Chath am Blanketeer Vol. 2 OCTOBER 20, 1934 No. 9 IMMEDIATE NEED OF RECREATION Man Must Be Taught To Use New Leisure Through Program Of Play Opportunity Beckoning However, Only 30 Mill Employees Have Enrolled In Free Textile School Classes; Courses Should Be Of Great Value To Everyone Who Wishes To Get Ahead CLUB HOUSE IS GIVEN TO GIRLS Man is conquering the hours of the day, and is gaining what we term leisure, and thus we realize more and more an immediate and extensive development of a well- rounded program of play and rec reation for all of America, regard less of age, sex, location or social stratification. "ITiis was the state- nient of Dr. Harold D. Meyer, pro fessor of Sociology, University of North Carolina, speaking to the Northwestern District Welfare Conference at the Robert E. Lee Hotel. Dr. Meyer presented a 12-point program, which he urged the con ference to consider as a working model for the future. From this program Dr. Meyer stressed three important items. He spoke at the luncheon meeting of the conference, at tended by the Kiwanis Club. Dr. Meyer spoke of “two star tling and far-reaching statements regarding the value of play and recreation” as made by Luther Gulick, father of modern camp movement in the United States. Gulick stated, first, that individ uality is more completely revealed in play than in any other way and, conversely, play has a great er power in shaping character than has any other activity; and second, that a people most truly reveals itself by the character of its pleasures and conversely the manner of its pleasures is the most character determining force within a people. “There is a growing belief that what Mr. Gulick asserts is funda mental in our social order,” Dr. Meyer said. Leisure, he said, is one of the most valuable products of modern mechanism and mod ern social organization. Too often it is regarded as a negligible by-product and often it is largely wasted. The first item in his 12-point program presented was a definite recognition of preventive values in play and recreation. Chores of children have practically disap peared, errands are scarce, and contemporary life is favorable to creation of mental disturbances. Recreation, he said, does have desirable effect on lessening anti social activity. Directed play and recreation transform the ambition from stealing apples to an ambi- (Continued On Page Two) By JOHN SAGAR If there are any poor, unam bitious souls in this mill who have no desire to rise above their pres ent position, and no hope of any thing except to earn their bare daily bread for the rest of their lives, then they need not read any further, for they will be wasting their time. But to those people who desire to climb and keep on climbing the news contained in this article should show them that the opportunity of a life time is about to knock at their door— and don’t forget opportunity knocks but once. As was an nounced in the last issue of the paper, Mr. Benson, with the aid of Harold Lewis, is about to start a Textile School for the benefit of everyone in this mill, the cost will be exactly nothing, as the State and Company are bearing all expenses. The first class to be held will be in arithmetic, for those who were unable to get a good found ation in this course in their youth. After this course is over the school will develop real textile courses, which will be of inestimable val ue to everyone in this organiza tion. The school will start with 30 members. Meetings are to be held in the foremen’s room until the classroom can be built. So far from the A Shift, these people have enrolled: T. G. Gambill, Ray Russell, J. W. Wag oner, E. D. Wall, John Francis, T. H. Cockerham, J. B. Hutchins, J. F. Roberson, Cleat Simmons, R. G. Burchette, Ford Cothren, W. O. Key, D. E. Armstrong and J. H. Myers; from the B shift: C. H. Layell, Y. B. Johnson, Vernon Holcomb, Roby Reece, Thurman Harris, Jonah Lyon, G. R. West, P. C. Layell, Edgar Haynes, Hor ace Vestal, Charlie Pardue, H. L. Martin, Sam Johnson, H. M. Burcham, Tom Sprinkle and E. T. Yarboro. Surely out of the hundreds of people that work for such a pro gressive organization as the Chat ham Manufacturing Company, there are more than thirty who realize what a tremendous oppor tunity is being offered them. Ev eryone must realize that if they know just a little more than their fellow workers, sooner or ^ later they will be given the opportunity to fill a high and more respon sible position. So let everyone give this their serious consideration, and if they should want further information just ask Harold Lewis and he will be glad to tell them all about it. Mrs. Lucy Hanes Chatham Shows Her Interest In Club By Gift; Is Now Under Construction WINS REWARD BY SUBDUING FIRE Mr. Neaves Wins Glory And Other Things By Extinguishing: To bacco Fire On Winston Road By ADAM ELAM One day last week Mr. James H. Caldwell of Philadelphia and Mr. W. A. Neaves, our Genera! Superintendent, were hurrying to Winston - Salem o n important business. Upon rounding a curve in the highway they came sud denly upon a furiously burning truck load of leaf tobacco. A pyramid of flame and sparks piled with the smoke high into the air. An elderly farmer from Wilkes County with two younger men were frantically but inef fectively beating at the flames with their coats and an old quilt, and yelling for help. Quickly stopping his car Mr. Neaves with Mr. Caldwell rushed to the aid of the panic-stricken men. Seeing many a day’s supply of “R ’s Sun Cured” being so unnecessarily destroyed Mr. Neaves shouted to the men to throw those blankety- blank rags away and get some dirt. Hastily scooping up hands- ful of soil from the roadside they soon had the flames extinguished. ,‘Well I never heerd of usin’ dirt to put out a fire before”, said the old gentleman from the State of Wilkes, “but I won’t never fergit it now.” The men were very profuse in their thanks for the timely assistance, and tendered their “rescuers” their choice of the many products for which Wilkes has long been famous. The fire-fighters were ably assisted by Mr. Caldwell who held Mr. Neaves’ coat during the excite ment. Mrs. Lucy Hanes Chatham has again shown her vital interest in the women and girls of the Chat ham Manufacturing Company by the gift of a club house to the members of the Lucy Hanes Chat ham Club. The building is at this moment under construction and will be situated amid sylvan surroundings above the Elkin plant. It will be a frame structure consisting of a large living room, a well-equipped kitchen and, shower room. Parties and all general meetings of the Club will take place in this build ing. Cooking classes will be con ducted there for members of the club as well as for the women of the mill village. The girls are looking forward impatiently to the completion of this club house, as they are determined to make full use of it and have a real good time doing so. Mrs. Chatham, we are at a loss to know how to thank you fully for your kindness. But perhaps when you notice what good use your gift will be put to, you will in a measure understand how much your generosity is appre ciated. MILLS PAINTED BY THE FOREMEN During Recent Short Time New Paint And Thorough Cleaning Have Made Big Improvement Let’s go down into the dye house and see what a difference the foremen have made during the recent short time. First we notice it has been thoroughly cleaned from the floor to the roof then comes a perfectly level ce ment floor in which has been placed three new dye vats. We miss the old warp dryer which has been a sore eye to ev eryone so long, and now it is at rest somewhere in the old mill. All of the machinery has been painted black and aluminum, and all steam pipes aluminum, cold water pipes aluminum, sprinkler system a bright red, hangers and pullies are of a battleship grey. The walls and ceiling are solid (Continued On Page Two)