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» $ | Story of Twelve Years ] WINNETKA WEEKLY Y TALK, SATURDAY, JANUARY 12, 1924 - a 150 MEN ATTEND SECOND OPENING OF COMMUNITY HOUSE Leaders Inspect New Addition at Great Gathering One hundred and fifty Winnetka men, everyone of them vitally interested in community affairs, signalized the open- ing of the newer Community House Wednesday night of this week at one of the most enthusiastic gatherings ever recorded in the history of the village. They not only marvelled at the splendid addition to Community House, the for- mally opening of which they were cele- brating, but displayed their approval in a very material way by pledging $15,500 to help swell the total of the fund nec- essary to defray the cost of the new adition. One hundred and fifty men were at the dinner, but Winnetka Talk, know- ing that these men represented prac- tically every Community interest in Winnetka, feels that every resident of the village should enjoy, with them, the many expressions of commendation and praise voiced at the dinner. The Talk, therefore, devotes this page to excerpts from the various talks given at the dinner, in the hope that, in the reading, everyone may enter into the spirit of the occasion which marks another great forward step in Com- munity service. Community Asset William B. McIlvaine, formerly presi- dent of the Winnetka Village council, spoke of the great value of Community House to all the residents of the vil- lage. He congratulated the village on having in its midst so potent an agency for all kinds of good. "If you wish," he said, "to realize what Community House means to this village, try to visualize Winnetka with- out Community House." But by all odds the most important part of Mr. Mcllvaine's message was his assurance that the church of which he is a member, Christ church, and all Episcopalians stood as a body behind and approved heartily of Community House and all its activities. He felt that the Congregational church had been a worthy trustee, and that insofar as the Episcopalians were concerned, they were well satisfied. _-. NUpPHS Twi. / = "Community - House and Its Twelve Years" was the subject taken by J. W. F. Davies, director of Community House in his address before the 150 men assembled for the Opening Dinner on Wednesday night. Mr. Davies said in part: "While reading of the find of Dino- saurs' eggs that were laid 10,000,000 years ago, I thought of how insignifi- cant any period of time with which we have to do must be. Yet even twelve years may have a great importance in this period of fast moving days, when institutions grow up over night and ideas are spread over the world in a moment of time. Man in his life time is effecting the world in ways the Dino- saur could not in his ten million years. The short period of twelve years of the life of Community House has not been without influence. Even the name which was so hard to decide has passed all over this country and come into common use. Curious enough, two men, Frederick Tyrrell and another had to decide the name when the printer called for a heading to put on the pro- gram for the opening evening. There Were Skeptics "Twelve years ago some, who only saw brick walls and floors of wood, called the building a "white elephant." Tonight we are celebrating the com- pletion of an addition practically dou- bling the floor space of the old building. Then club organizations were small in number and each club had its own name on the door, now those signs have dis- appeared or remain meaningless. For no room is limited in its use to any one group. John Marshall recently told me of coming to Community House to call for his wife. As he looked in room after rcom, he discovered they were all occupied and a committee was meet- ing on the stairway. That has hap- pened more than once. First Gym in Township "Twelve years ago we had the only gymnasium in New Trier township. Then we had a man come out from the city to give instruction two hours a y, three times a week. Now, under the direction of a well trained man like Mr. Clarke, the enroliment this year was 928, with an actual attendance in regular classes of 11,491. This work not only helps keep folks physically fit, but affects their attitudes and adds materially to the total joy of life. Th: class for women, which many of your wives attend, enrolls 171 and meets three mornings a week. "The policy of Mr. Clarke is to give all the boys a chance to play on teams rather than devolop one crack team and have packed side I'nzs. During the holidays and Saturday the gymnasium is in continuous use by the boys basket bail teams. "Attendance in Community House by actual records last year was 82,873. That means a pretty continuous use of the building through activities as varied as the groups a community may hold. In fact, in round numbers the aggregate using Community House during the twelve years is just about a million. Cannot Evaluate Service "An institution is personalized by its staff and those who lead groups, even though it be in an identical way. So this institution by having Mrs. Wortley, Miss Williams, Mr. Clarke and his staff and the volunteer workers, who this year numbered 272, has been ren- dering a service and having an influence that cannot be measured. No method or standard has been devised to evaluate the work of such service. It is like trying to make a graf of the influence of a great personality. It touches places undreamed of, it helps make decisions never revealed, it gives a flavor to life that is caught from some breeze blown into the monotonous routine. Americanization Work "An interesting thing about the work here is the continual change of emphasis. When the house opened there were classes in the gymnasium for high school boys and girls. Today, there are none because New Trier High school has its own gymnasium. In 1916 it was announced that a class for women would be started if twenty women would enroll. Today there are 171 in such a class. In our first years we were crowded with boys and girls clubs and had such leaders as Blatchford, Heller, Lasier, Fry, Hoyt, Ashby, etc. Today, with the change in the school schedule, we have more organizations for those outside 'school age. Just now we are running high on English classes. Un- der the leadership of Mr. and Mrs. Moulton and their assistants, one hun- dred men and women are not only learn- ing to read and write and speak the English language but are learning American ideals and social ways, which are leading them into American citi- zenship by way of friendly relations. "The work of Camp Fire has been brought to a much higher level since the coming of Mrs. Wortley and our organization of a Camp Fire council which makes the work a bit more stan- dardized for the eight Camp Fire groups representing over a hundred girls. "The great thing about our: Scouts has been a continuous through twelve years that has set cer- tain standards and by having a Scout Council of Winnetka men who are will- ing to examine these boys for the dif- ferent ranks and merits makes it im- easily or to be careless in 'his work. For in all this work we are trying to do a little toward awakening' the spirit life in youth to live. in_God's world, and produce :those great forces that con- trol the wills of men, that determine what goals they seek and give them spiritual strength to attain them." Enumerates Activities Davies also went into the other activities on the regular Community House program including such enterprises-as O. T. R. Boys' club, Horticultural society, North Shore Brit- ish-American society, Scandinavian Pleasure club, Athletic clubs, Friendship circle, Triangle club and the Soccer club. He also described such annual events of community-wide interest as the Fireman's ball, and the Hallowe'en party. The list of Community House activities, he said, filled four closely typewritten pages. Community House, he said, is a veri- table bureau of information wehre phone calls are received daily pertaining to many matters, some personal, others concerning public meetings and munity programs. He cited the services of such women as Mrs. Balak, who gave a dinner to boy football players, and Mrs. Horak, who washed and ironed all the curtains for the Center, being unwilling to take even membership tickets for her work, stating that she intended it for a gift to Community House. Community House, it was explained, was employed for all manner of social functions. It is the scene of golden weddings, silver anniversary celebra- tions, has served as a gallery for fine paintings of the Skokie and is the logi- cal place for countless charity benefits and sales conducted by neighborhood and church groups. In concluding his Davies answered the question "What of the Addition?" He enumerated the various rooms which include an en- larged kitchen, an International room, Camp Fire room, Kitchenette, Triangle clubroom, Amer:can legion room, Boy Scout room, Study, Center room and clubrooms. "I would not have you think of this additicn as an end in itself, as an ac- complishment," he said. "It is only a means to an end. And that end is a help to a better understanding between peoples who live in this community, that there may be continued the simple, democratic relations which have made it possible to have this kind of a village and to give an opportunity for recrea- tion which is largely the creation of the group itself. Building Forever "When we build, let us think that we Mr. outstanding remarks, Mr. build forever. Let it not be for present delight, nor for present use alone; let leadership. possible for any boy to slip through com- | it be such work as our descendants will thank us for, and let us think, as we lay stone on stone, that a time is to come when those stones will be held sacred because our hands have touched them, and that men will say as they look upon the labor and wrought sub- stance of them, 'See! This our Fathers did for us." Here peoples cross each others trail and see others worth. Here discoveries are made of the unknown groups in a community. Here the monotony of life can be broken. Here peoples work to- gether in a common effort and reach new understandings and appreciation. Here leadership is being discovered and developed and put to, useful effort. Here a contribution is being made to the ability of peoples to live together, the greatest art of the ages. I believe Community House is still doing this." Americanization W. B. Moulton spoke of the classes of foreigners who were learning English and American ways under .the instruc- tion furnished by volunteer teachers. He said that from a single class of six or seven at the outset, the membership had now grown to ninety; that the pupils came not only from Winnetka but also from Glencoe, Kenilworth, Wilmette, and even Chicago. They have come, he went on to say, from every nation except Spain, but that at the present time the students are Slav. The principal desire of these strang- ers on our shores is to learn to speak good English and become good Ameri- cans. Mr. Moulton said that he could not emphasize too strongly the eagerness of these men and women to enter fully into the life of their adopted country. mostly Scandinavian and Checo- ing this village immeasurably easier. "Community House has done another big thing and will continue to do it in the future. Winnetka is a community apart from other suburbs. It is a unique suburb in these modern times and one of the reasons why it stands apart is be- cause it has a very unusual democratic, neighborly spirit." Council Congratulates Legion Says 'Thanks' the which Henry F. Tenney represented Winnetka Village council, of body he is a member. He spoke es- pecially, of Community House in its relation to the entire village; of the indispensable help the institution had rendered to the community. "This marks the completion," said Mr. Tenney, "of one of the great com- munity achievements." "This building is the modern version of the old French custom: the people built their own public buildings with their own hands. This House was built by the people, not with their own hands but by their own efforts. It is repre- sentative of the best effort of this com- munity." Aid to Government "The heart of Community House radiates to every section of the village and into every home. I believe that no one can serve very long as a public of- ficial of this village without discover- ing that the influence of Community House makes the business of govern- Commander Thomas J. Lynch, of the Winnetka Post, American Legion, thanked Community House for the room in the mew addition which had been set apart for Legion use. He called attention to the fact that Community House had not forgotten the ex-service men, a striking contrast, he said, to the reception that had been given to the boys by other individuals and institu- tions. "Last night," said he, "we unfurled those colors which we took with us to France, in our own room in Community House." LG Miller Pens Letter Village president John S. Miller, Jr, who, because of business reasons, was called to New York this week and thus prevented from attending the dinner on (Continued on page 8) ririiriiiiiiiiiiiiizizizZ AIT 77, Far 2a lr rrr zzz iirizzzziitiiiiiii LLLLLLLL LL L270 77 LZ LZ ddd 2 2d 2d Zz Zzzzzzzzzzzzzziiiiiiii THE LITTLE THEATRE Matinees at 4:15 E - : : of COMMUNITY HOUSE TUESDAY, JANUARY 15th "M. : Billings Spends His Dime" : with WALTER HIERS and "The Oregon Trail" FRIDAY, JANUARY 135th HARVE CLEMENS Solo Violinist--Evanston Symphony Orchestra and CONSTANCE TALMADGE in "Dulcy 3 TT I == [lB lll 3 ll Evenings at 7 and 9 puriiiiiidiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiidiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiddiiiidiiiiiid a R777 LLL ibaa uuuiaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiid Winnetka 2000 If we do your printing, it will be done well; it will be done on time; the price will be moderate. . Lloyd Hollister, Inc. Printers and Publishers WILMETTE Wilmette 1920 LAL rrriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiz iriiiiiriiiiriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiddd