Publisher's Synopsis
Excerpt from The Social Center in Kansas City, Mo
It is also a place for:
3. The voters' league, uniting the people for civic improvement.
4. A public lecture course, providing the best talent available, for the education and entertainment of the people.
5. The branch public library, extending the benefits of the public library into every neighborhood in the city.
6. Public art exhibitions, cultivating the aesthetic taste of the people.
7. Music centers, providing concerts by high grade talent and furnishing an opportunity for local musicians to entertain.
8. The Festival center - a logical place in which to celebrate the national holidays for the inspiration of patriotism and community interest.
9. A recreation center, providing innocent dances, gymnastics and games, and the organization of clubs.
10. An employment center, providing a place to bring employer and employee in touch with one another.
11. The establishment of a branch of the health board in the line of a medical advisor for the community to look after matters pertaining to the general health.
12. A place for all the people of the community to become acquainted.
A precursor of the social center began in 1888 in New York City, in the form of free lecture courses, and has extended to about 170 schools and halls. Dr. Henry M. Leipziger, supervisor of the public lectures, occupies in this relation a position co-ordinate with the office of superintendents of schools. The main idea of the lecture course is instruction, and the lectures cover all the great divisions of human knowledge upon such subjects as sanitation, health, civics, natural science, descriptive geography, art, music, literature, etc. They have proven exceedingly popular, and by means of examinations and collateral reading, have developed the habit of study and a larger use of the excellent collection of books in the various public libraries of the city. The results observed from these public lectures during the past twenty years are summarized by Professor Ward as follows:
1. Continuation of systematic study.
2. Americanization of immigrants.
3. Improvement of sanitation and health.
4. Increased interest in city's government.
5. The formation of people's forums for the discussion of social and economic questions.
6. Greater efficiency and earning power.
7. Appreciation of art and science museums.
8. Improved reading taste of the people.
9. Wider and larger interest in the finer things of life.
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