cided to hold them until the holiday season, when, they reasoned, they would make attractive Christmas gifts. It was really more than a cook book, with the bright oil-cloth cover, with unique blue printing, and its pictures of interest and a short historical sketch of the town's early history, features which helped the book to find a ready sale. During the holiday season the first 100 books were sold and with the $50 proceeds the roof of the building was shingled and other minor repairs started. The old church was really becoming a hall. During this transitional period several requests came in for cook books. This time the cost of printing was paid for by popular subscription. The second edition of cook books sold as readily as the first, and thus another $50 was raised. With this amount the hall was placed in a usable condition. Needless to say, the remaining $100 took care of itself, being easily raised in the hall by fairs, suppers and entertainments which all greatly enjoyed.

Since that time I can safely say that $1,000 has been made in this building, a large part of which has been applied in improving it. A spacious dining-hall has been annexed, and gymnasium equipment, furnace and electric lights have been installed.

To attempt to describe the enjoyment and good times which have been made possible by the raising of that first one hundred dollars would be a long story, but certainly all who assisted have been repaid many times.

One Hundred Rural
Community Houses

of Montana.

In more than one hundred rural communities of Montana the need for some sort of community center has led to the erection of a special building usually called the "Community Hall." Some of these are situated in villages where they serve both villagers and farmers and are also used as gymnasiums by the school pupils. More, however, are located in the open country, many of them ten, fifteen, twenty-five and even fifty miles from any town or village of consequence.

The picture of these community halls given by *Courtesy of the American City.

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J. Wheeler Barger, Department of Rural Life, Montana Agricultural Experiment Station in a recent issue of Rural America is reminiscent of the old pioneer days of New England when the Meeting House was the center of, the communal life. The writer says:

"Much of the material and the labor necessary for the hall is contributed by the farmers and ranchers of the community. Many of the halls are one or two room structures, sometimes made of logs, costing between $3,000 and $5,000, while a few are relatively more pretentious buildings costing between $30,000 and $40,000. Frequently the smaller buildings are 20 by 40 or 30 by 60 feet, while the larger are 40 by 100 or 50 by 125 feet . . . some of the larger have as many as nine rooms, the average number being three. Practically every hall is equipped with a stage, piano, chairs or benches, and kitchen utensils, while some have a phonograph, radio, motion picture machine, athletic supplies and a community library."

In some instances, Mr. Barger shows, a community organization of limited membership builds the community house, but these are in the minority. When the entire community sponsors the building, a corporation is sometimes formed. Money is raised by the sale of shares of stock, subscriptions from local persons, and more especially from business men in surrounding towns, and by entertainments of various kinds. Incorporated undertakings have proved on the whole more successful than loose organizations.

"Organizations using the buildings include Farm Bureaus, Home Demonstration Clubs, 4-H Clubs, Rural Boy Scouts, American Legion, religious organizations, lodges and various other social and business groups. In many of the communities, individuals are allowed to use the halls for private entertainments upon payment of a nominal fee.

Pasadena's Library a Community Center. -The Central branch of the Pasadena Public Library is serving in a large way as a community social center. In addition to the general library service rooms, there are an exhibit and lecture room, an art gallery, and several additional rooms available for lectures, classes and other activities of a type which are not out of place in a library building. Some of the many groups using the library as a social center during the past year were the University Extension classes, Camp Fire

Girls, Drama League, Tuesday Musicale, Historical Society, Audubon Society, Writers' Club, Browning Club, Radio Club, Delphi Society, Current Events Open Forum, and the Teachers' Society. The annual handcraft exhibit of Pasadena Playground Community Service and the Southern California District Recreation Conference were also held at the library.

The management is favorable to the fullest use of the plant as a community center, avoiding the housing of activities that might interfere with the library's normal function.

Bowling for Girls in

Minneapolis

Bowling is the "real thing" in the program of activities for girls and women of the Recreation Department, Minneapolis Board of Park Commissioners, and there are about 200 girls and women connected with the league. On March 19th the Municipal Bowling League held a banquet at the Columbia Park Golf House, at which trophies were awarded. This was followed by

an entertainment program in which the various teams took part.

"To keep you in condition for bowling next fall," writes Dorothea Nelson, until recently in charge of the program for girls and women of the Recreation Department, "the Recreation Department invites you to participate in the various spring, summer and fall sports offered by the Department."

These sports are listed as follows:

Golf Club-May 15 to September 15. Play every Saturday afternoon 2:30 Glenwood and Columbia. Club dues $1.50

Tennis Lessons-Every evening at the Parade Grounds, at 6, 7 and 8 o'clock-10c a lesson. Sketch Club-Every Saturday afternoon, 2:30 at the various parks, etc., 25c a lesson.

Rifle Club-Every Tuesday evening, 7:30 p. m. at the U. of M. Armory Range, 25c a lesson. Guns and ammunition furnished. (Men and women.)

Hiking-Every Saturday afternoon, 2:30Wednesday evenings and Sunday. (Men and women.)

Girls' Baseball Diamond Ball-10 to a teamgames played at the Parade Grounds-Monday at 6:30 P. M. Season opens on May 15.

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Handcraft for the

Women and Girls of

Detroit

Many handcraft classes are held on the playgrounds of Detroit during the summer and all the girls take part in the pageant held at the end of the season, and make their costumes under the direction of the play leader. Playground crafts are divided into three sections and an honor point system has been devised for keeping one article in each section. They are as follows: crepe paper articles, spoon dolls, lollipop dolls, and flowers; second group, basketry, mats and small baskets, and a flower basket made with a wooden base; third section, samplers of yarn on burlap, bags for crocheting, string bags, for dishcloth and string, oilcloth bags for bathing suits, purses and pillows and stuffed oilcloth and gingham toys. Further points are awarded for completing each of the following: sateen bag, dresser scarf, collar and cuff sets, bloomers, apron, smock, ballet slippers, embroidered hats. Local exhibits are held on the playgrounds and the best articles are sent to the great exhibit at Belle Isle at the time of the pageant.

During the winter handcraft clubs are organized among the junior girls to meet in the afternoon, among the intermediates who meet Friday evenings, and among the women. These two groups of girls have games after each handcraft period and certain age groups also have lectures and discussions once a month. This year the fourteen year old girls will have six lectures on home safety; the fifteen year old girls will have lectures on home nursing and the sixteen year old group in recreation. All of the handcraft activities, the lectures and the books which the girls make up incorporating the lecture points, count certain points toward the certificates and pins.

The women in particular are interested in handcraft activities, making articles of all kinds such as crepe paper novelties, brushed wool and other flowers and basketry. Any group of thirty or more women may organize, asking the Recreation Department for a leader and a place to meet. These are supplied without charge and material may be bought from the Recreation Department at cost. There are twenty-seven adults' and twentyseven children's handcraft classes in operation this

Health and Recreation Activities in Industrial

Establishments

The findings of a study of health and recreation activities in industrial establishments made in 1926 by the U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics at the request of the Outdoor Recreation Congress, have recently been published in a pamphlet issued by the Government Printing Office, Washington, D. C., price, 25c.

In 1916-17 the Bureau made its first study of welfare activities. In comparing these two studies, the greatest advancement in the ten year period, it is believed, is shown in the kind and quality of the medical care provided in the extension of the vacation movement, and in the phenomenal growth of group insurance.

For the present study information was secured from 430 establisments with approximately 1,977,000 employees, these establishments representing many types of manufacturing industries, and transportation, and commercial enterprises in different parts of the country. On the side of indoor recreation, of the companies visited 235 provide clubhouses, club or recreation rooms, rooms for different games, such as billiards or pool, bowling alleys or gymnasiums, while 316 provide lectures, moving pictures and concerts or assist in the maintenance of bands, orchestras or glee clubs. The study of these facilities have resulted in the following conclusions:

"These features of industrial life are not uniformly successful, however, as about 100 companies reported that one or more of these activities had been given up. Lack of interest on the part of the employees was the reason for the discontinuance of twenty-three musical organizations, six gymnasiums, three bowling alleys, two clubhouses and one dramatic club, while other companies reported that the cost was too great, or that the results did not justify the expenditure. A number of plants gave up much of their personnel work during the World War and it has never been revived. Musical organizations seem to be the most difficult to manage, partly on account of changing personnel and partly because of the difficulty of securing competent leaders."

Of the outdoor recreation facilities provided,

companies of the 319 reporting on outdoor activities maintaining one or more organized baseball teams in their plants. Other sports include football and soccer, outdoor basket ball, rifle teams, quoits or horseshoes, tennis and golf, ice hockey, field hockey and similar activities. The various athletic features are managed in the plants of fifty-nine companies through an athletic club or association, composed usually of a large proportion of the employees, and in many other companies an athletic committee has charge of the different sports. In cases where there is an organized club moderate dues are usually charged, these dues ranging from $1 to $3 per year if the athletic association is an entirely distinct organization. Where the fee covers social and other activities as well as athletics, it may be considerably higher.

More than 170 companies reported annual picnics or field day, while in many of the plants of these and other companies various outings are held either by departments or by special groups. A number of companies provide country clubs or summer camps.

Recreation workers will find of special interest the comments in the report regarding the place municipal recreation is coming to occupy in relation to the industrial group.

"Various factors enter into the problem of providing outdoor recreation for the employees of an establishment, some of which were not operative ten years ago when the first study was made. The most important of these are the increase in the extent of automobile ownership among industrial employees and the rather definite movement toward home ownership in the suburbs of many of the important industrial centers. Both of these factors militate against the development of outdoor sports in the vicinity of the plants. In addition, space for outdoor sports is often at a premium, since many industrial establishments are in highly congested areas. In a growing number of cities, too, the development of municipal recreation under trained leadership has become a feature of civic life, and this may often prove to be a solution of the problem of the employer who wishes to provide such facilities but is unable to do so because of lack of space, or who has found a tendency toward professionalism growing up in the plant. In cases where the city provides a trained recreation director, frequently groups of industries contribute a stated amount annually toward the cost of this service,

and the different teams are usually organized according to their industrial affiliations."

Play Given at May Fête

As a variation of the usual May fête, a cast of girls from eight to ten years from the West Side Kindergarten in New York City presented "The Princess Whom No One Could Silence" as part of their festival held in Central Park this year on the last day of May.

The children chose a knoll near one of the entrances as a setting and before the performance had begun the group of parents and friends who had come to see their play was increased to an audience of nearly three hundred, most of them children who had been brought to the park for the day. The fete began with the ceremonious crowning of the May Queen and Old King Cole, after which the two assumed the parts of princess and king in the little play.

"The Princess Whom No One Could Silence" is a whimsical Norwegian play in which the king agrees to give the hand of his daughter, and half the kingdom as well, to the man who can silence her sharp tongue. After every man in the kingdom but one has left the palace, holding his aching ears, a youth who is supposedly a half-wit seeks admittance to the court. The princess can think of nothing horrid to say to his amusing remarks and so the really delightful young Boots wins her.

Miss Emily Hoefner, who directed the festival, used the Robin Hood motif in adapting the little play to out of door production. Forest costumes of Lincoln green and small Robin Hood hats worn by the courtiers, brought a medieval atmosphere into the play.

One of the interesting features was the fact that the little girls made all their own costumes. Cheap but effective materials were used. Cotton was easily converted into ermine for the king's cloak and an old hoop skirt made a regal robe for the May Queen as well as the vixen-princess.

Under the name of the Robin Hood Club, these children have been giving plays all winter. They consider it one of their most fascinating pastimes. Rehearsals are regarded as fun and as a result of their interest and skillful training they are developing dramatic talent in a most natural and charming way.

From the Detroit

Report

"For its activities during the year 1927, the Department of Recreation spent $678,112.43. The attendance was 7,841,215, the attendant cost, $.0787. Recreational activities were conducted in school buildings, branch libraries, social settlements, playgrounds, churches, skating rinks, swimming pools, camps, gardens, parks, hospitals, orphanages and closed streets."

Thus the report of the Recreation Department for the year ending December 31st, 1927 briefly summarizes its work, but accomplishments are enumerated later in the report and a most interesting account of activities is the result.

A few of the more unusual activities are quoted from the report:

Friendly Social Club-The club was organized for men and women who are strangers or lonesome. The Club has its own club rooms, attractively furnished. These are open several evenings each week and varied activities are enjoyed, among them weekly old time dances, social dances for members and their guests. Sunday evening suppers, skating parties, card parties, Christmas and Thanksgiving dinner dances, Christmas party for poor children, picnics, hikes, dramatics, concerts, May breakfasts are some of the means by which a stranger may be made to feel better acquainted and happier in Detroit.

Social Recreation Training Class for Church Leaders-One hundred people from twelve denominations, representing sixty churches, attended a six months' course in social recreation leadership. The classes met weekly and community singing, athletic games, dramatics, ice breakers, mixers, musical games, active and passive games were taught. Each leader had to demonstrate and he received supervision and criticism.

Recreation Sketch Class-Every Friday evening at the Detroit Institute of Art the department conducted a sketch class for adults and children. In June, the annual exhibition was held at the Institute. Over 300 drawings were hung. Prizes consisting of pins, medals and scholarships were won for improvement, attendance and draughtsmanship.

A creditable exhibition was hung at the student's exhibition at J. L. Hudson's, sponsored by the Federation of Women's Clubs. Six blue

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ribbons were won. Drawings were also hung in the student's exhibition at the Arts and Crafts. Four scholarships to the Arts and Crafts School were awarded to Recreation Sketch Class contestants.

Poster contests were entered, drawings sent to community exhibitions, and lectures attended. Walk talks at the most important exhibitions held. at the Institute and visiting artists were some of the constructive recreational activities enjoyed by the classes.

Kunsky Theatres-During the showing of the picture, "Chang," an elephant carving contest was held on the playgrounds. These were carved out of soap. Three hundred were made and about 50 were entered. Each child saw the picture and prizes were awarded for the best ones. Drawings. were made and advice given for a comic costume contest.

Archery-Model Planes and Model BoatsOne archery club of 32 boys aged 14 to 21 years was organized. They made their own arrows, bows and quivers. Contests were held and the history of archery studied. Seven model aeroplane clubs was organized. Each boy made a glider, an indoor tractor and a pusher before he was allowed to attempt a more difficult plane. Inter-club and city contests were held.

Boys' Safety Patrol Rally-Safety patrols were organized on all the playgrounds. Beside watching over the children playing on the apparatus on the playgrounds, the boys policed the streets used for street showers and they also did line duty for all competitive games. The Safety Patrol was invited to the Adams Theatre and to the Tiger-Boston game. Certificates of honor were awarded by Inspector Schink and Commissioner Brewer. Detroit Automobile Club awarded 150 pins to boys having the best attendance and performance for the

season.

The Handicrafter.-A new magazine has made its appearance designed to treat crafts from every standpoint, to give design material and practical aid and to develop in the public mind, a better appreciation of the crafts. The January issue contains articles on the making of masks, hand-woven rugs, leatherwork, art in occupational thereapy and similar subjects. Information about the magazine may be secured from The Handicrafter, Emile Bernat and Sons Company, 99 Bickford Street, Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts.