Commune Founder Passes
The passing of Twin Oaks commune Kat Kinkade cannot go unmentioned here in Plainfield, where for years a similar experiment took place.
There was an intentional community on West Eighth Street that this writer joined in the 1980s. My son and I were newcomers, but wanted to share a household with like-minded folks. We met people involved in music, poetry and other creative arts. We shared tasks and enjoyed each others' company greatly.
The thing I liked was that we could share so many household and garden tools without having to replicate the whole array for each of us. It was also interesting to learn about new food habits and spiritual interests of others.
I was not here for the beginning, but the group founded a food co-op and alternative school in addition to the communal house.
The present times lead us to the question of why we all need to be off in our own corners to meet our basic needs. It might not work for everybody, but shared living arrangements can cut costs while increasing community.
The movements of the 1970s live on in such efforts as The Farm and the Federation of Egalitarian Communities. Check it out.
--Bernice Paglia
There was an intentional community on West Eighth Street that this writer joined in the 1980s. My son and I were newcomers, but wanted to share a household with like-minded folks. We met people involved in music, poetry and other creative arts. We shared tasks and enjoyed each others' company greatly.
The thing I liked was that we could share so many household and garden tools without having to replicate the whole array for each of us. It was also interesting to learn about new food habits and spiritual interests of others.
I was not here for the beginning, but the group founded a food co-op and alternative school in addition to the communal house.
The present times lead us to the question of why we all need to be off in our own corners to meet our basic needs. It might not work for everybody, but shared living arrangements can cut costs while increasing community.
The movements of the 1970s live on in such efforts as The Farm and the Federation of Egalitarian Communities. Check it out.
--Bernice Paglia
posted by Bernice at 9:12 PM
1 Comments:
Hi Bernice. The Children of the Rainbow School started in 1971 at a Carlton Avenue house. The next year, when the fire department evicted us from the YWCA, it was in our house on West 7th Street for a while, then on West 6th for several years, finally on a purchased property on West 8th and Arlington. Lots of good times, some bad too of course. The school ended about 1982. The food coop on North Avenue and the arts project were supported by the maligned but important CETA program. Bob Bender
Post a Comment
<< Home