CLUB LIFE AT SOLARIS.
In the work of building up in the minds of the co-operators, an abiding
faith in Solaris Farm and its future success, Fillmore Flagg had the
able support of George and Gertrude Gerrish. They had proved themselves
the right people in the right place! In the schools and nursery Gertrude
had become invaluable. Her genial temperament, her fondness for
children, the kindly influence of her great mother-heart, with its never
failing store of sympathy, patience, tact and skill, all attested that
she was a natural teacher whose presence among the children was a
perpetual benefaction, while the wonderful store of her personal
magnetism brought her the love, respect and obedience of both the old
and the young. They instinctively felt her power to make them wiser,
better and happier. This was a well merited tribute of praise, worth a
king's ransom in gold!
George Gerrish soon became very popular on account of the extraordinary
ability he displayed in organizing the members of the farm company into
the numerous clubs devised to promote the interests of education,
science and amusement. The description which follows will serve to
illustrate his skill as an organizer in carrying out the general plan
prepared by Fillmore Flagg. In addition they will give a clear idea of
the scope and variety of the talent developed, together with a proper
conception of the splendid equipment of the farm for the social,
educational, ethical and scientific development of its people.
First in order came the Press Club. To it was assigned the duty of
editing and publishing the "SOLARIS SENTINEL," a weekly paper devoted to
the interests of the farm. It was filled with topics of general interest
to the community; themes, essays, poems, personals and social notices
contributed by the club members, suggestions and ideas leading to better
methods for the care and culture of the farm stock and crops, also as to
preparing, the same for market. The range of topics included hints
regarding any of the allied manufacturing industries which were carried
forward by the farm company. In addition the paper gave full weekly
reports from the officers of the different clubs. The literary budget
for each week was completed by selections from the general contribution
box, a very large one, which was fastened to the outer door of the rooms
of the club. Into this box every man, woman and child was invited to
drop such written scraps, signed or unsigned, brief or lengthy, as they
might be moved to offer for publication. The selections from this box
were eagerly read. They often proved surprisingly brilliant, novel or
suggestive, frequently disclosing rare literary merit,--altogether
constituting the most popular department of the paper. The editorials
were carefully prepared and well written. They were usually along lines
of co-operative work; its desirability as an encouragement to
unselfishness, and also to show how the work might best improve social,
industrial and political conditions. The volume and excellence of the
reading matter thus produced, was marked by general comment as a matter
of astonishment. The unstinted praise which it elicited reflected much
credit on the club: therefore to be chosen a member was a coveted honor
which was reserved for the meritorious few.
The Dancing Club, in point of popularity, was the most successful of
all, and deservedly so. Its membership embraced the entire colony, both
old and young who, one and all, seemed to enter into the spirit of the
movement with a zealous abandon, a united joyousness, most delightful to
behold. The social ties which bound them together, grew and strengthened
with the recurrence of each meeting. On two afternoons of each week, the
club teachers gave two-hour lessons or drills to all who might desire
them. On three evenings of each week, in the large hall of education and
amusement, two and one-half hours were devoted to dancing, in which all
the members took part. These evening dances proved so fascinating that
as a rule very few members were ever noted as being absent. An attack of
illness which prevented the attendance of a member, must be desperate
indeed. In the matter of general improvement the results were most
excellent. To bestow perfect deportment, dignified control of the body
and limbs, with an easy, graceful movement on all occasions, there is
nothing like dancing. To eliminate the depressing effects of grief,
mental or business cares, harassing trials of temper, physical
exhaustion, or disturbed spiritual equilibrium, dancing is a remedy of
marvelous potency. For the key to the reason why this is true, we are
indebted to the wonderful discoveries in psychology and psychurgy made
by that able scientist, renowned thinker and brilliant writer, Professor
Elmer Gates. The following is a very brief statement of his reasons as
to how and why the emotions of the individual affect the vital forces of
life:
"The human body is a collection of co-operative cells, more or less
intelligent and responsive, therefore an important part of the
thinking machine which is acted upon by the superior mind of the
brain. The superior mind is in turn reacted upon by the automatic
metabolism set up in the cells. Automatic metabolism of the cell,
is its ability to carry on within itself the various processes of
life that may be necessary to best fit it for the performance of
special functions, as a particular part of the co-operative body.
Violent emotions of anger, hate, despair and grief, are katabolic,
poisonous and harmful; they tear down and destroy life. The
poisonous deposits left in the cells by these emotions are called
'katastates.' Laughter and merriment, with all the emotions of
pleasure, adoration, worship, love, affection, hope, beauty, etc.,
are 'anabolic,' or life-preserving. The vital, health-giving
deposits left in the cells by these emotions are called
'anastates.' Nature accomplishes her perfect work by beautiful
methods. The cells are fed and sustained by the circulation of the
blood; they are reached from the smaller branching arteries by a
network of minute, thread-like channels, sometimes called
'arterioles.' These arterioles are accompanied by the equally fine
wires of the nervous system, closely connected with the brain
centers. These wires are electrified by the emotions; they expand
the arterioles, and the cells are flooded with an unusual supply of
blood; thus they are correspondingly vitalized or poisoned,
according to the kind of the dominant emotion, its duration and its
intensity."
From the foregoing we readily perceive that the joyful emotions stirred
by that poetical trinity, the melody, the rythm and motion of dancing,
arouses the circulation so potently that every cell in the body tingles
with its superabundance of vitality; both the heart and the brain
respond to the invigorating tide, while its precious freight of
anastates is vivifying and thrilling every cell. These happifying
emotions soon become permanently dominant, the depressing emotions grow
weaker, fade away and disappear. The individual is vitalized and
rejuvenated! We begin to understand that when properly indulged in,
dancing is the most fascinating, healthful and helpful of all the
amusements. The Solaris Farm people were both fascinated and benefited
by the dancing exercises so generously provided by the club; the growing
interest and enthusiasm aroused was a matter of astonishment even to
themselves. With the continuation of the club dances, the intensity of
the enjoyment and the capacity for it, seemed to increase; this,
together with the pleasing memories of bygone dances, seemed to bind
them yet more closely to the destinies of Solaris Farm. Strong,
straight, lithe figures, happy faces, and eyes shining with the fires
of perfect health, gave testimony to the efficacy of music and motion as
applied to physical development. With grateful hearts, these happy
people realized that this pure font of happiness came to them as the
result of unselfish, harmonious co-operation.
The effect on Gilbert Gerrish of this universal spirit of gaiety, was as
marked as it was beneficial. On the raised platform at the head of the
dancing hall, violin in hand, and surrounded by a chosen few of his
friends in the musical club, he seemed to grow in stature as he breathed
in the pervading merriment; living a new life, in which his deformity no
longer marred his pleasure. Through the association of many months he
had grown accustomed to the personal magnetism of the farm people. They
were very proud of him and of his many brilliant accomplishments. This
all-pervading sentiment of loving pride came to him as a benediction,
which his refined, sensitive nature graciously absorbed. His shyness and
reticence disappeared; his face glowed with the flush of happiness; his
beautiful eyes shone with the fires of a new inspiration. With the hand
of a master he swept the strings with a bow of magic; new strains of
sweet, thrilling music stirred the dancers and moved them as one mass to
the throbbing rythm of the intoxicating melody: a melody so charming
that none could resist. Filled with the power of a new grace and dignity
at such moments, Gilbert Gerrish felt a keen triumph in his ability to
stir the emotional natures of these people whom he loved; to inspire
them to better deeds and to nobler lives. They, in turn, recognized and
paid willing homage to a noble soul, a great genius, whose power to sway
and control them was not in the least deflected or dimmed by a thought
of his deformed body. Under the mystic spell of divine music, which
appeals to the highest aspirations of the human heart; which calls forth
the hidden forces of the soul: they came in such perfect rapport with
him in his inner life, that they sensed with soulful eyes the strong,
radiant, symmetrical spirit shining through the defects and barriers of
a fleshly prison. Thus transfigured, they saw him, not as he appeared to
ordinary mortals, but as he really was. To these people of Solaris, this
transfiguration was lasting. Very soon they came to regard him as a
talisman of good fortune--the mascot of the farm.
The Photographic Club, organized by George Gerrish soon after the press
club with the intention of making it the nucleus of a future art club,
proved a surprising success at an early stage of its existence. Very
soon after active work began, fifty members had been enrolled. In
discussing with the executive committee a general plan of formation,
Fillmore Flagg remarked that he felt very sure the club would soon prove
a valuable aid to the farm in the direction of furnishing attractive
illustrations of the farm itself, its products, stock, fruits and
flowers, to be used as advertisements. With this in view, he made
arrangements to provide suitable rooms, large, well lighted and fitted
for the work, in connection with the construction of an isolated
building, made as nearly fire-proof as possible which, when finished,
was to be devoted mainly to the needs of farm experiments in the
department of agricultural chemistry. The completed rooms, with a large
lot of cameras of various sizes, together with an abundant supply of
photographic material, were placed at the disposal of the working
members of the club. These things were rightly considered a necessary
part of an educational outfit. Fillmore Flagg and George Gerrish both
were skillful photographers: with the wise guidance of two such able
teachers, the class soon began to produce creditable work. After the
expiration of a fixed period, in compliance with an imperative club
rule, each member was obliged to complete all work from start to finish
without assistance. This would give scope and opportunity for
expressions of spontaneity and inventive genius in the individual
treatment of the work, which might tend to the evolution of superior
methods. It was clearly an advantage for the members to be able to say
truthfully that photographs produced under such requirements were
actually the results of their own individual handiwork; from focusing
the object, timing the exposure of the plate, on through the various
stages of developing, toning, printing and mounting, up to the final
process of polishing the finished picture. At the end of each month the
members individually were required to submit twelve finished photographs
to the inspection of a committee of five. This committee was composed of
two ladies and two gentlemen in addition to Fillmore Flagg, who was the
chairman. From this collection of twelve lot pictures, representing the
finest work of the club, the committee selected four photographs from
each lot, which were chosen to become a part of the farm exhibit to be
displayed on the walls of the library, hall of education and the
school-rooms. This monthly award for meritorious work acted as a
wonderful stimulus to all the club members, so increasing their
ambition, industry and artistic invention, that an ever increasing
number of delightful surprises followed each monthly examination. In
considering the selections as a class, the extent and variety of the
subjects treated covered a wide range. Among them we may name the
general and special views of the farm, its buildings, fields of grain,
corn, cotton and broom corn; bits of forest, meadow or brookside
landscapes; specimens of the different vegetables and garden products;
interior views of the different buildings; photographs of groups and of
individual members of the company; pictures of manufactured articles,
tableware, ornamental brick and tile work, and general pottery; a great
variety of cabinet work, furniture and willow ware; splendid photographs
of horses, mules, cattle, sheep, hogs and poultry, also wild animals and
birds, singly and in groups; views of trees, streams, roads, bridges and
railroad trains; enlarged photographs of the insect enemies of farm
products; others of the birds which prey upon such insects; artistic
views of seed beds, nursery rows, potting sheds, brick and pottery
works--in fact, pictures of every possible aspect of the agricultural
and manufacturing industries on the farm. Taken together, this
collection presented a most interesting series for the school rooms,
which proved an object lesson of great value to both pupil and teacher.
The landscapes were especially excellent in giving correct ideas of
distance values in perspective drawing.
As time passed, the inventive genius of the club members began to crop
out in the repair shop, where they not infrequently, and sometimes much
to their surprise, found themselves able to construct better and cheaper
instruments, lenses and attachments than they were able to buy. With
these improvements they soon achieved success in color photography.
Later this led to making magnificently colored slides for stereopticon,
kinetescope and biograph exhibits, which soon attracted wide attention
and were in such demand that a large trade resulted. In this way another
exceedingly profitable allied industry was added to the now famous
Solaris Farm.