Despite the heat, it'll be alright

Rue Las Cases is devoid of commercial activity.  But one building is not entirely residential; its façade has a sign designating it as the "Musée Social."  When we walked past this building days ago, it seemed to be very inactive, but of course, this is August, when many businesses and institutions are closed for vacation.

Still, I wondered, what could this be?  Musée Social?

Flowers on the Place Dauphine.

I know now that it was originally created in 1894 to house documentation from the Social Economy pavilion of the 1889 Universal Exposition.  That year of the exposition marked the centennial of the French revolution.  The new philosophies about how society should be (and is) organized needed to be recorded and organized for this important century of change in the social order.

As the 20th century rolled around, the "museum" became a think tank, or research institute, covering topics within the realms of labor organizing, city planning, and subsidized housing.  Most French people were very poor.  The leaders behind the Musée Social were concerned with their well being, and thought the government actions to address social issues were not bold enough.  Many consider this think tank to have been the impetus behind the creation of the French welfare state.

The Musée Social on Rue Las Cases in the 7th arrondissement.

The first ten years were the heyday of the Musée Social, when its 500 or so members were busy publishing articles, lecturing, and studying.  Many of them also were exerting pressure on the government to institute programs to benefit the needy.

When the feminist Eliska Vincent tried to bequeath her library on feminism to the Musée upon her death in 1914, the institution could not accept the gift because it could not pay the outstanding tax debts on the collection.  The collection subsequently disappeared.

The institute declined greatly after World War II.  Eventually, it became a part of CEDIAS: Center for Studies, Documentation, Information and Social Action.

My walk this morning took me near the Musée Social again.  The morning was cool, but the temperatures today are predicted to rise above 90 degrees F.  This is Day One of an anticipated four-day heat wave.  During weather like this, we open the windows at midnight, and close them at 9 or 10AM.  We do not run the clothes dryer, and we try not to use hot water or electric light bulbs that heat up. In the absence of air conditioning, this is the way to be cool -- or at least, cooler than outside.

On Avenue Bosquet this morning, I was amused to see this graphic painted on plywood construction fencing in front of the Hotel Prince, which is being renovated:

"The Summer will be hot"

The graphic was painted in the late Spring.  How did the artist know that this summer would be hot?

I doubt that we will eat out at any restaurants during these next four days; even the restaurants that claim to be air conditioned are not really very air conditioned.  And there is the problem of getting to the restaurant in the heat.  Having a picnic dinner in the apartment is much more pleasant than going out.

Even with this heat wave, the temperatures in the wee hours of the morning are supposed to be in the 60s F, so we will survive.  Morning walks will be the rule this week.