The sun., 1903-02-18
CALLS FOR CIVIC CENTRES.
UNIVERSITY SETTLEMENTS NEW
PLAN FORCITY DEAUTIFiING.
Put SCHOOLS, Small Parks. Libraries and
Rathhouses In Groups Thus May Coed
AREN'T ccture Provide an Oasis In
the Dtngy Dreariness ~ Tenements.

The Council Of the University Settle
ment Society at its monthly meeting, helt
at tho City Club last night. indorsed {
letter sent 10 Mayor Low yesterday b,
Robert Hunter, the Settlements heac
vorkAr. proposing the establishment oi
what are designated as civic centres.
meaning by this. attractive groupings oi
schools. baths, libraries and other public
buildings, inst cad Of building them sngly
wherever a site for each can he obtained
The letter said in part;
The bubble schools now being built IN New
Yovk oi,y are pe'haps the most beautiful p
this cGuntfy Despite this fact the schools
are crowded among Other buildings, in ne
not pes-ihie. in certain block, where there is
now a public school, or where new one Is soon
t. be to plan aiso 1"r paSf mSY bap
il one Of the new bathhouses should also
public buildings would add puch TO the
Eenmtv of 10 others. Later the city may
e.,ab p Pb synasa Sprs sn as rhw hnye .ns 6esn
park and ylayErounds ARE being cstab-
h'hcd Gan any one doubt that the.e three
buitine. gnd ine 9p"n Tir eNirdiiiie n,IG snsGIdG
whom Tepped toreiher DO mnch ,io TO-
beauty? ~, -
an..r an" !Hncn'aa from .cS H's pi.S % VIII our s,,s
ments schools, paths and Libraries distributed
beauty 10 mrossbie With all the money
spent, We have gg'ned htu' or nothing on
The hideors unin,srTnIiHd inc 81 d sr.y .,r.is sno
Let anv one who doubts this walk along
south sEeel 10 Catherine. and turn mi, mo
line Of lnusss and tsnement- "A he turns
TO his ri rhr le, him resist II he can, the ser Sc
OF refrcshm"nt whtcn comes e. ne iSoss 1'1
'' The SSr and the FIRE house; Nhich ! have
sirsndy zen how ps out n"S or poS.tle Il Is
FOR one b, ildng 10 te ealtifrl when stardinR
all ne amid h" Fast side ienen ents "a h
or GROUPED with other buildings harmonious
in dnsirn, would he bsaI'ifi !, but standing.
as they d., On street lin.d with fenem,nts.
had been ria cd adjoining the schools. in
conjunction With hefath house, and p0rLaps
on q opp6sits an open air pssygrognd o,
much to'he whole section 4 the dty
II is ,h,. ,ha, ye par,icnlarly wish to u, Srse
st thit uHe. We d nnder.iand c tina ina, plan plans
and II is to lie hored that il may do for New
York what q similar ,comnjisi;i,on ;, t. doins
forces, be;h public and priy,'e. which may
make Ter i'm proved muni"inal life and beauty.
This lnr7.er ideal may pcIhaps he delayed.
In districts where q school. playground and
bath are ~ Re estai iahed. oil these may be
combined into a group whi'h may come 10
be. n E The scheme is mpleted a really beau
tlful civic centre.
The Council also revived the movement
for small park in the crowded Eighth
Assembly district, which met an untimely
end under the last administration. A
committee was appointed TO see the Mayor
and Comptroller 10 urge such park. The
committee. whose members are stephen
H. DIN, William VI. Sloane. Seymour Crom-
well, j. G. Phelps Stokes and r. r. A.
Seligman will also talk over the -civic
centres plan with the Mayor and Comp
troller.
SDong resolutions opposing the bills TO
and ID the Tenement House law were
pasked