The sun., 1901-07-07
A PLAYGROUND ON A ROOF,
DAILY CROWDS OF CHYLDREN AT AN
EAST SIDE INSTITUTION.
Thousands Bs.eatsd by the Resf Garden Of
the Educstioaal Alliance In East Broad
way-MSnias Rush ~ Littis 0nss Their
Motley Garb. Good BshaviGr and Lan cAssu.

way-Msnins rash - litus Ones Their
Motley Garb. Good BshavtGr and Lsn cAssu.
Every day. long before the roof garden
Of the Educational Alliance Is opened st $50
In the morning. small East Side boys and
girls are thronging the stairways OF the build
ing. the elevator and the waiting rooms
The boys. by virtue OF superior strength OF
muscle and resolve. lead the charging column.
and from their Wild haste and energy one
might imagine that the doors Of the Paradise
upstairs would DO barred to all save a few
early birds. Tbts isn't the case. The roof
garden Is apparently elastic enough In capac-
i,y 10 accommodate all corners; 40 the Wild
scurry 10 reach II must be only q trait Of the
small boy, which even torrld weathercannot
subdue
Only the wee tots or the little mothers and
fathers with babies in charge can ride TO
the roof on the slevator In tho morning;
the rest must climb and most OF them do IL
with mighty zeal. for the Alliance roof
garden IA popular In It's neighborhood. even
more popular than the recreation pier. The
latter Is a triHe cooler. but what Is few
degrees difference In temperature to the
ordinary child compared with batt,edore and
shu.tlecock. checkers. nsh ponds. swings.
picture books. sand piles. stones and kinder
garteu garncs7, All Of these Joys are to be
had for tho asking on ths big roof garden at
the corner OF East Broadway and Jefferson
streets, and tho children arc not backward
about asking
During the recent hot days from 1900 to
800 children crowded TO the roof garden
each day. ard about 1900 adults spent each
evening there Only babies brought by
parents and few children who receive eve
ming permits as rewards Of glerit are allowed
70 Join the adults on the roof in tAs evenings:
but during the long sumner days the roof
Is made over to the youngsters. and only
the superintendent and assistants ard tired
mothers who have brought babies adda grown
up favor to tho crowd
Promptly at $50 the gates on the stairways
are swung open There Is hum and clAttar
The patient voices OF the attendants are
heard saying In vain entreaty. -tako your
time; take your time" / knot Of wiry boys
In visored caps that follow their prohles,
plunge upoa the roof. stand hesitating for
moment and then scatter Nine out OF ten
OF them make wild dash for tho big Ice wster
tank that stand, In one corner and Is broken
out With small tin cups In most Nirulent fAsh-
ION The Toy who gets tho hrst drink ap-
nounces the. fact with degree OF jubilatiop
that seems out Of proportion to the achieve
msnt The others swoop down upon tho
cups like locusts. and " the superintendent
isn't on hand some of the boys diadain arti-
fcial adJunots and adopt the natural method
Of glu!ng their lips to tho faucets. All dsy
long that ice water tank has crowd around
il. and IL 10 easy 70 understand how 1t uses
up /. 600 pounds Of Ice daily
After the fret wild skirmish line. a steady
stream OF children pours, moro or less I'M
potuously. upon the roof. Tho moneyed
element sets in, In a strong tide. toward the
soda water stand. Tho little girls run Tor
seats. The little mothers and fathers bundle
their baby sisters and brothers into tho big
swings, or find seats In shady corners Tor
them. some Of the bigger boys show an
inclination TO presmpt the swings, but are
routed by an attendant or by the otheS chill
dren; for consideration for tho kids Is
bas,c principle "a the roof garden, and the
swings and sand pile arc particularly dedi-
Gated 10 the baetes.
II boy or girl does offend against the
code, 10 rough, Quarrelsonle. selfish. out no
goes There 10 no argument. no excite
ment. Leave the roof says Mr. Abelsen.
the Superintendent. and the offender drass
his feet unvillingy down the stairs Last
summers experience with TINS saneAIy,
the children. and since June %. when the
garden wGA opened, this seasons NEWCOMERS
have learned that the penalty foI mSao.Ss
Is swift and unpleasant. SO, tnousn tho
children irolio freely and raise racket that
would make the tower OF Baoel seem IKE
Quaker meeting house. there Is htetsiy no
rou.insss or M nature ana, on the othei
hama. there IS a vast amount OF a~kward
N'Ti ghs wee babies show an absolute genius
FOR getting themselves into difficulties
pocktted 6ehind benches. stHot I,,rs between m
tie n out q trouble With lnenit. gcod nature r
dsndIinr hot srlr,son- faosd bs5iss, and be-
tween times reading the picture books dis-
u Lat Iue.a,y one thin pal. little s!rl. WITH
tbs blush CIRCLES around her eyes that sre
ttoirrat!e ts f' 'shts - Esat. traded round AID
round ta- roof. y irving ycar-old hsoy,
The LITTLE mothsr's dress w,- reddcec 70
A., sTES3 .s3 S.es cafSe c a b.us lpparapy
h.r one il N o. dr.,s Her hair Wss pulled
i,si.lir away ,frcn her tS,n a.. end r. s.ed
was aui:e a. smp,e IS the proprlstio, would
allow. hut tnr tpt Little face was scarlet with
Eat and the G, 90 we're duh and heavy
The hf p.rsp,rston n,f ' poured from hsr face IN
t,teafrs. bwt he uot.so W aud dovn. patiently
s1othing the tretini baby. and Hnen hsI
vo!sa was not needed for that, resdtnr alnrd
tLg tale u Cinderella and the Prince Cinder-
ei'a bAs been a wonderful comfort TO many a
small cirl sith trials OF her own.
VI ltl,y,, the wear: on ige roSt gardSsin dSi.
hHsded boys and a1r!s clad In dirty cotton
undarve.ts ard ragged trousers or ragged
petticosts, according to ser There are
tire than n-e 10 ha seen at Freloh be-!
Thsro are drapbled frocEs nrns mented with
hu, - brooches ard chains and there are
his earrings that would STIR Italian com
Even when the clothes are unspeasably
dirty and ragged. there IL usually trace OF
an eflnrt n achieve clean face slid hands
Thp-e's a premium on clean iaces. ht the
roof zardsn. and since the games and booss
and TOYS do not always 90 around. II is quite
ns weA says juvenile wisdom, to tale 80.
ysntsgs Of any litue setai' ~ NAV ., ws w.. S Gad
tributions Hence the.e ab ru'ns which
would, under other crcumstances, seem
absurd and unworthy ,,,
go 20 the roof garden AZ $50 carry lunches.
Those lurchss would give = professor OF
distetlcs a nervous chill, and even en- ordinary
observer wonders that they can be other
than fatal Watermelon and bansnae-
both more or less stale-are staples Greasy
c,k.s ana sweetcned bread are favOrites
TOO ana popcorn hricks-the PINK preferred
are plentiful Plum. are coming to The
front, and tho amount OF execution one hot
and dirty taby can do with one % or ripe
plum Is thing IN marvel az one pl'iia,
well smearod can go surprisingly long
Snh a Joyous disregard for the hereafter,
III. children, the moment they arrive, sit
down and eet vhateNer lunch they nave
Brought with thep lhst VIA, ieiplre