The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-10-11
Jersey City Preacher Starts a
Dancing Glass.
New Method of Warfare Against
Low Dance Halls.
lessons TEMPTATION.
Dances and Plays in the Parish
Work
Regarded With Favor as Means
of Reform.

Jersey City, Oct. 11.-Wtth a view to fur
ther increasing the hold which he has
gained upon the affections of the people
of Jersey City by taking an active interest
in their temporal welfare, the Rev. John
l. Scudder. pastor of the Tabernacle in
Jersey City, has engaged teacher OF
dancing, who will give instruction in the
art of moving gracefully to members of
his congregation and all others who may
apply at 10 cents a lesson.
Il will start the dancing lessons this
evening"" he said yesterday. NOT IN my
church. however, or in any church put
in the Peoples Palace, where we have
been carrying on, not simply religious, put
eight years. 1t is in one of the worst dis
tricts of Jersey City. with the saloons so
map it looks as if that region had the
smallpox. There are saloons on the other
three corners where my building, stanus-
when / say that I believe in dancing, L
mean under the right conditions ana re
that neighborhood wanted to dance; Rich
girls have their own commodloQs MONIES,
flats where they can almost touch the
opposite walls by extending tnelr arms ms
How can they dance IN such a pace Z! me
result is that they go to the low dance
halls and are out late al night l an, am
waging war against the saloons, the low
dance halls and low variety theaters; so
come to the Peoples Palace and Wen
give you Just as good a time, and better.
out Of the saloons I fix up Billiard tables
and say: You can play here just as
Ch6aDiY I
bother them about going to CHURCH or
prayer meeting; I Just give o them chance
II rival the theaters, too. / went to a
stage carpenter and told him to put up a
Good bright plays, that always draw a
crowd, which wouldn't think of coming to
hear lot of namby-pamby Sunday school
Il have engaged a irst-class dancing
beiieVes ana PAYS. Nothing is free in the
institute. I don't believe in pauperizing
for piano lessons and other things whic
girls like and would rather pay for than
7 am not the least afraid of notoriety.
The more persons know of what we are
Who are opposed to dancing Our friends
the Methodists are, but we are not 1t
members sqgirm a little at first. but they
The Rev. E. [. Stoddart. rector of ST.
Johns Episcopal church in Jersey City,
introduced dancing as a feature of church
work in his parish last winter. He was
so well satisfied with the results that it
will be continued this year. Mr.. Stoddart
has never been in the room when the
dancing class is in session. He approves
however, and his wife has taken an active
II IS 0niy for our S 9o5 young RsTsopgs
mo one else is admitted. 1t began with
I1SfcI had been accusfonned to holding
receptions from time to time. At these
others could not The suggestion was
ali could be taught to dance. We had
classes in many other things, and there
seemed to be no reason why this request
should not be granted.
"A class Of sixty had to be guaranteed,
but more than that many applied at once.
The young persons derived great deal of
enjoyment from the lessons, and it may
have kept many of them from going to
dangerous places Of amusement
q think every one in Jersey city now
approves of what has been done, and so
do the Episcopal clergy of New York City.
You must remember that the house in
which the dancing classes meet is no part
of the church, and does not even connect
with it,