UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

BUREAU OF FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC COMMERCE

October 17, 1942
KANSAS CITY OFFICE
1028 BALTIMORE AV!

724 Dwight Building

Mr. Forrest C. Allen, Director Physical Education
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas

Dear Mr. Allen:

Sometime ago a copy of the "Small Town Manual", a United States
Department of Commerce publication, was sent to you. We would
like to hear from you about the Manual. Does it impress you as
a workable plan for community action? Can you suggest changes
that should be made? Has it been discussed by others in your
community?

The Department of Commerce is thoroughly convinced of the neces-
sity for a program of community action in small towns and villages
throughout the nation. Never before has this country been faced
with the potentialities for economic and social change that today
surround us on every hand, To survive these forces with a minimum
of loss, each community must take stock of its position, determine
its assets and liabilities and plan, as a community, for the future.
The Manual is designed to serve that purpose,

We know that some towns are just naturally hard to awaken. Others
are wide awake and anxious to do anything that will better their
community life. All of them present problems. In small towns all
over the country there are people who have the gift of leadership
and the ability to get things done. If you have been successful
in using the Manual or in overcoming opposition to community action
in some unique manner, write us, so that we can tell other towns
what you have done. oe

Limited funds are available for travelling and we can, if your com-
munity appears interested, assist you in the formation of a commit-
tee and in making a survey, If you want our assistance, please
write us at your earliest convenience, so that we can plan to visit
you on one of our trips. ;

Very truly yours,

Harry M. Washington
Regional Manager.