New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-11
LITTLE EAST SIDERS' CLUBS
PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO BE OPENED TO THE
BOYS AND GIRLS ORGANIZATIONS
THEIR GOOD INFLUENCE IN REMOVING TEMPTA-

THEIR Goop INFLUENCE IN REMOVING TEMPTA-
rroNs-How THEY ARE CARRIED on.
Since Corporation Council Scott has decided that
there is no legal objection to the opening OF the
public schools Mt night for the use OF the boys anu
girls clubs OF the tenement districts there Is prac
tcally no further obstacle In the way OF the nnne
date carrying out Of the project ana IL Is prooapo
that School No T. In Hester-st will be 30 opened IN
a few days The idea of thus greatly extending
| tho eood work which the ehidren's clubs now In
| existence are doing originated with Jacob A. hiis
| As the general agent Of the members OF the Hooo
| Government Club he recommended the matter 10
| them as one worthy of their attention ana the'r
| aid and the subject was first made puohc last
| January Subsequently the Public Education AS
ISOLATION took It up using Its influence with the
Board OF Education in favor Of the plan
In speaking Of the objects which are accom-
| p.ished by the clubs Mr. Rs says:
| THE gregarous impulse is strong In all boys
| They want a chance to fall H. 20 march III h,ie
II an opportunity Is offered OF doing IL decentiy
they take II eagerly hence the phenomenal success
| of boys clubs wherever they have been started III
| no such chance Is offered and the boy drlts aoou'
| I'm the dangerous evening hours when the street
| makes toughs' there results the gang. Inc Doys
club could have headed 1t off. but when once II IS
started the poceman's cub has hard work with
| II for years afrerward. The great difficulty mas
always been to find room for the boys gatherings
| This demand has bet met recently by great num-
bers of saloon clubs. Incorporated under the fahes
| law 1t il we'll understood that these CLUBS are
| simply SUNDAY saloons On the SIX week nishts INC
| BOYS and girls are invited 10 occupy the rooms
When such a shelter is provided 1t Is only natural
that the children, lacking any other, should accept
| it, but 1t is a condition OF things which shouio DC
prevented at any cost have been speaking OF 'he
boys cubs chiefly. but there are large numbers
of girls clubs Also and precisely the same remarks
apply to those"
he auspices
Education Association, are to meet in the public
schools will be under the general supervision OF
Miss Winlfred Buck. OF No IA East Forty-lifth-st
Miss Buck who has for several years been remark
ably successful the head Of different boys clubs
connected with the University Settlement In De-
| ancey-st will have personal supervision of the
first two clubs 10 take advantage Of the new priv
ilege These will meet, has been stated, In the
| Hester St school, which is situated in one Of the
neighborhoods where such work is most needed
NO CLASSES, NO TEACHERS.
There is no very clear notion among people IN
| general as to the character of these clubs. A
| common impression IL that they designed for
instruction OF some kind through regular lessons,
but this is not the There are no classes and
no teachers-nothing which could remotely suggest
| the idea Of school The clubs are wonderfully
| effective educating mediums. but the object is ac-
| compshed simply by healthy amusements. Self
| government, the thing OF which the children stand
|
Buck will carry out In the new clubs of which she
| Is 10 take charge exactly the ideas as she
does now with those at the University Settlement,
a short description Of the latter will serve as an
accurate outline OF the coming public school, clubs
| for boys Slightly different methods may. Of
| course be employed by others who may subse-
quently take up the work and start other clubs.
but the work WILL in general. be modelled after the
Ideas from which Miss Buck has had such good re-
| suits The clubs for girls 1t should be said, while
| embodying the same principles. are Of a more
| sedate ORDER. and seem to thrive best where some
| regular work. such as sewing or Systematic read
| ing. Is pursued.
It was an unusually interesting hour that the re-
porter spent last Thursday afternoon at the semi
weekly meeting OF the Young Potomac Club" the
organization which will a model for those
about to be formed This Is the title which was
chosen by the members Of the club, who are
stanch patriots, Ito commemorate the deeds of
the Army of the Potomac " Every one OF these
boys probably without single exception, is the
child OF foreigner; most Of them are OF Polish or
Russian parentage. and all OF them are Jews 1t Is
simply wonderful to how they have mbibei
not only the facts Of American history. but unmis-
takably American ways OF thinking and acting as
well Each of their meetings lasts two hours the
first half being devoted 10 games and athletic
sports OF all kinds and the second TO the business
session
Football. in a rather subdued form, made neces-
sary by the nature Of the place In which II IS
played. Is OF the favorite amusements of this
first hour The boys show remarkable self-contro;
there is suspicion of smuggling, and they
extrcate themselves from apparently fierce PUSHES
and tackles with the greatest eqanimty and good
nature. They almost never hurt, and COM
plants. which are scornfully regarded babyish,
are rare The hard, cement floor Of the indoor
playground AZ No. will probably preclude football
there unless some other available place In the
building should be found where the game can be
enjoyed. An existing rule which forbds throwing
the ball prevents any damage TO the windows. the
pictures or any OF the rooms furniture. Fencing
with wands was another amusement at which
several of the boys displayed not little skill last
Thursday The knowledge OF a few Of the most
important thrusts and parties was brought into
the club through one OF the members who had
picked il UP somewhere and who FASTENED TO intro
duce It as desirable novelty in the list Of games
few Of the boys who do not happen to feel like
athletics may usually be off in corner
playing checkers or chess. The club members
themselves have decided that cards had better be
excluded in the boys minds the bits OF pasteboard
are associated with gambling and unpeasantiy
suggestive of the back rooms of saloons
THE BUSINESS SESSION.
The business session which follows the hour OF
sports is In many ways even more interesting TO
watch than the latter Tho organization OF the
boys Is perfect. and they seem to derive an I'M
mense amount Of pleasure from the orderly trans
action of matters pertaining 10 the club. These
are always many and, to the members minds
fraught with the utmost importance. Every one
wishes 10 express his opinions. but amid all the
enthusiasm the strctest respect for the rules of
parliamentary law Is maintained. The main body
Of the club ranges Itself upon a row or chairs along
ono side OF the room, while the officers seat them
solves around n table placed IN the middle OF the
floor AS the roll is called and the members an
swer to their names. any boy who may owe dues
three cents apiece payable weekly, comes for
ward and lays the amount on tho table. The sum
thus collected from the thirty-hye members OF the
ciub is not sufficient to pay all the expenses Of
their meeting place but II gives them feeling OF
;ndependence and responsibility. The boys also
raise money among themselves TO buy any games or
After the calling Of the roll the various commu-
nications are read TO the club by the secretary
Sometimes they from members OF other cubs
who desire to arrange a baseball match a debate
with the Young Potomacs," and sometimes they
relate strictly to the inside business of the club IT,
eiS rtsaussion ,non them is oiwav. i,,o,y ~