
· And it was last wir
ilfli.
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·-.:
FORD HALL FOLKS
u impossible dream.
.ky) : What do you think~
and the attitude of the
toward him ?
Le attitude of the people"
tson is the most disgrace-·
merican public has been. :
.
r years. The man himself
at all.
ive statistics to show that."
the colored people tends··
portion of criminal assault
,
?:n all through the Sou~
resident after president ot
ges say that no graduate
has ever been accused o( ·
never heard of such an.
:t a colored graduate of a
chool.
ur opinion in regard to the
of the Southern people::
,d people if there had been'
in regard to their voting!
only be a conjec.ture. The·
1a ve was very natural,. but'
·en to the colored man to
to the term "low white
ts I do the word "nigger."·•
he two.
/
ichurch):
If the women
rou]d it be any better for'
e?
(Applause.) But many
ot believe so; because the
women · would be more
;t them than are the white
) : Isn't the future of the
the South better than tha
?: people in the mills?
·ed mothers of the Sou
stay away from their chil·
ch as are the poor white
:hat the negro is allowed to
ivy, is segregated in the
,criminated against in the. :,
:o say that negroes are dis• •
st more or less everywhere
itates. At Newport News
·· .r-'l. - ~1
- · ···-
.. •nT"V'
that that glorious birthday party occurred
(February 23, 1913), and that Ford Hall
Folks began to be issued each week.
The meetings are now in their seventh
season, and the appearance of Mary Antin
served again to break the record in the matter of attendance.
Symposium addresses,
held on an average of once a month, are a
recently-introduced feature, perhaps the
Ford
Hnll
most significant given thus far being that of
February 15, 1914, when "Breeding Men" was
Folks.
If lt
were not for the topic, and two physicians and a clergyher it · would man talked in the plainest of English about
be quite im- the right of every child to be well-born.
possible for us Several important speakers are still to come,
to offer to our among them John Cowper Powys, the ·welshreaders · such man from Cambridge University, England,
w e 11 rounded who created a veritable sensation when
reports of the heard on this platform last season; · Dr.
Thomas C. Hall, a favorite ·at Cooper Union;
lectures.
::lfiss de Ford's life should offer much in- and the ever-popular Rauschenbusch, who is
scheduled to close the series of 1913-14 on
spiration to Ford Hall Neighbors.
For
·
years she ccmbined earning her living with April 19 next. * * *
There is. of course, in the audiences, a
fighting for an education, Only a woman
With a knowledge of the work being rather large proportion of those who have
done by big men and women in many fields lost touch with every form of organized reo[ human endeavor could report the Ford ligion. Through the intimate talks which
Hall lectures and questions and answers the · Secretary has had this winter with -a
With one hundred per cent. service. This
number of the leading figures in the audiwork ::IIiss de Ford has done.
ence it has, however, been brought out that
in not a few cases those- who had become
estranged from their churches are now
THE STORY OF THE FORD HALL
ready to be active church workers again.
MEETINGS.
As one man put it, "After five years at Ford
(Continued from Page 4.)
Hall, I am more sure than ever before that
man is incurably religious."
lll&D drew attention, in an open letter adThe splendid Christian character of Ford
Cressed to .. the folks at Ford Hall," to the
fact that opposition to the movement had Hall's director, however, and the noble unselfishness of the clergymen and laymen who
aow· broke:i out afresh-more strongly than
~ torore--and that while he hoped to be here talk as m en on various topics of social
import undoubtedly exercise an immense in,ennitted to take up the work again in the
111D he· could give no assurance that such fluence for religious uplift. Nor should it be
"-Id be the case. "Should it prove," he forgotten that we pray very wonderful
laJd bl closing, .. that we are never again . prayers at Ford Hall,-prayers in which· the
together in this hall, that there will topic of the day ·is inspiringly associated
- . more meetings like these here, we will with petitions for divine grace. If it be true,
nmember with joy what this privilege as the poet tells us, that
-.zit to us. notwithstanding the bitter"Prayer is the . soul's sincere desire
fol our disappointment."
Uttered or unexpressed"
Ye o.nce again-and this time by a every Ford Hall Meeting is a prayer meet. majority than e,·er before-the ing. For the people who make up this audi,tee Toted to let the work go on. and ence all care and care t remendously that
llall•, fifth season began October 15, the Kingdom of Heaven shall speedily come
With a discussion of "What Is the Mat- on earth.
rtth the Church?" by Dean Hodges of
~
pal Theological School in Cam- A CHURCHMAN'S VIEW OF FORD HALL.
followed by a consideration of " What
By Rolfe Cobleigh.
Xatter With the People Outside the
I regard the Ford Hall Meetings as among
= • ~ . - ?'" ~,. .ll?rrison T. Swift. champion of
~
_!:r!ost powerful local a gencies for good
Here is Miriam, Allen de
Ford, who,
more perhaps,
than any other
i,ndi vid ual ~s
responsible for
the present
excellence of
'.
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7
it brings the dissolution of prejudice, the
·b irth of desire to co-operate in the fight
against wrong and injustice and in behalf of
the common good ; it inspires a constant
striving upward for the realization - f high
o
ideals.
Out of it. all must come action. I believe
that Ford Hall Folks put into practice per-·
sonally real brotherhood and real democracy
and will do so more and more as time
goes on.
As long as I see our country and our
fellow citizens suffering from man's inhumanity to man, from industrial and
political injustice and social corruption,-as
long as I .b elieve, as I do believe, in America as God's appointed Melting Pot of the
Nations and in the universal brotherhood
of man, I shall want to see the Ford 'Hall
Meetings continue. I hope to see George
Coleman keep on conducting them just as
he conducts them now, and I wish to ·b e
count ed among the most grateful and loyal
of his Ford Hall Folks.
THE YOUNG MEN'S HEBREW ASSOCIA. TION.
Dear Ford Hallites of the Christian faith:
-Do you remember in what admiration
the typical orthodox Jew of a few years ago
was held by even a prejudiced world? To
you who were familiar with the Jewish
home, can you ever obliterate from your
·memory the beautiful home ties that existed therein? Was not the child' s devotion
to its parent the comment of their gentile
neighbor? Was not the honor and virtue
of the Jewish maiden held to be spotless and
above reproach, and will you ever again behold such divine humility and forbearance
as did their fathers display when missiles
and vile epithets were hurled at them?
Such was the Jew as God intended him to
be, and as he himself wished to remain.
But sad to relate, ignorance and persecution on the part of so called Christians have
caused this type to become well nigh extinct. What a painful loss and calamity to
the religious world this would mean, if it
were not for the divine truth that the God
of Israel still lives. For behold! as has
happened a hundred times before in
Israel's history, a miracle is happening before our very eyes .
Listen, my Christian . friends, and take
courage.
For the past few years have
arisen all over the country bands of young
Jewish men, firmly resolved to forsake the
beaten path and hark back to their ancient
f~ i th.
These ~
ized bodies are known
.,,:q
:f.
·!
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-
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,(Applause.) But many
believe so, because they
romen · would be more
hem tlia:n are the_White
Isn't the• ~uture of the
South better than that
iople in the mills?
IIIlothers qf the South
y away from their chiJ.
as are the . poor White
.·
ne or less everywhere
i. .At Newport News .
id me they were very
e
family one child is
her backward; but
i.rd child gets ahead
l dice due in the last
r anding on the part
that is true, and that
ie colored .and white
trated in the schools
f
ii of the trouble due
iite man thinks God
is inferior?
it is the prevailing
some rude shoc~s
:s
I
ed people descended
:e do they not bear
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Lt before; it is very
w burden for us to
• tinued on Page 8.)
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discriminated
r I have answered that.
rters of the people of
ier than white race,
supremacy of the
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. .,_ _. .._. ..,t'_ ...., ....,..,.. .. ._.,
Jks at Ford Hall, . w cut::
. . to
el ? to the movement had Hall's director, however, and the noble unselfishness of the clergymen and laymen who
-~t oppos uon
·
...
fresh-more strongly t 1
ian here talk as men on various topics of social
ouJ tiat while he hoped to be import undoubtedly exercise an immense in~ t a k up the work again in the fluence for religious uplift. Nor should it be
no assurance that such forgotten
we pray very wonderful
all ·..lie the case. "Should it prove," he . prayers at that Hall,-prayers in which the
CD 4
Ford
:__.,__u
·
.. that we are never agam topic of the day ·is inspiringly associated
~ ta
in this hall, that there w~ll with petitions for divine grace. If it be true,
.....
eetings like these here, we_will as the poet tells us, that .
M• aore
with joy what this priv~lege
"Prayer is the . soul's sincere aesire
us, notwithstanding the bitterUttered or unexpressed"
... c6
disappointment."
•
every Ford Hall Meeting is a prayer meetagain-and this time by a ing. For the people who make up this audiYa
majority than ever before-the ence all care and care tremend-Ously that
voted to let the work go on, an_?- the Kingdom of Heaven shall speedily come
;.. e.an•.- ftfth season began October l <> , on earth.
· 111. wltll a . discussion of "What Is the Mat1
. W1th the Church?" by Dean H?dges of A CHURCHMAN'S VIEW OF FORD HALL.
:._
Efaeopal Theologica~ Sch<?ol m" CamBy Rolfe Cobleigh.
lda&e. followed by a consideration of_ What
.. tbe )latter With the People Outsi~e the
I regard the Ford Hall Meetings as among
Qlllrda?" by Morrison I. Swift, champion of
the most powerful local agencies for ·good
. . maelllPloyed. The red-letter night that
in the United States. They stand for the
.,- wu o.n November 19, 1911, when Dr. highest ideals in our national life and they
Jtclna)d ,._J ; ..Campbell of the City Temp~e. are actually helping to solve some of our
t,oDdoa. gave an address on "Recent Soc13:l
most serious problems.
ad Economic Progress in England:" Pres1When we have enough Ford Halls to
ilallthunce of Brown University also spoke cover the country, "government of the peodlat 'Willter. bringing out in the discussion
ple by the people and for the people" will be
,W1lldl followed his address on "The Man
nearer than ever before. The brotherhood cf
..a the Machine," the appalling fact that a man will be realized as it never has been
..... majority of the audience present found
realized, and a ·b ig advance will have been
N Joy In their daily labor. It was during
made in upbuilding the Kingdom of RightOlis season. too, that Prof. James .H. Hyslop
eousness. I am glad to learn that already
QI tlie .American Society · for .Psychical Reseveral other forums modeled on the Ford
aean:h gave his impressive talk on "Science Hall plan have been established successaad- lmmortality." And again, in February, . fully.
we had a Catholic priest on our platform,in church, and state and industry.
ReY. · John ·A. Ryan of St. Paul's Seminary,
I am thrilled as I see the rush of eager
at.· Paul.··Minn., who talked on "The Living Ford Hall Folks when the doors are flung
Wage.,. ' :As the season drew to a close Dr.
open each Sunday evening. I feel the earnStan.ton Coit · of London lectured brilliantly
est seeking after truth within the hearts
- ~ "'Am I lily Brother's Keeper?"; John
of those who constitute· that throng. I feel
Graham Brooks interpreted' Syndicalism. as
their insistent demand for justic'e and oplbowu.- In the recent Lawrence strike; and
portunity, and the ever-growing realization
Dean _
Sba.ller :Mathews· gave a fascinating
of human brotherhood.
The Ford Hall
taDt OD '"The Religion of the Modern Man." spirit has helped us all to feel, that, while
Ford Hall's sixth season is a matter of re- we differ in race and outward appearance
emit record, but it is worth while to recall
and in opinions on creeds and political
dlat Cllfford Roe on "The Un-Social Evil," platforms, we are all brothers in God's
Jo4p Lindsey, Baroness von Suttner, Dr.
great family.
Ta:mel Kin and the greatly lamented Joseph ·
That spirit brings good will, tolerance,
Na were a few of those who made up last willingness to listen to the honest opinions
Wiater'• J>rogram.. And jt was last winter of others, to acknowledge our own mistakes;
• _:e
---:!",...
nei ghbor? Was not the honor and virtue
of the Jewish maiden held to be spotless and
above reproach, and will you ever again behold such divine humility and forbearance
as did their fathers display when missiles
and vile epithets were hurled at them?
Such was the Jew as God intended him · to
be, and as he himself wished to remain.
But sad to relate, i.gnorance and persecution on the part of so called Christians have
caused this type to become well nigh extinct. ·what a painful loss and calamity to
the religious world this would mean, if it
were not for the divine truth that the God
of Israel still lives. For behold! as has
happened a hundred times before in
Israel's history, a miracle is happening before our very eyes.
Listen, my Christian . friends , and take
-:ourage.
For the past few years have
arisen all over the country bands of young
Jewish men, firmly resolved to forsake the
beaten path and hark back to their ancient
faith. These organized bodies are known
as the Young Men's Hebrew Associations .
They are filled with an enthusiasm and a
vision as were the prophets of old. None
of their kin have fallen so low that they
are not willing to reclaim men as their own.
Be he prince or pauper, a Y. M. H . .A. member stands on perfect equality and the right
hand of friendship is ever extended in fra~
ternal greeting. To rekindle in the child's
heart a yearning for love, justice and
eternal truth is with them a passion.
Thrice fortunate indeed is the West End
of our city, in the fact that it has established a Y. M. H . .A., whose members desire to consecrate their lives to Jewish
ideals, virtue and love of home and family,
all tending to splendid .American manhood.
.Although but recently formed, it numbers
already some seven hundred odd members.
and is now in quest of a permanent building- that it may carry on its -noble work.
Therefore, on behalf of its members, of
which I have the honor of being one, we
<tsk of you good people of Ford Hall ·to
offer your heartfelt prayer to our Common
Father that He may so guide us in our
efforts as to tend our helping to make this
world a better and a happier one for all His
children.
·
Your Friend,
SAMUEL S.ACKM.ARY.
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FORD HALL FOLKS
8
UNCLE SAM AND THE SONS OF HAM.
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(Continued from Page 3.)
am personally acquainted with young
colored men and women whose race is not
apparent, who were dismissed from posts
they filled very well, when their colored
blood was discovered. Of course this does
not always happen; all the just, generous
white people are not dead yet. (Applause.)
But these things happen much more frequently than the white people know. (The
speaker told of a case in a Washington department store.)
These things make me
think of the hunter who crawled into a
hollow log for shelter from the rain, which
contracted the wood so that he was unable
to escape. He resigned himself to die. and
started thinking of all the evil deeds of
his life. At last he remembered a colored
man he had discharged simply for his color.
and then he felt so small he crawled out
of the hole again! (Laughter.)
When I taught in a high school in Washington I used to urge my pupils to get as
good an education as thev could. so as to
be able to advance themselves in life. More
than once a girl or boy would say: "Why
are you urging us to get a thorough education? We cannot all be ministers or
lawyers or doctors, and besides that there
are only a few menial positions that colored
people can get." This lack of incentive to
effort has such a depressing effect on thousands and thousands of colored boys and
girls in this country as it is impossible for
the average white American to understand.
"Leave hope • ehind, all ye that enter
b
here" is printed on the hearts of many
colored men and women. The outlook for
colored men . is bad enough, out for colored
women this cruel, unreasonable prejudice
means in many instances misery and despair. Many a well-intentioned, virtue-loving colored girl has been led, from her
point of view, to live a life of shame, because is was impossible for her to secure
employment. With the exception of teaching,
where the supply far exceeds the demand.
and cooking, sewing and nursing. there is
practically nothing a colored girl can get
to do. Colored girls are often sent as servants to houses of ill fame where they
would not dare send white girls. Surely
the moth ers anrl fa.thP.r!': of the dominant
I did not come here to answer
Will you kindly tell us . hoy,
colored people regard the Japanese fi'
country?
·
A: I have never sounded more .
very few on the subject, but perso·
have the greatest admiration for th,
wish for their success. (Applause.)
Q : Would it not be better for
persecuted races to band together a
in unison?
~A : What do you mean-the Irish
Hebrews and the colored men? If'
suit would not be like the Kilke
it would be very fine. (Laughter.YQ: Are the Jews any better of!'.
colored people?
:) .
A: E ven the Jews in Russia are
badly off as the colored people in
This is "Jack" London, who hns done s o much
Q: If the cause of this -prejudice is
actually to bring Ford Hall Folks to its readance, why don't more colored peop:
ers, and who has all the cares and responsibilities of being its business manager.
advantage of an opportunity for ;
like this at Ford Hall?
,
A: There are comparatively fe·w
existing conditions in the United States!
(Applause.) A white mother knows that if people in Boston, and they haleit is in her baby to be great all the exterior church affiliations, which· are like ~
conditions are his without the asking_ From them. I suppose that is the reason.
his birth he is a king in his own right, and it does not excuse them.
Q: Do you think the colored _
is no suppliant for justice. But how great
the North are contented with the'
the contrast with the colored mother! Before her ·b aby the colored mother sees the
tion?
•··
A: By no means. Why should'_
thorny path of race prejudice which his
Their only advantage over the coI
little feet must tread. So rough does the
way of her infant appear to many a poor ple of the South is the possibility
colored mother that she trembles with ap- ing justice in the courts of raw.• ·
Q: Is not the only hope of the ·b
prehension and despair.
This picture is not a whit overdrawn to merge with the white race, SJ1
or exaggerated.
But we are not sit- that the desire of educated colo~
A: It is not their desire as a w)i,
ting supinely by.
God has blessed
Q (Mr. Bodfish): What is beilJg;
us with a cheerful spirit, and more
the South to teach the colored
than you think are up and doing.
till the· soil. and o'wn their own .
Whenever we get such a splendid chance as
I have tonight, we are appealing to our . a means of disarming prejudice?
A: A great deal, but the col,
large-hearted. broadminded brothers and
sisters of . the dominant race to observe who has had that training is oft, .
themselves, and teach their children to ob- - who is discriminated against the~
A (Mr . Meltzer): After the
serve, the principles of justice and liberty,
and above all, equality of opportunity, upon is enlightened and the colored
which this country was founded. We are emancipated. is it not left for
asking them to teach their children to judge and the white man to march
people by their intrinsic merit rather than ward the Millennium?
by the adventitious circumstances of race
A: I think so.
or color. and that if they prevent their
Q : Will you mention one
colored brothers from earning an honest that is closed to colored men?
living the Father of all men will hold them
A: In Washington there ar;.
A:
Q:
1
-----~
lawyers or UU\,;l..l.JJ.O, t..o..u.u ... .., _ __ •
are only a few menial positions that colored
people can get." This lack of incentive to
effort has such a depressing effect on thousands and thousands of colored boys and
girls in this country as it is impossible for
the average white American to understand.
"Leave hope behind, all ye that enter
here" is printed on the hearts of many
colored men and women. The outlook for
colored men . is bad enough, out for colored
women this cruel, unreasonable prejudice
means in many •instances misery and despair. Many a well-intentioned, virtue-loving colored girl has been led, from her
point of view, to live a life of shame, because is was impossible for her to secure
employment. With the exception of teaching,
where the supply far exceeds the demand,
and cooking, sewing and nursing. there is
practically nothing a colored girl can get
to do. Colored girls are often sent as servants to houses of ill fame where they
would not dare send white girls. Surely
the mothers and fathers of the dominant
race, no matter how much personally they
may dislike colored people, are willing to
agree that colored girls should receive the
same protection as white girls! Therefore
those of you who are reallv interested in
the moral welfare of colored people cannot
consistently ignore this boycott which so
seriously hampers the colored girl in her
desperate struggle for existence, and so
0ften leads to her moral ruin. The thing to
do is to create a wholesome public opinion
which will open trades and occupations to
colored girls. So long as the womanhood
of any- race is sacrificed ·with impunity on
the altar of lust. so long is the womanhood
of no race absolutely secure. (Applause.)
But in soite of these untoward conditions
to which I have referred, remember that
statistics show that immorality among colored women in the United States is not so
l!'reat as among women similarly situated in
:i.t least five foreign countries. And one of
thP. most encouraging and hopeful signs of
colored American orogress is the high
moral standard in which those of the race
who have had the advantag-es of education
and moral training religiously believe. and
to which they rigidly adhere. We are doing everything in our power as colored
people to work out our own salvation. We
are trying to imnress upon our children the
necessity of cultivating their minds and being honest and energetic and industrious.
But how difficult it is for a colored ·mother
to inspire her children with hope under the
undrums. (Laughter.)
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little ·feet must tread. ::;o n,u:;,u ~~-way of her infant appear to many a poor
colored mother that she trembles with a pprehension and despair.
This picture is not a whit overdrawn
or exaggerated.
But we are not sitting supinely by.
God has blessed
us with a cheerful spirit, and more
than you think are up and doing.
Whenever we get such a splendid chance as
I have tonight, we are . appealing to our
large-hearted, broadminded brothers and
sisters of . the dominant race to observe
themselves, and teach their children to ob- ·
serve, the principles of justice and liberty,
and above all, equality of opportunity. upon
which this country was founded. We are
asking them to teach their children to judge
people by their intrinsic merit rather than
by the adventitious circumstances of race
or color, and that if they prevent their
colored brothers from earning an honest
living the Father of all men will hold them
responsible for the human wrecks they will
make. In . the name of American childhood
-black as well as white-we implore you
to make the future of our boys and girls
as bright as should be that of every child
in a country which owes its existence to the
love of liberty in the human heart. (Applause.)
In the race problem there is much that
is complicated and vexatious; but I believe
the American people will break these bonds
as they did those of slavery, and afford the
colored man the opportunity of reaching the
highest point it is possible for him to attain.
The feelings o! the Son of Ham toward this
country may be expressed by the words of
the old song. "With all her faults, I love
her still." The colored American is no ingrate. He knows he is a debtor to the
American nation for favors past and present, and the majority of colored people if
offered the opportunity to leave this land
would indignantly spurn it. Uncle Sam is
still being trusted and loyally served by
the faithful, trusting, grateful Sons of Ham.
THE QUESTIONS.
· (Continued from Page 6.)
Q : Isn't the race prejudice nowadays due
to the fact that the colored man is competin~ economically with the white man, as he
did not immediately after his emancipation?
A: That is undoubtedly true, to a large
extent.
Q: What is the attitude of ex-President
Roosevelt toward .the colored people?
E. L. Grimes Company, Printers, ~
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pie of the ::;ouLu i::, cu., ,,v•o w 111 t
ing justice in the courts of la"· 'J'
Q: Is not the only hope of the\.
to merge with the white race. a
that the desire of educated color:f
A: It is not their desire as a"'. 1
Q (Mr. Bodfish) : What is bein
the South to teach the colored g
till the · soil and own their own
. a means of disarming prejudice?
A: A great deal, but the col
who has had that training is often
who is discriminated a gainst the 1
A (Mr. Meltzer): After the "'
is enlightened and the colored race
emancipated, is it not left for
and the white man to march tog,
ward the Millennium?
A: I think so.
Q: Will you mention one
that is closed to colored men?
A: In Washington there are
Q: What is the religion of the
negro?
A : I have n ever been in Africa
but he bas a religion, and he is a v
man-he never learned immorality
came here.
.
Q (Mr. Cosgrove):
Did any f,
civilization manifest itself among
colored people in Africa before they
to this country?
•
A: I have read that there Wei'!
universities in Africa before there w,
in England.
.,
Q : Can you point out some class or
that stands for equality for the
race?
A : I think I know one-the S
(Applause.)
Q (A boy): Is there still a gm
tween the North and South in r
slavery?
A: None whatever, son.
Q (Mr. Harbour) : Do you think
equality possible between the black.
white?
..
A: I can see it all over the counti,.:
have it here tonight, in a way.
Q (Mr. Fraser): How does tbe
of the people in the West Indies
with that here?
A : The relations there are most
There is practically no friction .
Q: How would you suggest uni
the friends of the colored people?
A: They would be united if they
the conditions; so I should say, by
ening them.
Pearl Street, Boston, Mass.