Wichita eagle., 1888-08-05
THE PEOPLES PALACE
WALTER BESANT'S IDEAL HAS TAKEN
ON ACTUALLY.

ON ACI UAllIY.
A Big Building Erected for the Benefit
of the Weary Workers OF London-Li-
brary, Amusements. Schools and Mem
| bership-Other Features.
| Those who have read Mr.. Walter Besant's
novel, Gan Sorts ard Conditions Of Men,"
| viii remainder the authors description Of the
ideal peoples Palace" erected for the ben
eft of the weary workers of the east end Of
London 1t hes been given to Mr.. Besant to
enjoy the rare delight of seeing his ideal take
OIL actuality, and genuine Peoples Palace"
founded for the very purposes described in
bis story. And in Tho North American Re
view Mr.. Besant tells us of the palace that he
loves. its appearance, its work. its resources,
Gnd its prospects Il is an interesting story:
"The palace, as it stands at present. consists
only Of the temporary sheds and the central
hall. Externally, the hall is hideous; but
then it is the core of the whole palace, and
its exterior will be invisible when the whole
is built This hall, which is capable of hold
ing 5000 people at pinch. is well proper
toned and lofty; at one end stands an organ
performers at concerts; a spacious gallery is
built out on either side; a statue Of the queen
stands over the entrance; the sides are
adorned with statues of queens and princesses
OF Great Britain and ireland; under the gal
lery are temporary bootshelves, for the hall
is at present the library as well; the body Of
the room is provided with tables and seats
for readers and hundreds Of papers from all
,ortcn and dor
the platform is the table where the librarians
two ladieS-sit to advise the readers, to re-
ceive and give out the books. The place is
always web filed. On Sundays, especially,
when the librarians work is done by volun-
teers, it is craInmed with orderly and quiet
readers who find here place for rest and
reading. The opening of tho place on Sun
day has proved an unmixed blessing and
boon to the people.
''At the back Of the hall the library il
rapidly rising. It is an octagonal dorned
room, with book accommodations for $780,
700 volumes. at present the library con-
tains no more than 5000 volumes, but is rap
idly growing. The ante-roolns of the library
will be given over entirely for the use Of the
girls who form the lady members. They
will then have all to themselves, under the
government of their own committee, their
own music room, tea room, reading and
writing room and conversation room.
''At the back of the library stands long
two storied building. This WIS formerly the
dormitory OF the school and almshouses
which used to occupy the site. Fortunately
this block was not pulled down, and it is
now, pending the completion of the building,
used for class rooms The other buildings are
a long, corrugated iron structure used for the
exhibitions; an iron building, which con-
tains a gymnasium perfectly fitted up with
all the modern appliances; billiard room
furnished with half a dozen billiard and
aud bagatelle tables in it and refreshment'
room. There are also the secretarial offices,
q small "ladies' room fitted up for the girls,
and The Palace Journal Office.
'When the whole building is completed,
these temporary buildings win disappear.
The palace will contain in itself everything,
namely: Social rooms. club rooms, billiard
rooms, lecture rooms, reading rooms, apart
from the queens half class rooms, capable Of
accommodating an immense number OF
students; chemical and physical laboratories,
and all the machinery Of great technical
college and palace OF delight.
''The boys school, which is carried on
during the day, is an attempt to dc some
thing for the boys who have reached the fifth
or sixth standard in the board schools, i. e.,
who have good rudinentary education and
have shown Intelligence, and whose parents
cannot afford to apprentice them to any
trade. We take them for years on their
leaving school, and instruct them in trades I
and in the principles which underlie all tech
meal teaching. Thus they are not taught
anything ornamental or Superiuous There /
are classes in carpentry, design, geometry,
drawing and chemistry, but none in such SUI
pertluities as spelling or French. They como |
at the age of L. or IA, and they are to stay |
for Two years, after which they will leave |
the school to enter upon their trade.
1.-The technical schools ere carried on in /
the evening; they may be attended by those
who are not members; In fact, some Of the
members DO not attend any Of the classes. /
They comprise practical trade classes At |
present nine trades are taught: technical |
classes which include thirteen branches Of
work; science classes art and design
classes musical classes Glasses for wo-
men, including al sorts Of dress making, and
general classes. which include the require
ments for the examinations OF the civil ser
vice, shorthand, French and German, book
keeping, and SO forth. Only those engaged
In the particular trade to which the class re-
fers can join the practical or technical
classes. All these classes arc full to over
Rowing"
In the way Of recreations the palace offers
two concerts q week. an organ recital on
Sunday, a library and reading roon-opon
on Sunday FROM to 10 p. ma billiard
room snd a whole host Of clubs-chess,
cycling, cricket, etc-organized by the mem
bers al pleasure. Flower shows and exhipi
tions OF various kinds are held at intervals,
and four balls have already been given, which
Mr.. Besant assures Us were most enjoyable
affairs No into1icants OF any kind arc sold
within the limits OF the palace
i curious feature of the palace economy il
the fact that only young persons are admitted
to membership. The palace has at present
about three thousand members, ell it can ~
yet accommodate. When the buildings are
completed il viii have - many - tan thou
sSpa--The Standard.