The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-05-20
A HILL PROJECT
Plan to Build a New Peoples
Palace For the First
Congregational
Church.
SITE ALREADY SECURED
Excellent Gymnasium in
Full Swing - Among
the Churches.

Since the gymnasium was -inaugurated
among the boys of the First Congrega-
tional Church at Bergen and Boyd ave-
nues, great interest has been manifested
in the study of physical training. The
Boys Club, which was organized about a
month ago, is really the nucleus OF what
will in time be a Peoples Palace on the
Heights. The Rev. John L. Seudder, III
his desire to please the young people, mas
had plans in mind for several months rela-
tive to such an institution. Some time
ago a piece of property opposite the
church on Bergen avenue, was purchased
with a view 10 the erection Of a suitable
building. The site IS an ideal one, being
eighty by one hundred feet. 5000 is the
price the church is 20 pay. About one
third of this amount has been wiped out.
The phenomenal increase in the at
tendance at Sunday school was a big rae
TOR in the estab Adjustment of a Boys Cub
So many children were in attendance that
the chapel could Accommodate scarcely
more thar one-half of the pupils. The
entire ground floor of the chapel is now
used for the boys On Sunday, the lecture
room for the girls and the basement for
the infant class. Formerly a room in the
front of the chapel just above the en-
trance on Boyd avenue. was used Tor the
smaller scholars. Since this was aban-
doned for Sunday school purposes, many
alterations nave been made with the re-
suit that the boys have an excellent gym
nasium.
The pastor is an enthusiast in sports
and athletics, being prominent in both
while in college. He has always advocated
such exercises for the amusement of his
young folk. A reporter of THE News,
visited the gymnasium in his company
Yesterday. Every nook and corner in the
room was visited.
Here is a punching bag" said MIR.
Seudder, letting go a swift right hand
h,ov at a bag suspended between two
rubber ropes. The reporter ducked, just
escaping the r%ebounding bag. s'Over here
are the parallel bars and here the
clergyman swung back and forth several
times on the bars. In rapid succession
he pointed out the horizontal bar, ny
ing rings. climbing rope, tug of war
boards and a trapeze.
1--WE have a physical instructor here
every Friday evening for the boys, SAID
the pastor, "and the training they get
is doubtless very beneficial. They mad
better have a definite training than 10
go about the gymnasium as they please.
There are about eighty boys in the CLUB,
and everyone of them manifests an
Unusual. amount of interest in the ply
steal culture course"
MI. Scudaer was then asked if plans
had been consummated for the building
of a Peoples Palace. He replied that he
had decided upon nothing definite as
yet.
1--WE believe lin advancing cautiously
and carefully" said he. During the past
four months we nave succeeded in clear
ing $500 from the floating debt. Thai
shows what an energetic ambitious con-
gregation we have. In time a suitable
place will be erected for gymnastics.
Bowling alleys are the thing for winter
sport. They make lots of noise, | know,
and therefore some objections would be
raised if alleys were put in, in any place
but a cellar"
John Bender, the former instructor of
the Peoples Palace, has charge of the
Boys Club Gymnasium. Wednesday
afternoons nave been set aside for the
young ladies of the church. AS yet no
class has been organized and an in
structress will not be engaged until the
fall.
The gymnasium has been so arranged
that it can be entirely shut off from the
rest of the building. Rolling curtains are
used for this purpose. A small music
room is situated just off the gymnasium
and also a reading table, laden with
excellent literature.
The pool tables in the basement have
been abandoned for the summer. These
were greatly ~patronized during the win
ter months. Messrs. Howard Griffith,
Frank Hall, Harry Rossell and Stephen
Lewis have charge of the Boys Club.