The daily morning journal and courier., 1899-04-20
ABOUT SUMMER SCHOOLS
fl " EARNEST PLEA FOR CO-OPER4-
 TION IN THE WORK.


 Funds Needed to. Carry on This Huma c
 Enterprise Which Has Proved Such n
 Blessing to the Children of the Poorer
 Glasses es-Contributions Should be Lib-
 eral-The Results Thus Far Accom-
 pIIshed.
 Here are the spring days come at last,
 when we open our windows, look out on budding trees and listen for the return
 seasons promise We feel the summer
 surely coming Here is May already at hand and in June schools will close
 then--vacation. Yes, the children must
 have change of air, rest-the day long
 out of doors Shall it be among the
 mountains or by the shore? 'tis time to
 make our plans. But the summer will come and the worka-day city will still | be here, and in crowded streets too many children will play day in and day out through the long hot months; for there is no one to plan their outing. The streets will be their fields; their forests, the scattered trees which overhang them; their mountains, the blocks on blocks of houses which shut out light and air.
 But what can be done? We have long looked sadly, idly at this hard contrast in child life. It is not feasible to trans port them in a body to the country. No, net that but we can do, and indeed we have already done, something for them here right where they are. We can keep them from the contamination of the streets; we can give them grounds, clear and airy where there is room to play, where there are swings and timber boards toys and games such as fall to the lot of happier children-rest and rec reation. Need rehearse the tale of last years successful experiment in summer playgrounds?
 The Zunder and Eaton school yards were filled with little ones ranging from babies to children of eight years at the Zunder school, and of thirteen to four teen years at Eaton school-a daily av- craze of between three and four hum dred (300 and 400) A low age limit was necessary at Zunder sclbol to prevent overcrowding the yard, and other lines, too, often had to be drawn excluding some of better means and real back yards. It was the hardest task of all to look at those wistful faces and close the gate Within the children found not only amusement, but comradeship and healthy moral environment. Ma irons were there to see fair play and to encourage mannerly bearing. The re- suits in improved cleanliness, language and behavior of the children were evil dent to those who visited the yards when first opened and again at their close. The children themselves testified to their good times.
 The expriment taught it's lessons too. | One thing which particularly impressed those who went among the children was | their readiness to work No game was | more popular than the sewing class, and | any romp would give place to reading. ! gymnastics were executed with a will | and the older ones would eagerly look and listen to be told about flower or leaf or root. All would gather about the piano to learn a new song and diligently | u ldltl dl iIOllit Ol oii tiiC street. Here there is opportunity to effect more than the passing pleasure of the hours healthy play-the opportun- ity to open to older children, especially, new fields of interest beyond the days work or entertainment. Literature, his tory. art, nature, music meet response in them and enrich the bare every day life of workers.
 In other cities this need and opportun- ty has been met in the opening of vaca- ton schools at which attendance is voluntary and where the studies are not l continuance of the winter school cur riculum, but aim to enter the wider field without. In Brooklyn the work specialzes in manual training; in Chi ,ago it centers about weekly excursions to the country and nature study in preparations in New York the course, more diverse, is kindergarten, manual raining sewing, gymnastics, drawing, 'eading science and music. It is Wor hy testimony to the good accomplished II these schools that in New York and they have been adopted IS regular part of the school system. Following, not too far behind, upon hese lines where endeavor has proved 70 helpful elsewhere. the Woman's school association of New Haven pro- ,oses to open this summer, in addition 0 the p!aygrounds, one vacation school. t can only do so with the open- handed ( cooperation of the public With the | buildings, grounds and part of the nec . ssary apparatus already contributed I y the board of education there is still I eed of generous funds. It is estimated hat it will cost $3 for each child We 2 re planning the summer outing for the hIdren of our own homes, let us plan, DO, for children of less fortunate cir- umstance--for one, for two for as 2 lany as our means will re lch. W. , Contributions should be sent to Mrs 3 ,eo Herz, treasurer, 72 Edwards street :
 THE LA FARCE COLLECTION. :