The New York herald., 1874-03-12

They are Surrounded by Improper In
nucnces-Chiidren Made Familiar
Win Vice and Debauchery-The
Eighth Ward as bad as the Fifteenth
Ward OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Before .
Committee of the Board of Educ alton.
The Committee on Bylaws OF the Board OF Edu-
cation met yesterday to inquire into the existence
OF houses OF bad repute in the Eighth ward and 10
substantate the amount Of harm they do TO the
children attending the public schools IN this ward
The attendance of witnesses was quite large and
the leeing about the matter seemed TO run
quite high among them. Almost all were
residents OF the ward referred to and
had children attending school in It, and
had personal knowledge OF the matters whereof
Ihey spoke. They also complained that the Dis
trict Attorney had as yet paid no attention to the
revelations concerning School No. 10. and that the
indictments, II indictments there were, had been
80 efectually ''pigeon holedn that there was o
hvely prospect OF their never being heard OF again.
Inc hrst witness examined and sworn was VIII
nam Heerdt, OF No. $50 Wooster street, who stated
that nc lived on the same block as School No. 10
was situated on and within only short distance
Oh school In the Eighth ward-No. 8. He had
constant reason to notice the iacr of numer-
Gus brothels on the block. existing in
the most open manner and to the public scandal
OF those who passed along the street. The women
In the brothels had become very bold through
lmpunlty, and never let men pass without endeav-
orlng 10 ent1ce them. He had never seen that
children mad been invited into these houses, but
tney could not pass without noticing what was
women in these places would laugh at children
passing ana would be laughed at in turn, estab-
geroa 70 their wncF s was Souses q this
character abounded IN all directions here, and he
ana business two doors from one OF them. he
ia h1fyya
by their proximity. He was constantly insuted
and annoyed by these women, and so we're other
was positive nuisance. 1t was SO all down his
street tWooster) and IL was not ut place to have
prevailed IN cases OF schools in the Eighth ward.
Philip Ketterer, trustee OF the Eighth ward
public schools. had often heard complaints about
bawdy houses being 80 near the schools, though
nothing had came directly under his personal
Knowiedge OF the extent OF injury which they did.
public school In Clark street, about which he
had heard complaints. Teachers had tod him
that 1t was often possible TO see from the school
directly over the way and that indecencies were
often visible to the children. He had heard the
same In connection with the colored school in
was also directly laced by house OF Ill lame, with
the same RESULTS and in The evening this neigh
person. There was little doubt that the youth
which attended these schools were more or less
injured by being famiiiarized with this form of
vice and deDaucnery The schools IN clark street
and South Filth avenue were almost In as bad a
position for this School No. 10 in wooster street.
While the former school in Thompson street, No.
6, was situated in nestbed Of vice, and COM
plants were almost daily.
Mr. Roberts, a gas filter living at No. "A West
Houston street, said that his neignbofhood was SO
bad that respectable family was not able to live
there. He had cautioned his children not TO stay
out after nightfall, for fear OF the men and women
who frequent the street at that time. In the
neghb0rnood OF the school in S0uta Filth avenue
there were numerous houses OF Ill fame, openly
carried on, and III front OF which children passed
constantly going to school, He had seen policemen
order these women into their houses from the
stoop, when they were soliciting passers by.
This was proof OF how public the thing was.
Charles Keyser, OF No. las Wooster street, said
that at one time ne used 10 send his children to
School No. 10, In Wooster street. but the neighbOr-
hood was so bad that he sent them down to No. 8.
His children returned that day and told him he
might have lett them where they were, as the sec
ond nelghborhood was pad as the first one. He
could not pass down the street without having
these women address him and annoy him. Chill
dren were annoyed IN The same manner, and the
nelghbOrhoOd was very bad Tor school.
Other witnesses were examined, who c0rrobo-
rateQ what WAS previously Said