The morning times., 1896-09-13
Copyright, 1861

tIOpyIlSut, IooO.J
New York, Sept. 12--Boys and girls who
go to schools in the city have a mighty hard
time OF it. SO far as the need OF proper play
grounds goes. II they play bail in the streets
the .'cops" chase them away; IL they go
to the parks they are not allowed to walk
on the grass, and the schools that they at
tend in must parts of the city have no play
grounds at all. except little narrow courts,
paved all over with asphalt or flag-stoaes,
where It Is really dangerous to run, jump or
wrestie. In fact, many Of the schools in
Brooklyn and New York have no play
grounds out OF doors at all, but the chill
dren are, at stated hours, turned into the
basement for exercise. Just as If they were
lot Of colts in winter time.
The newer schools above the Harlem and
away in the outskirts OF the Brooklyn art
OF Greater New York have play gro binds out
Of doors, though they are seldom very big.
But what a terrible thing it is to have to
go to school away down towl in the DIVIDED
districts!
People have Thought that il might be
good plan to have the Fairgrounds Of pn5-
lie schools In such places right on top OF
the buildngi, where there is plenty of room
and sun at any rate. even If there is no
grass and trees. Bat it has always been
supposed that the cost OF this arrangement
was too great-just as if any cost would be
too great that would save the health
OF the future men and WON OF the republic.
1atA n
longer, because the price OF building ma
teriais-lime, lumber. cement and all that
sort OF thingIs now so low that it Is
good time to put up buildings OF any kind
And this Is why Mr.. Charles B. ]. Snyder,
the superintendent Of buildings of the New
York board OF education, has prepa red.
with the approval OF the board. the plans
of a public school with rocf garden,
which will probably be the first ever built
in the world The plans are nearly ready
now. and probably Will be given to the
| contractors to estimate on in 3bOut q week
| or ten days. but it is already decided just
| about how the roof garden playground is
| TO be arranged.
The first OF the roof garden schools
| in New York dty-anG if it works well
| there will sooner or later be many Of
them-is to be built Gown in the East Side
| tenement district filling Ole end of the
block between Henry, Catherine and oliver
streets 1t will be obiong in shape. The
| rear of the building. which is one of its
long Sides is close against other houses
\ in the same block. and as the school
I building IS to be higher tSan the others,
I a clear view will be afforded right over
I the lower roofs.
| The Brooklyn bridge and the East River
! and the vessels as they pass back and
| forth up and down. in a never-ending pro
! cession, will always be in plain view. And
/ a pretty sigh. il will be which the play
| ing children will have before their eyes.
now sailing yacht. gay with bunting. or a
| steam yacht, making the cir ring with
| the unearthly shrek of its siren whistle,
| or perhaps, sloop gliding up toward the
Sound under full press of sail, or a belated
| Sound steamer feeling its way down through
the fog. like big cmcken-run or pasture.
| only the netting will be of pretty strong
iron, instead Of light wire, and the floor
| will be laid i'll asphalt, perfectly smooth
and hard. and everything will he arranged
| for the comfort Of children instead OF
chickens.
The roof garden will have 900 feet
of floor space, and there will be eight
stairways leading up to it, 50 that there
IS plenty of room to get up and down
! and to move about in while you are
there. 1t will be divided into two parts
| for the boys and girls by kind OF slid
ing screen, and precisely how that is
to work forgot to find out. of course,
the top of the playground will be entirely
open for rain or snow to fall in, so that
it can be easily kept clean and sweet
and wholesome. There is to be aEothei
small playground, of the old dark kind
down on the first floor. and this the lit
tie children, whose rooms are in that
part of the building. will. use all the
time. When it rains or SHOWS or is tot
cold for the larger ground to be habit
able the big fellows can come down there
too.
In many other respects the new build
ing is a good deal of a novelty, though
there is to be nothing else about it which
has not been done in other schools. How.
ever, the entire fifth story will be used