LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
[Letters of the length of one of our leading paragraphs are often more read, and therefore more effective, than those which fill treble the space.] VILLAGE CLUBS.
ETo THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."]
SIR,-I have seen your article on Village Clubs, and, as I have just been assisting in organizing such a club, I thought it might possibly be a help to others if I were to give a short account of our experiences. The village is a small one in Suffolk (250 inhabitants), and the men are all, without excep- tion, workers on the land; there is only one family .above the farmer class, and that family has been in the parish for four generations. There are no intermediate classes. Notquite a year ago a lady member of this family, who had already started a women's institute, was asked by some ex-Service men if she would help them to organize a village club, as they found the winter evenings so long and dreary. This was at once agreed to, and with a friend's help a Government but was purchased and re-erected in the village, there being no building in the
place at all suitable. The taking down of the but and its re-erection, with the addition of an iron roof, was entirely done
by the village carpenter with local help. This but was fur-
nished with a large number of chairs and tables; indoor games, including a bagatelle board and a piano, were purchased, and such kitchen utensils as were necessary were obtained and placed at one end of the room, which was curtained off, thus forming a small kitchen. In front of the curtain a stage was built. All this was paid for by the friend above-mentioned on condition that he was to receive 5 per cent. on /300, in other words £15 a year rent.
All the inhabitants of the village had been informed that they would be eligible to become members of the club and of the women's institute, irrespective of their religious views or their political opinions. Some thirty men at once joined the. club, and since then our numbers have increased to thirty-nine. The women's institute has fifty-one members. The club was
affiliated with the Village Clubs Association. It was in- formally opened to members in September, 1920, but a more formal opening took place a few weeks afterwards, when the first social, given by the club and the women's institute com- bined, was held. This was a great success, and the two institu- tions promised to become most popular. Since then an enter- tainment committee has been formed, consisting of members selected from the two committees of the club and the women's institute, and everything connected with the getting up of socials, whist drives, lectures, and all other amusements is discussed and decided on by this committee, leaving the management of eaoh institution in its own hands. So far this has worked admirably. Dancing and singing classes have been started and are immensely popular with both men and women, and rapid progress has been made. One or two small plays have been acted. On the last night of the year a social was given at which there were about 100 people, including guests. The only complaint that has been made concerning this social is that the programme was too short, yet that programme extended over about five hours! It commenced with a small whist driie, followed by refreshments, after which came singing (choruses and solos) and recitations, all by members; then came dancing, Sir Roger and the Tempete, and two or three country dances for both men and women, which were really admirably executed and which elicited great applause. The finale came at midnight, when the New Year was ushered in by all singing " Auld Lang Syne " and " God Savo the King."
Now I should like to say a few words as to what I think of this attempt to introduce a little more pleasure into the life of the agricultural classes in Great Britain. I can only judge from my experience in this one small village, but as far as it goes it has led me to consider it a step in the right direction, and one that may lead to great results in the near future. The women's institute has been in existence a little more than a year and the club about four months only, and yet there is a most marked change in the village. There is always something to look forward to and to prepare for, or some- thing to talk about. Suggestions are constantly being made to introduce something•new or to make some improvement in the old. The last proposition is that at one of the evenings at the men's club members of the women's institute should be allowed to attend and join the men in their games. There is an intimacy and friendliness amongst us all that was formerly quite unknown. Some of the older men who have seen clubs of sorts formed, which had all failed, prophesied but a short life for the new club, but they now confess that they had not understood what was intended, and are truly astonished at what has been accomplished, and how it has already brought the life and brightness that there should be in all young folk, both men and maidens. To heap the fun and laughter that goes on at the dancing and singing classes you would think they were a lot of big children just out of school instead of grown-up men and women who are at work all day. It is revolutionizing this little place and I hope that the movement will go on and gradually permeate the whole village community of Great Britain.
There is no doubt that it has been a great success here, but at the same time I see that in some cases there may be diffi- culties-which we have fortunately been spared. We have only one class to deal with, and so have had none of the complica- tions which are almost sure to arise when there are several classes, each of which will probably have its own ideas on the subject of uniting together for the common good. In such cases a leader with great tact and powers of organization is indispensable, and where there is no such person I fear there will be failures. We have had the advantage of such a leader in our president of the women's institute, a lady who has known many of the young men and women of the village as children and who is beloved by young and old. This has been an incalculable advantage to us. Villagers who have attended our meetings as guests have remarked that they wished they could have a women's institute and a club like ours, but they do not know how to make a beginning, and have no one to guide them. Some means of affording help in such cases is required. Could not the villages be formed into small circles, each with a leader living in the immediate neighbour- hood? I think something of this sort will be necessary in a good many places.—I am, Sir, aic., C. S. [The Village Clubs Association is always ready to give information. Its address is, Iddesleigh House, Westminster, S.W. 1.—En. Spectator.]
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