The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-06-27
The Lectures for the People.

The Lectures for the People.
The twelfth year Of the Free Lecture
system of the Board Of Education in the
old city" ended on April 80 last. and the
supervisor, DR.. HENRY NJ. LEIPsI0ER. has
made his report on the work of the year.
The first course Of lectures was given In
1850. when six halls were used, and iso
lectures were given to about 1900 persons,
| During the course Just ended, forty-eight
| places were used, 1871 lectures were given.
and 53s. 0S4 persons attended them. More
persons attended than ever before. though
the number Of lectures was less by tifty-two
| than in the preceding year. This fact shows
an increased average attendance.
DR.. LRrPsIGER says that the experience
! of twelve years has enabled the depart
ment to group the lectures into two great
classes: those which are elementary and
intended primarily to prove an antdote to
the temptations of the city; and those
whose sole purpose ia to follow a definite
line OF study. During this last year the
former class has not been increased, but the
number Of lectures in the latter has been
enlarged. In the preceding season the
plan was begun of giving. at certain places,
lectures on only one or two subjects during
the year. The same plan was continued
this last season; at st. Bartholomew
Lyceum Hall. lectures IN physics were
given each Saturday night from Dot. l to
May I II Is proposed to continue the
lectures on physics at this place for two
years longer, until a four years course
shall be given. Many Of the attendants
are very regular. and DR.. LEIPsrGER thinks
this plan wholly feasible.
The lectures are given In all parts OF the
boroughs Of Manhattan and The Bronx.
There were lectures in Fordham and on
City Island, and others in the school at
| Albany and Carlisle streets; some were
given at the American Museum Of Natural
History, and others at Columbus Hall.
attached to the Paulist Church; others
were heard at the Baron de Hirsch Trade
School, and at the Art Students League
hall. Cooper Union held the largest audi
ences, the Institute Hall. 222 Bowery.
drew the next largest numbers. Public
| School No. i64, way up at st. AIMS avenue
! and i47th street, had a larger number than
| any other school.
Let us see what the fare offered to the
seekers for intellectual food was. DR..
| LEIpsIGER says the character Of the lecture
course was very serious" Four physicians
gave each a course OF five lectures on first
ii 80 xha Ia ,,roJ. pthar phx,utctap ~ nayo
| single lectures. on such subjects as diges-
| ton, the prevention Of colds, and foods.
| A course Of ten lectures was given on
mechanics and electricity; n OF six lect-
| ures was offered on the theory OF sound
| and its application to music; there were
| other courses on physics, and single lect-
ures on the horseless city, wireless teleg-
raphy and similar subjects: courses or
the sun, on an%thropology, on nature study:
| there were lectures on history, In courses
OF from two to ten, besides single talks on
biographical subjects. The very latest
history was not neglected. Soldiers Of
the Spanish war lectured on their expe
~riences. and a naval officer told Of the gun
and the man behind IL. The city Of New
York had its history told and Its govern
ment analysed; and there were travel
lectures" by dozens Of men and women,
One Of the American delegates to The Hague
Peace Convention told what happened
there; there were lectures on belles-lettre
and aesthetics. on SHAKESPEARE and STE.
vENsoN, on RUsKIN and kIPIIEG: courses
Of lectures on great musicians. and single
lectures on patriotic songs and wal songs
on architecture and on painting. Surely
this list is enough; but 1t Is only a selection
from DR.. LEIPsIGER'S report.
The lectures given on Mondays anc
Thursdays attracted more than $50, OU
auditors; Tuesdays lectures drew nearl,
10000; Wednesday called $1,000 person,
to its lectures, and Friday nearly So, VOO
Saturday, after the weeks work was over
brought 5000 to the lecture halls, to heal
solid explanations Of scientific subjects.
Who hear these lectures? DR.. LFIpsIGEr
says: NO gathering could be more demo.
cratic than that which gathers In thes,
lecture halls, including all grades In oul
social life and representing all elements.
llr It'NuItT bhNt DttU HtIl IN Ine Assem-.
bly, rooms of schools, where old men and
women, after climbing sixty-fve steps
have sat down on benches built for children
They have been held on the playground
floor, or in halls the use Of which was given
or hired. In all these places. comfortable
or uncomfortable, large audiences have
greeted the speakers" "One attendant
at the lectures, A" says the supervisor. " wrote
to me: These lectures have been a benefit
to me in several ways, They have laugh,
me why things are so, and have helped
me to reason out why things are so. and
have made me a better mechanic. which
fact my employer has realized and appre-
cIated. Another person wrote: THE
workingman is too tired to read. but he will
listen and absorb the fruits OF the lesson of
the systematic lecturer" Still another
attendant says; "A party Of friends and
have, every clear night this season. walked
five miles to hear these lectures"
All these facts give force to DIR. LE1p.
sIGER's request. suggested rather than
made. that in every future schoolhouse