The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-11
AT THE RECREATION CENTRES
EVENING ENTERTAINMENT IN
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

Games and Literary Exercises in Which
Any Ono In the NeighbO 'hOOd May
Take Pnrt--ROOms for Study and for
Readlng-Twenty.two Centres Open.
A big. modern. yellow brick building
with a front a block long--such is Public
School 20, in Rivington street. EXTEND
ing from Forsyth to Eldridge; and seen
on rainy night. with its windows aglow
with electric light, great. bright house
OF cheerfulness the big school building
appeared in it's setting Of tall surround
ing tenements And rainy as 1t was THIS
night there were-this at rs O. clock-thirty
or forty boys standing outside waiting
to get in; for In Public School 20 is main
tanned one OF the city's evening recrea-
ton centres. The doors were opened at
73O exactly, an example 4 promptnesS
to every boy; and the boys rushed in.
A spacious. high ceilinged, brightly
lighted playroom. The playground floor
with small tables, each with two chairs
set at it, scattered everywhere. On one
side Of tho great room, on little raised
platform. librarian with stock Of books
and games.
The boys mako a rush to the librarian
for such games as they want--checkers,
chess and some other familiar games
and for books, and the many tables and
chairs scattered over the great room are
soon occupied; and by 8 o'clock you
may see some small boys sitting over
game laid on the floor. The attendance
here on this rainy night was about $50.
Boys under IA are not admitted. They
were admitted last year. but the older
boys, whom it was especially desired to
reach. wouldn't stand for the kids. and
stayed away. So this year the small boys
are kept out, with the result that the older
boys and youths and young men now come
In. Az a matter Of fact anybody, OF any
ago from, IL upward, Is welcome; but the
attendance Ia mainly Of boys and young
men from IA to 20 and 81.
This is Hebrew district, and the boys
that come here are almost all Hebrews.
Tho great majority are out OF school and
at work at something. They may be errand
boys, or they may be at work in stores or
factories or at many and various occupa-
tions. Some Of them may be typewriters
and stenographers, and some OF those who
come here are students in the College OF the
City Of New York
Plenty of the boys and young men are
well or trinity dressed, and plenty Of them
are not. You won't have to look very far
to find boys without collars, and you might
here and there como across boy wearing
a sweater for shirt; but you don't find
anybody untidy, and you do find them all
notably intelligent.
The younger ones. those playing the
games, are noisy lot. They don't stand
for any skylarking or roughhousing here,
but the young people are not required to
converse in whisper; and SO, while some
very young boys or some older ones may be
seen silent and intent over checkers or
chess, yet the volume of sound that goes up
from the others is great
But now look in at the gymnasium, an
ample space set apart and shut of by fold
ing doors on the same floor. Here there
is no noise, except such as may 30 made
by the handling Of the gymnastic apparatus
used and the movements OF the gyInnasts'
feet. There are no voices to be heard
except that OF the instructor.
Here may be seen class of thirty or
forty boys and young men going with great
interest and careful attention through q
regular gynlnastio drill. It's fine thing
and they all like it; in fact, good many of
the boys would take the gym asiun train
ing and skip the rest if they could.
But they cant do that. If they want to
take the gymnasium drill they must join
one OF the centres athletic, literary or
debating clubs. The several clubs have
each their allotted time for the use of the
gymnasium and of the rooms in which their
literary exercises are carried out,
Programmes for the week OF the several
clubs are posted in the playground at tho
desk Of the librarian. At this evening
recreation centre, whereof E. W. Brouse is
principal, there are twelve clubs in active
operation.
From the gymnasium, for instance, the
members OF club pass to the recitation
be held. The club has a regular organiza-
ton with a president, a secretary, and a
treasurer, and its affairs are conducted in
order. They read the minutes Of the pre-
vious meeting, and all that sort Of thing
and IL anybody objects to anything his OBJ
lection is needed, and duo attention is
given to 1t, all in an orderly and shipshape
manner Of procedure. /.
There is teacher here, not to drive the
boys, but to help them if they need help.
to start them right and make them do
things as they should be done. Everything
here il done in the most decorous manner.
The youthful chairman presides with great
gravity and with perfect GOODNESS, ard
the boys In the club are all as bright and
ready as can be. Some Of them. as would
be the case in any like assembly of older
persons, say nothing; but the speakers.
those who do take an active part, are
quick and seH-contained, and all the BOYS
are bright and keen. and by no means
lacking in humor
Here's boy. when the club has got
through It's business meeting and come to
the literary part of the programme, who
reads a little sketch about something h,,
saw in the street-a very good lit le sketch
indeed it Is, too; very well done and very
we'll read and received by the boy listeners
with applause, rs was the next thing on tho
programme. reading-and so on through
literary exercises or debate, or whatever
the programme for the evening rnav be
And bright lot they are, the whole bunch.
collnred and colarless, and not too solemn.
and getting brighter and smarter all the
time.
Quiet. also is the study room, where any