Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-05-12
EVENING STAR
A Public Recreation Society

a IuOuc heCT6Rtl0n society.
The Daily News gives the following account
of society which has been formed under this
title in Birmingham
1t appears that somewhat less than a year
ago, twenty five young persons engaged in
daily toll joined their resources for evening
recreation. The only place they could engage
for their meeting would hold only twenty five,
or they would have been glad of a larger num-
Der. Five of the members formed band, and
met once a week for practice, another was
secretary, another storekeeper, another chO-
rus-leader, and so on. Penny song books were
printed for the use Of the members They
provided swings, chess and draue eht- boards,
puzzles, &c and varied their amusements
very trequently--always closing, however,
with Z" God save the Queen" in full splendor
Of band and chorus. This was the state Of
| things half a year ago. Now there is q pub
lie Recreation Society, at which fifteen hun
dred people in an evening have attended,
each paying his penny and there is no saying
was not Overcrowded. This crOwding il an
evil-not only on account of the heat and
pressure, but because the greater number are
baked of their amusement at the gymnastic
apparatus and the games. The remedy is, of
course, to open more places; and nobody who
knows the working men of Birmingham can
doubt that they will presently DO this. The
present society take go per week, and spend
only t6; so that there is no deficiency of
money in the case. The great squeeze is on
Saturdays and Mondays, the days when least
work Is done. On other evenings the num-
bers are from 500 upwards. Thus it appears
that while the place is extremely attractive
on holiday times, 1t does not tempt the people
from industry on the four hard working DAYS
OF class who earn their living mainly by
piecework at home.
First there is a covered nIavoroupd m
more than twenty feet square. 1t contains
four swings, and an electrical machine so dis
posed as that the handles arc within general
reach. The attractivenesS Of this apparatus
is extraordinary; and the ordinations of
electrified victims are heard all the evening
through. Another favOrite amusement is walk
ing, OR trying to walk, on a revolving barrel,
which must be good gymnastic exercise. A
small room is appropriated to this barrel and
TO single-stick exercise. Next, there is the
gymnasium, where there are climbing pole and
rope, parallel and horizontal bars, and the
lke-in high favor with men who have been
working one set of muscles all day. A capital
skittle- alley lies beyond. There are rails and
pegs for coats and hats and an abundant pro-
vision OF water, soap and towels is made use
OF. The upper rooms are sadly small for the
needs Of such a multitude. One, at present
used for fencing and single-stick, is intended
to be reading and smoking room Smoking
goes on there now, and in the gallery which
leads to it. The largest rsOn is over the COW
cred playground. 1t is called the Entertain
ment Room, and is fitted up with benches,
furnished with letges at the back, on which
the chess-bOard, cofee-cup, OF newspaper may
be placed. The men Of Birmingham are ac-
custOmed 70 live in a noise, and the effect is
seen III this room. In the midst of the lOudest
choruses, the chess-players pursue their games,
and the newspaper readers their political stu
dies
No part Of the amusement ia better than
the singing, which is provided by the mem
bers themselves Good as the funds are, there
Is no difficulty in providing copies Of favOrite
songs and choruses, which are distributed as
at concert. The comic songs and choruses
create an infnity of mirth. The refreshment
room is at hand, and there a large cup Of cof-
fee lay be had for three halfpence, bread and
better or a bun for a penny, and So on The
place Is open from i've till ten on FIVE days of
the week, and from two in the afternoon till
ten On SATURDAYS
The door keeper pensiOner from the army,
Is In attendance all the evening and his wife
manages the refreshment room. The two
keep the place in excellent order and cleanli-
ness, their salary being Fl a week. Thus far
there has been no disturbance OF difficulty
The excellent manager declares that he has
not observed any serious improperly whatev-
er, nor any exuberance which was not checked
in moment by a word from him. The trials
of disappointment from the disprspOrtioned
members have not been trifing, but the people
have kept their tempers very we'll. No doubt
there will be places of recreation opened ere
long in some proportion to their numbers
Meantime, there is to be no pause in the pro-
vision of variety Of amusements. There is
t. be as We said, reading room; and there are
already short lectures on popular subjects,
illustrated by diagrams and puzzles, enigm:s
and a magic lantern. The self-supporting
character of such place being now proved,
even where the price of admission is so low a 5
a penny, the working men need not again wait
for committee of gentlemen to arrange and
begin the affair fer them. They can begin
mOdeStly on their own resources, if necessary,
and add to their attractions as the pence and
pounds come in Everywhere, however,
there are kindly persons who would give
ropes and poles and a daily newspaper, if not
chess boards and electrical machines We
have given this novel story in some detail, be-
cause of the perfect success Of the experiment
which at once establishes it as an example
We hope that there will soon be no large town
in the kingdom which will not be thus honest
ly stealing the trade Of the low theatre and
the gin palace In the same way, we cannot
but hope that in our villages and small rural
towns, field games will kc ep the laborer from
the public-house in summer and Public
Recreation Society In bad weather.