Waterbury Democrat., 1902-05-20
USES FOR sCHooLHoUsEs.

The remarks made by Professor Zueblin of the Chicago university, at the education meeting in this city about better use of the public school buildings, is we'll worthy of attention.
 Here, for instance" he said. Hook at public school house. Its hall and rooms are closed most of the time. True they are used for a few hours every day and are open five days in the week, but think of the hours when they are not used at all; and, curious ly enough these are public buildings, managed by the business men of the community. Yet, if a mans own pri- vate business affairs were run in the same way Ire would go to the wall .
 Jacob 4. Riis of New York. so- ciologist. in recent lecture before the Outlook club in Montclair. N. J.. adyo- cated q constant use of the school rooms for various good purposes. when the schools are not in session. Mir Riis had already written a letter to Mayor Low of New York. urging him to throw open the school rooms on Sundays. The roofs. he said. could be used as playgrounds. while the breach CTS and teachers who seek audiences would find them in the halls and class rooms
 It is curious that nearly all the ef- Iorts or reformers to make men bet- ter are expended upon adults. They have reading rooms. libraries. lac. lures, squirrel inns, temperance c1uhs missionaries and every agency for inn proving their morals. And all tbis time thousands of boys and girls are running wild and neglected in tha streets. One-half the efforts that aro expended upon adults. if iudicious1S dlfected toward training children would. largely do away with tbe nc. cesslty or reforming grown up peo- pie. The best place to beoin tn naa1ea men and, women better is with inc ,, Sniiaien. They in a few years will the auuits. As the .twig is bent the tree inclined, and it is much easier ~ pend q. twig than a tree. A sinner sloMn oid Tn sin is mighty hard problem for the reformer. but +ba plastic mind of the child is ava,. roa 1 = to receive good impressions
 The school rooms during the bonrs anu months When they are not in use could be made more attractiva fos siiiiureh as assembly rooms. reading
 Aee liety SIOunQS. There they could De subjected to good influences and' above all, removed from evil in. nuences The homes of many of tba children in the great cities are very mn a.tlactlve places, and they get away rom ITO them as quickly os they can. lney want companionship. Tn tba poorer and crowded section of inc clty there are usually no play grounds and so the children take to the straafs where they run wild and are continr, aIiy subject to evil influences. Let them go to the school houses and bava some one there, not to keen any st,.iot aisclpillle. but to prevent mischief f'rovide games. books and yario11s amusements and do all that is possi- pie 10 make them happy and keen them from harm. In former years f. was the custom in many of the coun1 tles of this state to open the school houses Tor the village debating so- elety. the reading circle and many other assemblies But a foolish law was enacted ;forbidding the use Sof school houses for any such purposes. and the law did much mischief Tba time has now arrived to use the school houses for the benefit of the children at all seasQns Baltimore Sun.