The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-01-15
A CHURCH NOVELTY
Or. E. L. Stoddard Opens a
Dancing Class for st.
Johns Young
People.
POPULARITY OF THE MOVEMENT
Evangelical Congregations Look
On With Horror at the
Innovation.
POPULARITY OF THE MOVEMENT

Hereafter dancing will be taught at %.
Johns Episcopal Church, Jersey CITY,
every Thursday night at the low price OF
u cents a lesson. 1t was the plan OF the
Rev. e. IL. Stoddard, d. D., rector OF the
church and originator of the idea of teach
ing dancing to his parishioners as a part
of their moral and religious education,
to charge but six cents a lesson. lie
found. however. on consulting with a
number of instructors in dancing that the
cost would be too great to permit of such
a small charge. After getting estimates
DR.. S%toddard decided that he could aHord
to give eight lessons for 81. To compen-
safe the members of the class somewhat
for the additional expense, DR.. Stodaaro
will give the members a reception or pup
lie dance at the end of the course, 10
which they cab invite their friends with
out extra cost to them. Inc class was
formally organized on Thursday nlghl
last. There were thirty young women
and tw~enty-eight young men present at
the organization meeting. DR.. Stoadard
announced that the class will be limited
70 sixty members, equally wide as 70
soy There is therefore room for but
two more young men and no more girls
MANY Of the young people in the ehurch
who put off joining the class that they
might see how it prospered are now sorfy
that they did not attend the organization
meefing and become enrolled as mem
hers They will be shut out, unless there
are sixty more applications for m
ship. in which event another ciass VII pe
started. 1t will take SIXTY m a class Il
be given in the basement OF the churcn
ar in the gymnasium adjoining the church
every Thursday night. FREQ ANDERSEN, Z
engaged by DIR. Stoddard to teach the
class. The young people in 81. JOINS
church are enthusiastic over the danclis
class. which, i the first OF lls zinc nar sons
do not like it so well and critlclzed ~,
Stoddard for not only sa~nction1ng 50
worldly an amusement un oHe c MemSers 81
tWha evangelical Churches are horror
stricken AT the idea of a Church dancing
III stoddard says he expects to
meet with criticism in carrying OUT ms
scheme. but declares that however sewers
# viii not deter him from his purpose.
He considers dancing not ohis s h haiii
that every young person should pc taugns
to dance. When q crowd q syt 9uns
people get togethsr, nd ne saiH for them
f. do hut to dance, play cards or engage
in idle gossip. In my opinion ~ IS Ial
better that they should dance ina
oossin5. The members of the class neeu
S5of necessarily be members Of the church,
Vo,np women members of the churcn
are permitted to introduee a y men de,
olrainations thus insuring them escorts
fo om ana from the classes. The same rul e
applies Il 70 the young men, st. st. J 6rnades j
an ~ tha word. Already shorthand
s s1asses q singing rafi classes, physical culture y
Gases for girls as well as boys, a lee
ture course and q ( e s senoo daT pays s
p ean tas = month. Other Glasses are being
20 added as rapidly as possible; The dancing
class is the latest. The w " 4 1, rs ebarg1
az g. tha Rev. q. S. Forbes, vicar OF thu
| church.