The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-07-23
OUR SCHOOL YARDS
Throw Them Open For
Fairgrounds For the
Children.
BENEFITS OF SUCH A MOVE
President Allen of the Board Of
Education Fayors the Idea
Director Cowles' Opinion.

Although an innovation in this city, it Is
by no means uncommon in other cities to
find that during the summer months the
yards of public schools are open play grounds
to the children of the neighborhood. In
many schools in New York the directors OF
education have tried the plan, which humane
movement has been crowned with success.
The chief source of worry to a mother
when she knows her young ones are out
playing in the stree. is "Are they in dangerg
The little ones, as everybody knows, have a
perfect genius for tumbling into harms way.
Wherever danger exists there will children
be collected like flies around a sugar barrel.
The death-dealing trolley, which has
added a new and terrible danger to the
passenger on the street, has, since its intro
duction, sought its victims principally among
the children, and thousands of parents pass
anxious moments in thinking of the danger
to their little ones forced to play IN the
public streets and avenues, because there is
no place elsewhere for them TO romp in.
Consequently, some one noticing that for
many weeks the Fairgrounds of the public
schools were unused, reasoned what a good
thing it would be if they were opened for
the public. Accordingly it has been lone
and the result has been most gratifying.
1t was at first urged that throwing open
the gates of the playground would mean an
opportunity for that little savage, the street
gamin, to get in his fine work. he could
break windows. set fire to and otherwise
damage the school building. But none OF
these direful things ave taken place. Even
in places where one would ordinarily have
expected some mischief would have been
practiced, nothing of the kind occurred In
numbers there abounds safety, and amid
children the awful ''rIl tell you done it,
Johnny acts like a charm in preventing
the commission of serious acts.
r IT IN THIS CITY.
ANYHOW there is a feeling, damage or no
damage. and that at the most would be
trihipg in comparison to the boon to the
children, the experiment should be tried In
this city and that right a way.
70 ascertain the opinion of those who have
the power to confer the privilege, a NEWS
reporter saw some of the members of the
Board of Education. He met first MIR. Elijah
s.. Cowles, who was not prepared to state
definitely what ne would do if the question
came before him officially.
Il have given it no thought" he replied.
''There are many things to be considered in
relation to the opening of the grounds. A
ianitor would be required to be in attend
ance for the protection of the school build
ings l am afraid that the young hood
lums of the district would make the yards a
sort of meeting place, and If on mischief
bent, as they usually are, they could infilct
a great deal of damage on the school build
ings.
II am afraid with US the opening OF the
wards at the the present time would be
somewhat troublesome; because workmen
are busy repairing our schools, painting them
and doing all sorts of jobs inside and out,
and their tools and appliances are kept in the
yards. The idea of The News is a most ex-
cellenu one, and 1 wish that there were no
obstacles in the way; but [ am scarcely pre-
pared at present to say what action would
take"
WHAT PRESIDENT LIE SAYS.
DIR. Ulamor Allen, President of the board,
would not oppose the movement but unfor-
tunately there are few yards attached to
public schools in the city that would be
available as Fairgrounds for children. The
majority of the yards are too small, but
those like Schools No. IL, No. IA and No. 25
could be thrown open and he would will
ingly favor it. nj