The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-02-05
Meyers piano store, III East Park.
CHURCH FAvoRs DANCING.
DIR. Stoddard of Jersey City Successfully
Starts His Innovation.

DIR. Stoddard of Jersey City Successfully
Starts His Innovation.
Rev. DIR. f. L. Stoddard. rector of St.
/ Johns Episcopal church of Jersey City,
n. j., has successfully launched his
much talked of innovation of a church
dancing class. The 60 members of the
rectors Bible class who are enrolled
on the dancing instructors book were
! all present at the first meeting of the
! class Thursday, and there are $50
names on the waiting list. Since DR.
/ Stoddard started class mis- mail has
/ increased more than tenfold. DIR. Stod-
/ dard says that he is receiving letters
/ from ministers all over the country
/ some condemning the project and 9TH
| erS approving it. The class will con-
/ tinue until the Lenten season begins.
j Contrary to popular impression. the
rector is not seeking for notoriety. His
! friends describe him as a man of Gull
ture and of broad mind. He argues
j that the young men and women of to-
day are not content to sit and twirl
their thumbs. He wouldn't like them
if they did. He realizes that condi-
tons change. The boys and girls Of
his Sunday school dance and they play
cards. How much better, argues he,
for them to enjoy these pastimes amid
surroundings which take away the
sharp edge of dissipation. If they wish
to learn dancing or, having learned, to
enjoy the waltz or the square dance
how much better for them to enjoy this
| privilege without being forced to pat
ronize the public places.
st. Johns church is located on Sum-
| NIT avenue, in the most fashionable
part of Jersey City, and it's congrega-
ton embraces the best families. As in
every church, however, there is a GER
tain element whose social life is re-
stricted. and it is this element which
DR.. Stoddard is aiming to reach. st.
Johns institute, which is run in con-
nection with the church, has for it's
objects instruction and entertainment.
1t embraces courses in music. physical
culture and course of lectures on gen
eral topics. In the rear of the church
is a one-story building used by the
physical culture class of the institute
as gymnas SUM, and 1t was here that
the innovation was inaugurated last
week. There were Just 80 couples, eX-
elusive of Frederick Anderson. who
had been engaged as instructor in
dancing, and his sister, who furnished
the music on the piano.
Mrs. Stoddard gave the affair her
personal supervision. There We're
round dances and square dances. there
were waltzes and two-steps. and there
was good, old fashioned Virginia
reel. lnere were some rev VINO nad
taken advantage Of the opportunity
and were receiving their first instruc-
ton in the graceful art. These were
under the direction of Mr.. Anderson.
But the majority of those present were
quite proficient
The idea of the weekly dances had
its inception at the last annual recep-
ton of the rector's Bible class. This
class is in itself rather unique. At the
age of is each scholar in the Sunday
school passes into the Bible class,
where the rector gives lectures on the
Bible, the prayer book and the history
Of the church, and from which. at the
end of three years course. members
are graduated and given a diploma.
1t must not be imagined that the in
trepid rector Of st. Johns has altogeth-
er the approval of his congregation in
the matter of dancing lessons. There
are those who openly decry the inno-
walton. But he is determined 10 go
ahead, and hopes to convince all the
DIRECTORS of the wisdom of his course
when a party of young people get
together said the rector there
seems. unfortunately nothing for them
to do but dance. play cards or engage
in idle gossip. In my opinion 1t is far
better that they should dance than
gossip"
A feature Of the class is the low
price of lessons. eight for 81. To this
some of the professional dancing teach
ers have objected. but DIR. StoddarG re-
plies: II think that the dancing mas
tiers who have objected To the low
rates are shortsighted Instead of this
dancing class at low rates being a
menace to the profession, it will slim
ulate it,