FOREWORD

SIR WILLIAM EDWARD WHYTE

EVERYONE will agree that the higher housing standard which has been secured in this country since the close of the Great War has been truly remarkable. The provision of so many thousands of houses, with modern conveniences, and with the density so much reduced, will undoubtedly have a very definite effect upon the character and habits of the people, and will be reflected especially in the lives of the children. Unfortunately, the fullest measure of benefit has not been obtained from the effort. At the close of the War, attention was concentrated solely on the matter of the provision of houses. Houses were needed everywhere. Plans were prepared, contracts were let with no other thought than getting houses at the earliest possible moment. Every other consideration was either neglected or ruled out. Such important questions as the most suitable sites, the proper disposition of the houses, the relationship of housing schemes to existing built up areas, considerations of transport, social amenities and the like were put into the background—in short there was no planning. It was an effort which concerned itself with nothing else than the erection of houses. In the result, it has been found that many of the sites now occupied by houses should never have been utilised for that purpose, and that provision which should have been made for open spaces, playing fields and social amenities for the people who were brought together in large numbers, has not been made. One does not want to criticise unduly this lack of foresight: the urgency of the situation was very great indeed, and the local authorities and others concerned had a very difficult situation to meet. Had the authorities been wise, however, they would have had planning schemes prepared years before the great housing push came along— schemes which would have made for orderly instead of haphazard development, and which would, in the result, have saved much public money.

In contrast to such conditions is the Garden Estate which has been created by the foresight and perseverance of Mr. J. M. Scott-Maxwell at Garrowhill, to the east of Glasgow, and which will eventually cover

180 acres of land. As one who had many discussions with Mr. Scott-Maxwell on the project, I congratulate him most heartily upon the progress that has been made towards realisation of his ideas. The scheme was planned from the outset with the greatest care and consideration. Before a brick was put upon the ground, a detailed plan was agreed upon as to how the Estate could be developed to its fullest extent, everything was well ordered. The houses, which range in price from £350 to £525, are varied in design: attractive streets and roads are laid out; natural features are preserved, appropriate sites have been allocated for church, school, hall and shops: an open space and area for recreational facilities have been provided. The scheme is now taking definite shape.

About 800 houses have been built out of a total estimated building scheme of about 1850 houses. Shops have been opened, a bowling green and tennis courts have been provided, the church is being built and the school is also in course of erection. Steady, well ordered progress has been made. There remains to be provided a hall and playing fields in order to complete that most essential feature of the scheme, the ' Community Centre '.

It is now generally recognised that, wherever a considerable number of houses are erected, the ' community life ' must be provided for. Without the facilities which will enable the people of the area to meet together and engage in those forms of social and cultural activities which are essential to the higher welfare of mankind, the scheme will undoubtedly be deficient, and I sincerely hope that the completion of the Garrowhill scheme in this respect will not be unduly delayed.

Mr. Scott-Maxwell, in this admirable publication, has outlined the essentials of a garden estate such as Garrowhill. A question of very great importance in considering the housing of the people is this: what size of a community should be aimed at in order to secure effective co-operation so far as communal life is concerned? Mr. Scott Maxwell deals specially with this aspect of the matter, and in a most interesting way. He makes the school the nucleus of community life, and builds up, to my mind a very strong argument to support his plans for the Garrowhill scheme.

It is evident that he has given the subject the most careful thought, and I venture to say that his views will find a great measure of support and acceptance among those who are interested in the future welfare of the people of this country as expressed in the housing provision that is made for them. If the Garrowhill scheme matures as outlined, it will give a real impetus to the cult of citizenship in its widest and best form.

Glasgow, April 1937

PART 1

THE GENERAL AIM

THE growing complexity of civilisation brings about an increasing centralisation of industry and government; but the improvement in efficiency which is gained by this greater concentration is, unfortunately, offset by a corresponding lessening of opportunities for the people to acquire first-hand knowledge of effective organisation and government. This state of affairs leads to the strengthening of bureaucracy and the consequent curtailment of individual freedom. The democratic form of government is thus proved to be ineffective, due to human weakness and the lack of vision; the natural development being towards the opposite—some form of dictatorship. Still greater centralisation is, nevertheless, necessary in many directions; and it is, therefore, essential to provide some counterbalance if democratic government is not only to be maintained but strengthened.

The people require to enjoy such living conditions as will provide educational facilities which will enable them to distinguish between the ideals, and the practical possibilities, of sound government; and also enable them to appreciate the difference between the genuine difficulties with which capable leaders have to contend, and the self-created difficulties of the incompetent. Wider knowledge of such matters can be gained, we believe, from leading a keen and interesting community life, the academic factor in such life being secondary, but of great importance.

The industrial tendency is towards a steady reduction of working hours. Assuming a working week of 44 hours, and an average of 8 hours per day in bed or 56 hours per week, leaves a balance of 68 hours per week. This gives an average of say 9 ½ hours per day of what is usually called leisure time and assuming holidays throughout the year of three working weeks increases the average leisure time to 10 hours per day. Within the past generation or so the working week has been reduced by 10-12 hours, and within the next generation it may well be reduced another 9 hours to say 35 hours per week. This would give a five-day

week of 7 hours per day, say 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. with one hour off— the equivalent of present-day office hours of 9 to 5. What are the people to do with all this leisure in order to benefit themselves and society?

The old educational policy grew out of the industrial necessity and assumed too much the false principle that man lives in order to work. Only a small class could enjoy the great privilege of leisure, while the mass of the people had none; and even if they had possessed it, the means did not then exist to make of leisure a social gain. The educational policy of today is tending towards the truer view that man works in order to live. This means that ever better work requires to be done in less and less time, in order that there may become available the greater means and leisure necessary to a fuller, richer life, work and leisure form a pair of opposites, both of which are essential to the creation of a true rhythm in life; and so the dullness and frustrations that so many endure are replaced by keen and happy fulfilment.

In the past, working hours were long because laboursaving machines were few, but now we have the means to make leisure possible on a grand scale as soon as there is the vision, the will, the desire on the part of society as a whole to use such means towards this end. 'the creation of ' means must no longer be the end of life. First things must come first, which means that work must be considered in relation to life and not life in relation to work. The present danger, however, is a reaction against work, combined with a failure to train ourselves so as to employ the new leisure profitably, both to ourselves and to the country. The broadening and speeding-up of leisure education is the great need of today.

One of the tragedies of life is that many people who have the capacity to make their lives richer, fail to do so. The education of the past usually presented knowledge in such a dull and unimaginative manner that it failed with the majority to arouse the interest necessary to acquire further knowledge after schooldays—the acid test of education. Great numbers of such under-educated people, with frustrated longings for better things, look to others to make their lives less dull; and the proof of this is to be found in the great number of people of all ages who are apparently content to be mere lookers-on at life, and not even real life

but the pseudo life of the cinema. Emotional stability is closely connected with mental development, and where the mind has not been properly trained, and so disciplined, one craves for thrills and excitements in increasing doses until satiation is reached and life becomes empty. Unless caught and properly interested when young, the minds of most people, in all social classes, gradually but surely deteriorate. The present world predicament makes it obligatory to try and stop this social loss with the minimum delay. This means concentration on the children. and young people, and on those adults, who have already achieved a reasonable standard of life.

The mere physical needs of the people have been so clamant that the question of housing has been almost invariably approached from this point of view. In the great majority of new housing schemes which have been built since the war, little has been done to secure the best architectural amenity in the matter of general lay-out and the designs of the houses. The provision of community facilities, centrally located, such as church, school, hall and playing fields, has not been properly considered beforehand; halls and playing fields being conspicuous by their absence. The local authorities usually get all the blame for these deficiencies, but in the past all parties in Parliament not only failed to give the country a lead in these matters, but actually vetoed, on a basis of economy, the efforts of some authorities to improve the external appearance of the houses.

The question of amenity is at last receiving much consideration; and the danger now is that it may become so accentuated that the more important psychological or human factor will continue to be ignored. A generation hence there may be much disappointment that the better housing conditions now being developed have not increased the happiness of the people to the extent anticipated; just as we are now disappointed at the meagre result of so much past expenditure on education. This disappointment is due in great measure to the fact that, in the past, the educational authorities have tried to raise the intellectual level, while completely ignoring the low level of the standard of living. Concentration is now directed on raising the latter by the large-scale provision of houses; and once again we ignore the fact that, to be effective, this great effort will require a still greater one in order to raise the level of social education.

A purely material development, such as a housing scheme, requires to be provided with proper facilities for a higher cultural life, otherwise the improved living conditions may actually create discontent. We have an innate tendency to see and do only one thing at a time, this fact being greatly responsible for the ' muddle through ' methods of democratic government. A familiar example of this, on a small scale, is a new road which, no sooner finished by the road department, is broken up by the gas department to lay mains, and when it is re-laid, the electricity department, perhaps, comes along and repeats the process. Large areas of land have been covered with thousands of houses, with very inadequate or usually no space left for central' community buildings. The only way, in many cases, to put this right effectively, would be to pull down some of the new houses, just as the new road is broken up to put in the gas mains. We have not, however, developed so far in our outlook that, cultural amenities are as important as gas mains, so we keep the crowded h uses and do without the amenities.

The problem of the day is how to give to the people, settled and settling in new housing schemes, the social facilities which will enable them to lead fuller, richer lives, first for their own sakes, and second for the sake of the country, which needs happier and better citizens. The question of amenity is very important, but it is only a part of the problem, and the easiest part of it. The sociological problem is much more difficult, and we know so little about it. The first question we have to answer is:

(1) What is the best size for a housing scheme to be, so that the great majority of the occupiers—men, women and children—will be able to co-operate effectively as a community, with regard to their physical and cultural development?

When planning new housing schemes, the limitations of the human element have not been taken into account, and this is still the situation as regards most new schemes now being planned. The mere demand for houses, and the availability of services—drainage, water, gas and electricity —determine the number and the location of houses. Schemes are planned for 1,000 or 100,000 people; the former number being too small a community for effective social co-operation, while the latter is enough for 10 to 20 communities but planned as a single community it

is psycho logically impractical. Before further consideration of this matter of size, two further questions may be asked:

(2) Where is the best location for the site?

(3) Is there any single interest which should form the nucleus of community development?

Regarding (2), the majority of people in this country are in favour of cottages with gardens, which are situated near a city, while some condemn such ‘garden suburbs’ as mere dormitories, and advocate self-contained communities where one works, plays and sleeps in the same locality. The pioneer garden cities on an ambitious scale were Letchworth and Welwyn; but we consider that the very arguments used to create them their self-contentedness and their distance in the country---are handicaps and not advantages. They are too self-contained, too far away from large centres of population.

The advantages claimed, of the reduction of time and cost of traveling between home and work, usually mean that higher educational facilities, concerts, theatres, etc., such as only large cities can provide, are so far away that the workers have neither the time nor the means to avail themselves of them. This cultural isolation stupefies minds of the leaders, who cannot have that continual personal contact with the higher culture of the largest communities which is usually essential for a healthy and creative mind. The rank and file of the workers tend to lose their initiative, through too much sameness of environment, day after day. The human being likes movement and variety of scene, and a reasonable amount of daily travelling seems desirable.

We consider that the best location for a housing scheme is near a large city, where there are adequate and cheap travelling facilities. The workers leave their home community each working day and by mixing daily with workers from other districts their point of view becomes broadened. It is not desirable to develop self-contained, self-satisfied individuals with a very narrow outlook. It is desirable that the individual living in the small community should also acquire, according to his capacity, the outlook of an enlightened citizen of a great country, and the British citizen also requires to gain a world point of view. Anything less than this will hardly keep a world commonwealth of democracies together throughout the century, against the covetous ambitions of other powerful peoples.

The third question regarding the best nucleus of community development would be a simple one to answer if one lived in a truly religious society, for the church would then form the nucleus. The civilisation of today, however, tends more and more to put religion in a watertight compartment, keeping the doors almost always closed. Man drives his own way with little vision and much selfishness, every now and then making a horrid mess of life on a great scale. Man seeks hesitatingly the guidance of a Higher Will only in times of acute crisis, and very often not even then. A church is essential to the higher life of the group we are considering, but if it were made the nucleus its primary function of raising the spiritual level of the people would become swallowed up by the numerous sociological demands that sooner or later would be pressed upon it. The church will take its full share in the social life of the community, but it should not be

responsible for the initiation and development of such life. Its function is to permeate society with a spiritual point of view in place of the present materialistic outlook.

As society is now constituted, the nucleus should be the school, and the education of the young people the primary factor to be considered in all housing schemes which are to become something much more than a mere collection of houses. This involves a nursery school for children below 5 years of age; primary school for ages 5 to 12 years; secondary school from 12 to 15, and above 15 years, high school, technical school and university.

As the great majority of children leave school at 14, which by 1939 will be 15 years, the higher education necessary for the minority above this age cannot be provided in small or even moderately large communities.

It is this minority that must provide the majority of the leaders; hence its higher education is of the greatest importance to the community, and so it is essential that the housing scheme be located near a higher centre of education. An easily accessible place, on the outskirts of a large city, meets this requirement.

As the development of a community sense should start early in life, it is essential that all children living in the same community should, with the fewest possible exceptions, attend the same infant, primary and secondary schools, and that these should be located within the community.

In accordance, therefore, with the point of view here put forward, the size of any group of houses, planned for cultural co-operation amongst the occupiers, should be determined by the number of children that can be satisfactorily accommodated in a single school; for should there be two or more schools this would create two or more nuclei instead of a single nucleus, and the single nucleus we consider to be important.

800 pupils is considered to be a satisfactory number for an efficiently run school, and this figure might be stretched to 1000 or even 1200 as a maximum, if the idea here outlined were developed, because such a scheme would so improve the discipline and morale of the children as to make it possible to handle this larger number effectively.

A recent Government report states that more than one half of the population of new housing schemes are under 18 years, but it is difficult to obtain figures of the number of children of school age (5 to I5 years). It is probably from about 0.5 to 0.8 per house of 4 people. In every 100 people, therefore, this gives say 12 to 20 school children; and thus, a school for 1,200 children will represent a total population of say 6,000 to 9,000 people. Taking 7,500 as the mean of these figures provides a reasonable basis of what the population of our community should be; and this is about the limiting size of what we may call the 'fundamental social unit’.

Large sums are spent on the education of the child, but hardly any attempt is made to educate either children or adults in the art of citizenship. Such education should be initiated in the schools, but the best place for training responsible citizens is the environment in which they live. Some educational authorities do not believe that economics, sociology and psychology should be taught in schools, even to the senior pupils in high school; and that any training in citizenship should not commence till school is left behind.

We are not advocating a lot of bookwork on the subject, but that opportunities should be given to the older children and the young people to enable them to experience such responsibilities as will fit them later for exercising more effectively the responsibilities of citizenship.

What we would strongly emphasise is the necessity for the greater interlinking of school life with the larger life of the community in which the school is located. The teaching staff, as well as the pupils, should be very live part of the community life; and the teachers should not be merely outsiders, only interested in the children during school hours.

Since the war there has been a widespread realisation that the standard of physical fitness of the majority of the people is too low. This, combined with other factors, has brought about a great increase of facilities for recreation, and it is now agreed that primary and secondary schools should have facilities for team games. The playing fields should be available for the school children outside of school hours, while classrooms and school hall should be available for adult classes and lectures in the evenings. To put say £50,000 and more into school buildings to be used only during ordinary school hours (30 hours a week) is to use this capital inefficiently.

A nursery school for the very young children (2-5 years) seems a long-delayed necessity for every community; and such a school will require a separate playground, with all the modern paraphernalia of chutes, swings, merry-go-rounds and a paddling pond, which so delight their young hearts and help their young bodies to develop. With young children the playing of games under their teacher's instruction provides their first lesson in co-operation.

To complete this matter of games the young people of both sexes above school age, and therefore no longer the responsibility of the educational authority, also some of the older people, will require tennis courts, bowling greens, and ground suitable for hockey, etc. It is not practical, nor is it good psychology, to have the same playing fields used by all ages. Infants, school children, youths and adults, should be given separate facilities.

Some may ask, where is the time for games, considering that at present there seems to be insufficient time for bookwork? Just as one cannot expect children who are undernourished to learn quickly, so it is found that, in those schools which give a reasonable amount of time to games, the children can learn more and not less in the shorter time available for class work. Under-exercised children have more sluggish minds than those whom proper exercise causes to be physically and mentally fitter and so more alert.

The older children should take a hand in games' organisation, the successful running of a games committee yielding considerable social value, if the committee members are changed frequently, and if the more intelligent show the others how such experience can be correlated with that required for running committees concerned with more serious matters than games.

It is not suggested that games be played with an ulterior motive. Games provide a normal and healthful pleasure and possess a value in themselves. The pleasure obtained from playing games should be their prime justification, and any other value that may be derived from them is secondary. These secondary values, however, are of great importance in the larger game of life; but as matters now are, they are almost completely ignored by the great majority of the younger people who play games.

Individuals require to be trained through practical experience to be leaders of different kinds and sizes of groups, the basis of the training being the varied group experiences gained within the group in which one lives. Those who lack the capacity to lead must gain experience of how to recognise, elect and follow efficient leaders; and it must become possible to vote for experienced leaders for local councils and national Parliament, instead of having no other choice but to vote for inexperienced representatives, as is now so often the case, On the other hand, a voter who cannot even co-operate with his next-door neighbour sees fit to criticise a Prime Minister and say how the country should be run. Such a state of affairs is a travesty of democracy and it cannot be tolerated much longer, or democracy will come to an untimely end.

The instinct for freedom of the, Scottish race is second to none and probably leads all races in the British Commonwealth, but the very strength of this instinct makes cooperation difficult. The history of the Scots does not provide the best record of national unity, and even at the present day it is more difficult to bring about co-operation, for example, between neighbouring local authorities in Scotland than in England. The pugnacious and pioneering instincts spread the Scot all over the world, during the past few centuries; but the demands of today, in Scotland as well as elsewhere, require a less instinctive and more rational mode of behaviour. Unless we can so develop our native gifts, Scotland can hardly continue to be the leader she has been in the past. More give and take is necessary all round, which means that our pugnacious feelings must be disciplined, and their energy led into more co-operative and constructive channels. Progress towards this end will be made more quickly possible by living in comparatively small, friendly and enlightened groups, where the selfish strivings of the individual are not allowed to conflict with the greater welfare of the group, and where the will of the group must not curtail and stultify the true freedom and initiative of the individual -- the sine qua non of democracy.

Returning again from the general aim to the specific means to bring about that aim, the central educational authorities now fully realise that the almost complete lack of scientific physical culture in primary and secondary schools must be remedied. Along with physical culture, which can be practised both inside and outside, there go gymnastics, requiring a proper gymnasium, also such associated sports as fencing and boxing. Swimming must also be added to the list, but the necessary swimming bath is probably the most expensive equipment needed for physical training. There are also indoor winter games such as badminton; and in addition to physical culture, games and athletics, the younger members of the community and the more vigorous amongst their elders, according to fancy and aptitude, would form Boy Scout and Girl Guide Associations, hiking and cycling clubs. All these varied interests provide physical exercise suitable for both sexes of almost all ages where reasonable health and vigour are enjoyed. They provide on a group basis the outlets so necessary for physical enjoyment, the sound foundation of a happy community of keen young people.

With the great increase of facilities, the natural tendency amongst many is to overdo the cult of games. It is not the actual time and energy given to games, so much as the attitude towards them, that tends to become unbalanced.

The over-absorption of the mind with games tends to an increasing lack of interest in cultural pursuits of a higher mental order. Games and athletics should form a part of cultural development, in order to maintain a balance between the physical and the mental; for just as the cult of the body may absorb too much of one's attention, so likewise may the cult of the mind. However advantageous such one-sided development may be with some specially gifted individuals, it is not the normal development for the majority, or one that will make good all-round citizens.

The happiness of any community, small or large, depends very greatly on the standard of its health. Knowledge of hygiene and recreation of all kinds keep those who are healthy in fit condition, and for those who are in poor health medical clinics are a natural community development, especially maternity and child welfare clinics. An enlightened community must have an enlightened attitude towards its health, especially that of the children. Just as higher cultural development requires greater co-operation between the teachers and the community, so there should be a more general interest on the part of the doctors in the health of the community as a whole. Between the doctors, teachers and community leaders, the physical and cultural education should be planned and co-ordinated so as to take proper care of the child, the adolescent and the adult.

Having so fully considered the physical aspect of community life, as the foundation upon which to build up the cultural structure, it is desirable to consider briefly how the mind can be developed with advantage to the group as well as to the individual, there is no definite demarcation between activities called physical and those called mental.

It is a question of degree; for there can be no conscious physical activity without a corresponding mental activity. We may conveniently divide the higher culture into three divisions crafts, arts, and literary pursuits.

Craftsmanship involves the creation of material things, in which the mind functions through the exercise of a high degree of manual skill. The British craftsman is second to none, and in most quality, goods Scotland leads. There is much of this craft skill latent amongst those whose daily work does not require it; but many such individuals do not know they possess it because they have no facilities to develop it in their leisure time. It is of social value to develop such latent skill, for it does have a cultural value, and it gives great pleasure to those who possess it. To enable more and more people to make themselves happy through their own efforts is the only way to lessen the vast number who look to the efforts of others to give them happiness. This is the special weakness of an age that enjoys so many new and interesting things; but all things which are almost entirely outside of one's self are incapable of giving any deep and lasting satisfaction especially in later years.

A development of craftsmanship requires a suitable building with separate rooms fitted up as workshops with the necessary major tools, etc., for boys, lads and others, also for girls and young women, where wood and metal work, etc., sewing, cooking, etc., can be practised under skilled supervision. Boy Scout Associations and unemployed centres have proved the desire for and the effectiveness of providing such facilities; also, the solid pleasure and satisfaction that so many derive from the making of things.

Gardening is a craft, and one that the British people delight in and lead most other peoples. In the community under consideration every house has its own garden. The development of a high standard of gardening has considerable cultural value and will redeem much that is ugly in many schemes.

Following on the crafts are the arts, the most possible of community development being music and drama. There has been a great development of dramatic clubs during the past few years, and nowhere in the country has it been greater than in Scotland, where the high degree of histrionic skill has surprised the judges from the south. A dramatic club would be formed in the community under discussion.

As for music, there will probably be sufficient talent to form a school and also a community orchestra; while choral singing on a considerable scale is also possible, Drama, Orchestra and Singing require a suitable hall, for such arts to be effective must be practised before an audience,

There still remains the oldest of all arts: Dancing. This is so popular that, given a suitable hall, the community should be able to provide from amongst its members enough skilled dancers able and willing to teach the less skilled.

Pictorial art has not been developed except by specially gifted individuals, but modern photography gives those with an artistic sense an interesting medium in which to work, with artistic results and much satisfaction to the worker.

There is much to learn about architectural design and decorative art, in order that the people may appreciate, and so demand where possible, higher standards of architecture, decoration and furnishing in their homes and the public buildings in which they are interested. This applies to colour as well as form; and much can be done to improve the drab and ugly appearance of most of our towns and villages and almost all the new housing schemes to date. There is great promise in this direction as the majority of the people seem very willing to learn. The raising of the standard in such matters, and also in the matter of tree planting and gardening would gradually permeate an interested and live community by means of lectures from recognised authorities, and especially from the practical examples furnished by those members of the community who do possess taste or have the breadth of view to recognise it when they see it and are willing to follow a lead.

In the two broad categories of crafts and arts the mind functions through the skill of the hands, voice and body, but in the third category, called ‘literary pursuits’ there is little or no physical element in the enjoyment and culture obtained from the proper study of books. A reference library of standard works could be acquired for the community; while lending libraries and cheap books make private study possible for all. The field of literature is so immense that, to prevent mere aimless and desultory reading, some choice involving limitation of interest is essential. Those possessing what is generally called a ‘literary taste’ will study poetry, drama and fiction.

Another group will be interested in history and biography; another in economics, politics and sociology; while there still rennin science and philosophy. Modern science covers such a wide and varied field that specialisation is necessary if much headway is to be made in any specific direction. Some sciences such as geology, archaeology, botany and zoology can become the cultural motive for hiking, cycling and motoring, adding great interest to these outdoor pursuits. Other sciences such as physics, chemistry and electricity require demonstrations in a laboratory, which the school authorities should make available wherever possible.

It is not the matter of private reading that we are primarily considering, but the question of the organisation and development of community study in the form of different groups. Reading clubs and debating societies would be necessary, also wireless discussion groups, and certainly a Parliamentary Debating Society, giving practice in public speaking and debate to those studying economics and politics.

If the intellectual knowledge of the people is to be improved and their general outlook broadened, these varied e, Intellectual interests must be taken up in a sufficiently serious manner, and not merely indulged in in a half-hearted, amateurish fashion, simply pour passer le temps. To raise the standard of such leisure-time effort requires the maximum co-operation between the professional teaching staff and the leaders of the various groups. Stimulus must be provided by lectures and discussion with outside experts, and every effort made to bring the professional into close contact with the voluntary community effort, in order to make the professional more practical and real, and the amateur more expert.

Many may say that all this is a very grandiose scheme for such a small community (7,500 people), and that, in any case, all the facilities mentioned already exist in all large cities such as Glasgow. We agree about the existence of these facilities, but the proposal here put forward is not merely a matter of facilities, but of facilities grouped together in one centre. Glasgow's facilities are spread over the city, and they bring people together from over a very wide area, because of some specific interest, and then they separate again. These people have nothing in common except their special interest, and they are solely concerned with that interest as individuals. The additional and very important factor we are considering—that of belonging to several cultural groups within the same relatively small and compact community; simply does not exist for them.

Glasgow, and all like cities, may be considered as a collection of buildings, but it is certainly not a community of human beings in the sense under consideration. It is a heterogeneous collection of people forming a unit for taxation purposes; and while there is organisation of a high order the people have next to no hand in the making of it. The size of the city is much too large, and even the suburban divisions are too large, and the population too diverse for individuals within these divisions to know each other and co-operate on a community basis. In the large city there is too great a lack of a true sense of communal responsibility, due to a lack of knowledge of affairs; and where there is knowledge there seems to be little or no power to do anything.

The great range in social status of the people of a large city causes the different social classes to keep themselves in watertight compartments as much as possible. The wealthier classes do not know of the difficulties of the workers' lives; while the workers have no true idea how much the knowledge and business experience of these other classes contribute to their benefit and welfare. They can easily see, however, that they have more leisure and money to have a better time.

In a small group of say 7,500 people there is a considerable variety of types, but the social range is much more limited than in the great city, and it is possible for the majority to get together in a very real fashion. If the small group we are envisaging can develop an

enlightened community sense and come to possess keenness tempered

with a sensible and quiet pride in their varied achievements, then the individuals of such a group are certain to take a more enlightened view of matters outside their own immediate community. They will be able to express a more enlightened opinion of the efficiency of centralised governing groups such as educational authorities, town and county councils, and Parliament; and through their votes they will tend to demand an ever better type of representative. Knowledge gained from first-hand experience of a small and enlightened group, in which one spends two-thirds of one's life, will thus form the sound foundation of an enlightened democracy on the largest scale.

In the most highly civilised countries there is considerable concern over the rapidly falling birth-rate; and it is difficult to see how reasoning and exhortation can have much effect, for the birth-rate depends fundamentally on the emotions rather than the reason. When young married people lead an artificial life of continual social amusements and excitements, they do not want children. Leading a more natural life in a friendly community possessing many varied interests will help the birth-rate; for healthy, natural people will do everything reasonably possible so as to have children, in whose growth and development they will find their greatest interest and happiness. If the social life of the people is developed with vision, there should be little fear that the very gloomy forebodings of the statisticians will come true. Where national enlightenment exists the next and natural advance is an intelligent appreciation of the difficulties, ambitions, and cultural contributions of other nations belonging and contributing to the world civilisation which we all enjoy. Such an extra-national vision will possess little of fear and antagonism, but rather a friendly sense of emulation which should make possible the creation of an all-world group, not through doing away with nations but through their higher social development.

World civilisation will then become a hierarchy of groups, with an immense number of small community groups as the base, children. Leading a more natural life in a friendly community possessing many varied

interests will help the birth-rate; for healthy, natural people will do everything reasonably possible so as to have children, in whose growth and development they will find their greatest interest and happiness. If the social life of the people is developed with vision, there should be little fear that the very gloomy forebodings of the statisticians will come true. Where national enlightenment exists the next and natural advance is an intelligent appreciation of the difficulties, ambitions, and cultural contributions of other nations belonging and contributing to the world civilisation which we all enjoy. Such an extra-national vision will possess little of fear and antagonism, but rather a friendly sense of emulation which should make possible the creation of an all-world group, not through doing away with nations but through their higher social development. World civilisation will then become a hierarchy of groups, with an immense number of small community groups as the base, while the head of the hierarchy will be the world group.

PART II

THE ACTUAL PROJECT

GARROWHILL GARDEN ESTATE

In 1923 a first attempt was made to embody the ideas described in Part I in something concrete. Suitable land was surveyed and contoured, and a lay-out plan made by J. Maurice Arthur, F.R.I.B.A. It was found that the land could be satisfactorily drained, and all services—drainage, water, gas, electricity-—were available for a start to be made. Ten years of continual effort produced no result until private enterprise from south of the Border saw the possibilities, and building operations commenced in February 1934. By May 1937, 750 houses will be occupied; the complete plan allowing for about 1,850, which will be the largest scheme in Scotland to be developed by private enterprise.

LOCATION:-

The centre of Garrowhill Estate; which is over 180 acres in extent—is 5½ miles from the Royal Exchange, Glasgow, and about one mile beyond the eastern boundary of Glasgow, the estate being situated in the Middle Ward of the County of Lanarkshire. It is bounded on the south by the main Glasgow-Airdrie road, which passes through the eastern part, the frontage being about 5,000 ft., and on the north by the new Glasgow-Edinburgh road, on which the frontage is about 1,750 ft. (see page 23).

NATURAL AMENITIES:-

Most of the Estate is 200 ft. above sea level, the greater part of the land having a southern exposure, with a gradual and undulating slope ensuring good drainage. There are views of the Cathkin Braes to the south; the Campsie Hills to the north; while on clear days Ben Lomond can be seen to the north-west. The soil is fertile, and it is not difficult to get good garden results in the shape of flowers and vegetables. The district has an excellent health record, due probably to the nature of the soil, the elevation and lie of the land, and the southern exposure.

There are many fine beech trees, mostly situated in the central part. Only very few have been removed where they obstructed the roadway, the remainder having been preserved by careful planning. The undulating nature of the land is sufficient to break up the monotonous views of roofs so evident in many housing schemes situated on flat land or hillsides, while the undulations are not sufficient to increase building costs appreciably, due to the necessity for a lot of underbuilding.

The lay-out of the roads, which determines the lay-out of the houses, has followed the contours of the land wherever possible, so that the objectionable grid-iron effect has been avoided. All the internal roads are made of ferro-concrete with tar-macadam footpaths. The roads, with footpaths, are 30 ft. and 40 ft. wide, and are so arranged that only a few openings are required to the main roads on north and south. This makes for safety and is especially welcome where there are young children. Some of the principal roads have lines of old trees, and more trees will be planted in the other streets. All the streets, footpaths and small corners of land are taken over by the County Council as they are completed.

SERVICES:-

The Water Supply is that- of the Airdrie, Coatbridge and District Water Board, and the pressure such that water is available at all times of the day without the necessity for house storage.

The lie of the land, as already noted, gives a good fall for Drainage, and large new main sewers are being made under special Government grants.

The Gas Supply is obtained' from the Glasgow Corporation, and is used for cooking, and heating the smaller bedrooms.

The Electric Power for lighting, heating and domestic appliances is provided by the Clyde Valley Electrical Power Co. Ltd. The public roads are adequately lit by electric lamps.

The Post Office Telephones have decided to erect an automatic telephone exchange on the Estate.

The Transport Services are unusually good, and include tramcars, buses and railway. The tramcars run through Glasgow, between Airdrie and Paisley, and Airdrie and Knightswood, running every 5 minutes.

There is also a service of 12 S.M.T. buses per hour. The bus routes are from Glasgow to Airdrie, and Glasgow to Edinburgh via Bathgate, travelling on the old Glasgow Airdrie-Edinburgh road and also on the new Glasgow Edinburgh road.

There are 4 railway stations distant about a mile, and in March 1936 a new station, called Garrowhill Halt, was opened on the L.N.E.R. line between Edinburgh, Coatbridge and Queen Street (Low Level). This station lies on the north-western boundary of the Estate, and as the railway goes eastwards to Partick and Clydebank it connects with a large industrial area.

The journey to Glasgow (Buchanan Street) by tramcar takes 25 minutes, by bus 15 minutes, and by train 15 minutes to Queen Street. The return fare by car is 4d. and 5d., by rail 5d. and by bus 6d. Weekly tickets by rail are 2s. 6d. and by bus 3s. 6d., with relatively lower rates for longer periods.

There are two Shopping Centres, one completed on the western boundary at Barrachnie, and the other planned a little east of the Community Centre.

On the northern boundary of the Estate, Springhill Farm has the only tuberculin-tested herd of cows in the district. To have a supply of the highest grade of milk so near at hand is of great hygienic value to the whole community and especially to the children.

COMMUNITY CENTRE:-

In the centre of the Estate, including its highest parts (250 ft.) and where most of the trees are located, an open space has been left upon which no dwelling houses will be built. This central area, which extends to 20 acres, will include church, school, institute, hall and playing fields.

CHURCH:-

The Church of Scotland have built a hall, to be followed by a church costing £10,000. The minister commenced his duties in April 1936. In addition to its primary spiritual function the church should become the centre of some of the higher cultural activities of the community.

There is an old ‘Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson designed’* Georgian house, called Garrowhill House, in the centre of the open space and near the church and school. It gives its name to the Estate, and although it is not large, it can, with some alterations, be made into workshops suitable for practical instruction in different crafts, such as woodwork, metal work, cooking, etc,

*note added by transcriber for info

This is a photograph showing the Garrowhill House behind the trees. On the mound to the right and south of the house the church will be built, while the community hall will be built on the opposite or north side.

HALL:-

This is planned to be attached to the north gable of Garrowhill House and to be capable of seating about 600 people. This hall will be used for concerts, plays, dancing and physical exercise. It will contain a library and also several rooms for small groups of various kinds. There will be a stage with dressing-rooms, also lavatories, and rooms suitable for preparing and serving light refreshments. The hall, combined with Garrowhill House, will form the central building for the social and cultural activities of the community

PLAYING FIELDS:-

In addition to the playing fields for school children already discussed, it is necessary to have a special playground for very young children from 2 to 5 years. It will be located in the garden of Garrowhill House, which is over an acre in extent and has a southern exposure. As it is surrounded on three sides by high hedges the young children will be well sheltered.

This playground will include chutes, swings, merry-go-rounds, etc., and perhaps a paddling pond. It also requires a suitable shelter for mothers and children, with lavatory accommodation.

For the young people finished with school, and for their elders, there is about 5 acres of flat land suitable for S full-size tennis courts, 2 bowling greens, and a hockey pitch (320 x 180 ft.). Three separate pavilions are very desirable so as not to mix up the ages too much. These different playing fields will give separate recreational facilities to all the various age groups in the community.

PARK: -

Deducting the areas of land for church, school, hall and playing fields, there remain over 5 acres of the more hilly land which will be made into a small park, with paths, shrubs and flowers, seats and shelters.

The whole of this 20-acre space will be surrounded by a tar-macadam footpath and a ferro-concrete road, the actual area being enclosed by a low concrete parapet. The land rises steeply from the west towards the centre, with most of the buildings on the high part; and as there are many beech trees in this area, mostly arranged in lines, attractive vistas will be created.

This community centre has been planned to be sufficient for about 1,850 houses, or a population of about 7,500 people. The central site is attractive, and the general lay-out and character of the whole housing scheme is such as to warrant every effort being made to provide ample community facilities of a reasonable standard. Such facilities will enable the members of the community to develop recreational and cultural interests to. a greater degree than has yet been possible in any similar scheme now existing in Scotland.

HOUSES: -

The houses are of the cottage type, built in blocks of two, four and six, most of them being in blocks of two, with a few bungalows and single houses. They have 3, 4 and 5 rooms, with kitchen and bathroom, and are substantially built, the walls being double brick with air space and rough-cast, the roofs being tiled. They have been very favourably reported upon by independent surveyors.

Purchase, in the majority of cases, is effected through a Building Society; the prices being very keen and ranging (1936) From £350 to £525 for houses in blocks.

CONCLUSION

The land for the playing fields and open space, also Garrowhill House, have been given free of cost, and are held in trust for the community.

The facilities, already discussed, and required for the development of the community life, include:

· 5 tennis courts and pavilion.

· 2 bowling greens and pavilion.

· 1 hockey pitch and pavilion.

· Playground for young children, with swings, etc., and shelter.

· Hall to accommodate 600 people, with several smaller rooms, lavatories and canteen.

· Alterations to Garrowhill House to make it suitable for arts and crafts institute.

· Cottages for gardeners and caretaker. Lay-out of park.

The building scheme is now so well advanced that its character when completed can be easily visualised.

The Lanarkshire Education Authorities are building a school to

cost about £50,000, and the Church of Scotland is spending £10,000.

In view of all these facts it is submitted that the scheme, as outlined, is worthy of the fullest consideration and support by individuals and societies interested in assisting such a pioneer social educational experiment. Financial assistance is necessary and will be welcomed, for the people themselves can only provide a small sum towards the fulfilment of this scheme.

It is confidently expected that the Garrowhill Community will be so successful as to furnish an example to other communities to do likewise; and when there are thousands of such communities throughout the land the effect on the country as a whole will be such as to counteract the spread of Communism and Fascism, and to establish Democracy on the sound foundation of social enlightenment and individual freedom.

ORIGINALLY PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN BY ROBERT MACLEHOSE AND CO. LTD

THE UNIVERSITY PRESS. GLASGOW

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