This expansion of use and function began with the development of evening schools, es pecially for the winter months, New York City being a leader. Vocation schools followed, and are largely confined to the summer holi days. Vacation use of the playground is also now common. Another common use of the school is for public lectures and entertainments. Again New York City leads. Schools are also now used as evening recreation centres for young men and women no longer in school. Rochester has been foremost in utilizing the schools as social centres for adults, as men and women's civic clubs. The various school facili ties, gymnasiums, auditorium, pianos, reading rooms, useful organized athletics and games for young and old, with folk-dancing, have also been added. Especially in Philadelphia schools are use as meeting-places for various civic, educational and philanthropic organiza tions. Use of the schools for polling-places is also being rapidly extended and has great possibilities.
New duties and opportunities for the schools as social centres are thus being yearly con ceived and made available. The policy is rapidly extending from the larger centres of leadership to the smallest towns and villages.
The leaders of the country church, in all the denominations, have furthered the movement in this sphere. Notable and successful examples of community rural churches have been created by individual personalities. Especially have the Presbyterian and Methodist Episcopal churches been active in furthering the social service ideal. The most notable ones have been in the
open country under especially favoring local conditions. Village churches have frequently seen their future in serving in broader ways the social needs of their community and their rural districts. The redirection of church policy has been not less noteworthy than that of edu cators.
In a few communities strictly social centres, separate from any particular existing institu tion or establishment, have been created. But these are rare and are rather a foretaste of the future of the movement than an ideal to be held out for practically immediate realization. American local life is ready for social centres but not yet for a social centre, unless under very special circumstances. Those who have the movement at heart must rather seek to facilitate widespread and normal tendencies making for the realization of their purpose rather than to artificially create a premature institution.
The movement for the development of social centres is thus widespread, arising from the need of all classes of our population, and in all types of community. It has affected every type of existing social institution and almost transformed their material equipment, their spirit and method of work. It is the ex pression of and the answer to a most funda mental need of our unique social conditions. It has notable and active leadership and already many specific accomplishments. Few social movements in America are more securely es tablished or making more substantial headway. See VILLAGE.