The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-07-12
FUN ON The SCHOOL ROOFS,
THE EVENING PLAYGROUNDs
OPEN FOR THE SUMNER.
Thousands or Children Breathe Fresh A.,
and Dance I'm the MoOnll ght-Fleyen
or These Fairgrounds and Mus,,
ut Allan Odd East Side S,r,,

" h"Uso FhWyxrDuanuB and Mnsjo
ut Allan Odd East Side Sight,
Hold on! Are you father1"
"Divil bit Of it. Why. man, I've 10, N
get me wife first"
Weh' then. you can't come in. Ths
roofs only for children and their parents /.
DID We ever hear o. the likes O. ths,,s
remarked the lrishman az he moved awav
They won't give workin' man a hi, ~
brathin' space on tn roof unless he's
father! Begorra, I'll stay on tn stra-a,
first"
Meanwhile the perspiring young man
at the entrance was passing in the childron
that swarmed around him.
Teacher. teacher, is dere music on do
roof tonight"
Say, mister, you amt seen mo r,tI.
brudder. has YEP I was holdin' of his band
just minute ago. I'm afraid he'll g;t
kilt" ."
If go in can come right out again
teacher? Because me mudder let me come
around the corner fur cents worth ~
hoky poky, and says must be right back
The wall of hot night on the East Slde
was in the air. The children crowded
eagerly around the front doors OF the schoo,
building and in continuous procession
climbed the long flights Of stone stairs TO
the roof
Through the doorway to the latter thew
went out into the moonlight, into the air
that was comparatively cool, and into an
ever-changing mass of other children. who
were sending forth treble roar.
Uniformed musicians sat on a platform
in the centre, round which the children
surged. Young men with megaphones
moved among them.
Here. you boys, break away there. We
won't have any rough-house business uo
here"
"Put that chair back where you got IL.
little girl. The chairs must stay against
the walls"
What Somebody pulled a little girln
earring out' Show me where she is"
mo pushing there, boys"
SYes, the band will play again in a min
ute"
And in minute the band did play again.
The smiling leader, who plainly entered
into the spirit of the assemblage, rose to
his feet and waved his baton. It was o
two-step.
Instantly there was a transformation in
the scene. Order emerged from chaos.
Fifteen hundred children who had been
moving in all directions we're suddenly
dancing in perfect rhythm in big circle
around the platform. 1t was an odd
sight, this panorama OF East Side dancing
childhood there on the roof beneath the
moon.
The bandmaster, with a smiling bow TO
the throng around him. swung his musicians
into "Mr. Dooley." This inspiring refrain
was hardly over the ratings OF the plat
form when it was sent heavenward by
innumerable shrill young voices. With
the dancing and the singing the night on
tho roof was at its climax.
Under the circumstances conversation
was difficult, but one Of the young men
managed to shout out some information.
These evening Fairgrounds were opened
under the management of the Board of
you know. New York and
have eleven roof Fairgrounds.
Our capacity here is $500. and it's more
than taxed every clear night, We have to
turn EN- away at the door down stairs.
"Yes, all the roofs have bands. Great
times' Well, should say so.
you should have been here little while
ago and heard 500 of them that we trained
for it sing Right makes might 1t was
fine They're bright kids. They pick up
things in a way that would surprise You
and there's not one in hundred that hasn't
an ear for music
Afraid of panics? Well not much.
although, of course, we are on our guard
against anything Of that sort. We have
a special exit here for such emergencies,
zone night last summer big thunder
shower came up suddenly. Say, you
ought to have seen them make a dive for
that door! There were good many parents
among EN-, too.
But got there ahead of most. Just
showed EN- back into the rain. A good
many got soaked, but none got hurt, and
that was all l cared for"
Except on wet nights, when the base
ment Fairgrounds are used, the doors lead
ing to the roof are thrown open at o'clock
10 the waiting crowd Of children. few
later the band begins to play a
patriotic air and the evenings fun is on.
For three hours II lasts. At 10 o'clock
the capt. ain of the roof blows a whistle
It is the signal TO line up.
In long columns of twos reaching away
around The roof that of the boys extending
rom one door and the girls from the other.
he children form for the march.
The whistle blows again The doors are
wlng open, the band strikes up America
md the girls line begins TO move, each
member OF 1t singing shrilly and many
waving handkerchiefs.
1t is a thin, wa~ering line, but very long.
around at the other side Of the big roof you
an see little girls pour forth from behind
wall. as if they would never stop coming
Half an hour has passed and THE Star
'pangled Banner" My Country. It's Of
'hee," when Johnnie Comes Marching
lone" and other songs have been sung
,efore the last of the children have called
ut Goodnight, teacher and have gon"
With echoing footsteps down the stone stairs
The only lingerers are a wistful little
.irl and her baby brother, whom she 's
lutchng by the hand.
Teacher, can't stay up there little
onger9 It's awful hot where We live,