New-York tribune., 1902-07-20

EAST SIDE ROOF GARDEN
WHERE CHILDREN FIND COMFORT ON
HOT DAYs-wORK OF THE EDUCA-
TIONAL ALLIANCE.


With the opening of the roof garden on n.
Educational Alliance Building, at East Broad.
way and Jefferson-st, great boon was offeraa
to the densely inhabited lower East Side com
munity. Thousands Of hardworking. tired ma,
women and children find relief from the ON
pressive heat and sitting air of the erowda,
tenements and thrOng the roof On MANY dav,
more than five thousand persons gain access =.
that part Of the building. All day the sida-
walks in Jefferson-st. and East Broadway q,
the neighborhood of the institution, are crowd
ed with long lines OF mothers and children a,r-
iously waiting their turn to ride in the srau
elevator to the top of the building and IN h.
carried away from the noise and humidity n,
the streets. Small children. with stin snnaua-
brothers and sisters in their arms. constirp,a
the major portion of the visitors. Many tata
their luncheOns with them, to spend the greata-
part Of the afternoon on the roof garden. and
games. books. toys and large sand pile in The
corner of the roof are in constant use.
THE parents OF these children" remarked =,
official of the building, pointing To the crowds
Of happy, romping. and nearly al Of them neat
ly dressed little boys and girls. know and feel
that their little ones are going to a safe nIacA
and that here it is free from the dangers .,
the busy and crowded thoroughfares.
In one part a knot Of children gather and
quickly form themselves into a large rina. A
moment later they begin 10 move around in a
circle, singing at the same time a familiar and
popular nursery rhyme They are under the
charge of a trained kindergartner. who leads
them in their music. Similar rings Of children
at once spring UP in different parts of the roof
and their voices ring out without any restraint
The conduct and behavior Of the children are
most praiseworthy. They are all orderly and
obedient, and enter enthusiastically and heartily
into the spirit OF the healthfuI innocent play.
In all the work with those who come to US"
continued the one in charge "the same high
standard of fair play. gentleuess toward the
girls, justice. helpfulness to the little ones and
consideration and kindness TO weak and de-
fective children IS insisted upon and main
tanned"
How many can the roof garden conveniently
accommodate
TT would seem almost incredible" answered
the official, IF I TO tell you that last year
on September 3 no less than Is j63 persons visit
ed the roof The children coming in the morning
and afternoon of that day numbered 10,7S0 The
rest were adults. who came in the evening. Our
average attendance day last year was 5000
and for the entire summer months when this
place open the registry. keeping actual
tally Of figures showed an attendance of 344 424
persons. This year it bids fair to be more than
that People have begun to take a deeper inter-
est in the work OF this institution and the large
crowds show that they VII come in greater
number than in previous years.
In the evenings the roof garden presents an
entirely different scene from that Of the day
time. Then the young children are not admitted,
and a large number Of middle aged and elderly
persons. usually the parents and neighbors of
the children who come here in the day, greatly
appreciate the privilege of a quiet. sOciable
evening, and come to US with effusive express
sions OF thankfuIness'
Benches and tables and shady awnings and
he cool and refreshing breezes that blow from
he river across the housetops make this roof
IN attractive place for those who live in the
loosely huddled tenements. For blocks around
here is not inch OF brea thing space, save for