Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 March 1910 — ST. LOUIS’ CO-OPERATIVE CLUB. [ARTICLE]

ST. LOUIS’ CO-OPERATIVE CLUB.

Trade* or All Kind* Taught Gratis la Thia Church School. The Rev. Elihu F. Harris, pastor of the Clifton Heights Christian Church, was busysin overalls Wednesday packing tip the effects of'the Robertson Printing Company preparatory to transferring them to the basement of his church, the St. Louis Republic says. There the plant will be set up and used as one of the educational branches of the Society of Applied Christianity, of which Dr. Harris is national superintendent. For more than a year the society has conducted a night school in the church basement, tekching several scores of pupils various trades and along general educational lines. The idea, according to Dr. Harris, is entirely co-operative, the' students being admitted to the classes free of charge to the members of the society. From this fund a sick benefit is set aside, the ' remainder going to maintain the night school.

The Instructors are members of the congregation, who serve without remuneration. Dr. Harris came here from Colorado, wjiere he organized sixteen chapters of the society. That at the Clifton Heights church is the only one east of Colorado.

"We 'frork entirely in a spirit of brotherly love,” Dr. Harris said. “There are thousands of young people who wish to advance themselves, but lack the opportunity. Our desire is to furnish the opportunity. We have received no endowments and keep the work going ourselves. There is very little expense attached, as our instructors are men and women who do the work through a Christian and charitable spirit. In the community of Clifton Heights there are hundreds of boys and gfrls who work in the downtown stores and have no opportunity to learn. We find that these people flock to our school as soon as they hear about it.

“We are going to start a class In stenography soon. We expect to keep the printing plant going by the work of our apprentices. These apprentices will, of course, receive no pay until they develop themselves into workmen of value. Most of our printing will be done, at night.” Dr. Harris is not afraid of work or dirt The dust and dirt on his overalls showed his determination.