Louis O. Lehman to Jane Addams, January 19, 1910

Jan 19, 1910.

Dear Madam:- I have just read with delight and appreciation your recent book, "The Spirit of Youth and the City Streets". I find myself very much in sympathy with your point of view. While you write especially with regard to the city your book is very helpful to those who live in the smaller towns like my own. I have been "up against" the problem of the young people for a number of years and have reached the conclusion that they cannot be "saved" by the old methods of the church. I have met with more or less criticism in my plans of furnishing recreation for them and have a case on hand now. If I may I would like to ask [page 2] you a question, the answer to which will be of help to me. Do not the objections to forms of recreation, like bowling for instance, grow out of commercializing them? Our citizens are generally agreed that public places where games are run for gain are a nuisance and bad for the city and I am with them. But are not the evils largely removed when the games are provided in some other way as in Y.M.C.A. for instance? Does not commercializing any form of recreation tend to evil? This may seem of little consequence to you but it seems to be the crux of the matter with us and if you can give me in a few words the result of your experience along this line I will be very thankful. And please reply without reference to what you may gather to be my own feelings in the matter.

Sincerely Yours,

L. O. Lehman [signed]