A High School Social Center (Classic Reprint)

James Wyatt Marrs

ISBN 10: 1332842135 / ISBN 13: 9781332842131

Published by Forgotten Books, 2018

About this Item

Print on Demand. This book chronicles the history and evolution of a Recreation and Social Center founded with a generous donation by the late F. W. Matthiessen and maintained through a taxing body representing three cooperating cities. The Recreation Center was a novel proposal at its inception, yet its social services and activities transformed the communities it served. The book follows the expansion of the Recreation Center, from its 1914 inception to the 1921 expansions. Readers interested in the civic or social services will be particularly interested in how this Center, through its advisory committees, advocated a combination of public school and social services. This book will captivate historians, sociologists, and community planners with its unique history of one of America's first public Recreation Centers. This book is a reproduction of an important historical work, digitally reconstructed using state-of-the-art technology to preserve the original format. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in the book.

Seller Inventory # 9781332842131_0

Bibliographic Details

• Title: A High School Social Center (Classic Reprint)
• Publisher: Forgotten Books
• Publication Date: 2018
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1332842135
• ISBN 13: 9781332842131
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: New
• Book Type: print-on-demand item
• Seller catalogs:
  • Audits and Surveys

About this title

Synopsis

Discover how a single high school became a community hub for three towns. This volume chronicles the La Salle-Peru Township High School’s Social Center, a thriving civic space that brought together clubs, dances, reading rooms, playgrounds, and a rich calendar of community events.

From concerts and choral groups to youth clubs and athletic leagues, the Social Center nurtured civic engagement, education, and recreation. It details how spaces like the Reception Room and gymnasium supported gatherings, leagues, and festivals, while partnerships with local organizations expanded services such as home nursing, first aid, and public health education. The book also highlights how outdoor playgrounds, gardening programs, and summer activities broadened opportunities for families in the tri-city area.

• Explore the architecture of a multi-city civic center centered around a high school and how it drew residents into clubs and events.


• Learn about a wide range of activities, from dances and costume festivals to reading rooms, chess, and tournament play.


• See how volunteer leadership, supervision rules, and modest fees made the space accessible to people of all classes.


• Understand the role of sports, outdoor play, and community gardening in building local pride and cooperation.

Ideal for readers curious about how schools can become public spaces that unite neighbors, families, and youth through culture, recreation, and service.