The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-11-16
THE PEOPLES PALACE.
London Institution for the Benefit
of Working People.
From the Mem York World


of Working People.
From the NslU York World
All the good people who are interested In
modern forms Of philanthropy and the
progress of the universal brotherhood idea
point to the Peoples palace in London as
the great work accomplished through nine
teenth century reform. 1t is situated at
the Mile End road in London. The people
of the neighborhood were not vile and de-
graded, but their lives were hopelessly
dull, without mental or spiritual interests,
excitements and pleasures Walter Bssant
looked upon this state of the working peo-
pie, where restitution of all human enjoy
menb exists, together with some degree Of
prosperity. He thought the matter over
and wrote q novel
This book, IAN Sorts and Conditions of
Men" advanced the idea of peoples palace
of innocent amusement and social recreation
for the poor. The tale made a deep and
lasting impression, aud the Peoples palace
of London is the result of it. 1t Is called the
greatest attempt ever made in England TO
elevate the taste, promote the amusement
and raise the social. scientific and eesthetic
tastes of the working people.
At present the palace is in full swing
Nearly 5000 students work daily in the
schools aud lecture rooms. Great concerts
are given, sometimes as many as 1000 men
and women of the so-called slower orders"
listening to high order Of music. There
are swimming baths for men aud boys, a
gymnasium, a skating rink, a magnificent
winter garden of tropical plants, library
and reading room.
They have all sorts Of good times there
the Mile End road people. Not only do the
men and women develop their muscles and
expand their chests With the apparatus pro-
vided for these purposes. not only do lect-
urers, classes, laboratories, and all sorts OF
complicated mental machinery do as much
for the miDds as the gymnastic appliances
for the bodies. but amusement, pure and
simple, fiourishes also. Amusement that
has no hidden improvement in it-sugar
that does not coat pill. OF course the
improving amusements are man. Music
delights the Mile End ear and elevates the
Mile End eye and cultivates the artistic
nature OF the Mile Ender. But there are
amusements beneath whose smiling exterior
no lesson is hidden.
palace 10 thing to remember. IL doesn't
differ 80 very much from balls elsewhere
except that the floor is better, the ball room
larger and lighter and the music more in
spring. The young men do not all wear
dress suits. Indeed dress suits are no few
that the unhappy wearer Of one is apt to
feel himself rather too conspicuous. The
young women's gowns are not all decollete,
but they futter with ribbon aud gauze in
the approved style of other ball rooms. The
black-coated SWANS fill up their pro-
grammes of dances with the same easy air
that prevails elsewhere. They circle about
with no more humping and no more coils
ions than other dancers. And their supper
is good substantial one Of sandwiches,
pastry puffs, lemonade, tea, coffee and ices.
Mild hirtations are INDUCED la at the
Peoples palace ball and are reported to be
as wholesome an educational influence as
ectures and gymnasium appliances.