The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-09-24
WILL RESTRICT USE
OF FAIRGROUNDS
Board Says School Yards Are
for the Amusement of
School Children Only.

| lie Fairgrounds of school property and
| has agreed to assist in establishing
| such places of recreation
| mo action of the board in further
! ance of the project to create such new
| grounds must be construed as dedi-
! eating the school grounds to the gen.
eral public use"
This is the position of the board. as
declared at the meeting of yesterday
by President Holman and concurred i'll
by the other members. Supt. Smith
was instructed to prepare an amend
ment to the rules of the board. in
which principals and janitors of
schools will be instructed that the
school grounds are for the exclusive
use of children enrolled in the schools,
and that only on school days and dur
ing school hours.
This rule is the outcome of state
ments made by Supt Smith and
George GeTlach, superintendent of
buildings, which go 10 show that the
board, by its friendly attitude toward
the plans Of the Civic leageu has made
all sorts of trouble for the principals
and janitors in the exercise of their
control of school property.
Boys Make War on Janitor.
In explanation of the situation Mr..
Smith said:
I'm the course Of the past summer
there was considerable talk of public
Fairgrounds, and this board expressed
its sympathy with the plan and agreed
to furnish some assistance. In some
neighborhoods the children have gath
cred the impression that the school
grounds have been turned over as pub
lie parks and that they are privileged
to use them without restriction. This
misunderstanding has been the source
Of a great deal of trouble to our jan
itors, for when they try to drive chill
dren away from the school property
the children rebel and declare that
they have right there, as the grounds
are public.
This condition of affairs resulted IN
something very much like, an assault
upon the janitor of the Van Buren,
school last Saturday. Miss Hand.
principal of the school, has reported to
| me that she fears personal injury to
the janitor from the boys of the neigh
borhood. who have caused a great deal
of trouble since the opening of the
school and who deny the right of the
janitof to- order them away from the
school property. 1t is reported to me
that on Saturday when the janitor of
the van FBuren was set upon by the
boys. there were a policeman, a letter
carrier and some firemen looking on
and enjoying the janitor's discontinue.
~ encouraging the boys. This is mere
ly an example,; the same. state of af-
falrs is to be found at nearly all Of
the schools of the city, and something
must be done to correct the impression
that the board has given over the
school property to be used as public
parks
School Property Is Damaged.
Mr.. Gerlach stated also that the
impression seems to have gone out
generally that the grounds of the
schools have now become public NAV
grounds and open to the general pub
lie without restriction. He said that
the janitors Of all of the buildings have
mad trouble and that in the course of
the past summer thirty panes of win
dow glass were broken at the Van
buren, school. Between Saturday and
Monday last three panes were broken
| and the stones were found inside the
school on Monday morning He said
! that at the German the stone COPING
! OF the outside steps had been torn
| down from its place by boys, and the
use OF derrick would be required to
| put it back
Mr. Smith said that at the Frank
lin and Madison schools grass and
flowers had formerly been successfully
| cultivated, and the teachers, pupils
ana nelghbors were proud of the ap-
pearanee of the grounds, but now the
lawns have been trampled down.
Mr.. Holman, explaining the nasi
| ton Of the board, said:
certain persons have kindly and
generously interested themselves in
plans Tor general Fairgrounds, and we
nave agreed to assist them. We do
! favor Fairgrounds outside of school
property. and have directed the super-
lntendeht OF buildings to help with his
men TO put those places in condition.
but we have never turned over the
scnooi property for that purpose"
Mr.. Rogers called attention to a ras
olutlon OF the board of some months
ago, in which 1t was proclaimed that
the grounds of the schools were for the
use OF the children as Fairgrounds, and
should be SO used.
| Thls resolution was called forth bv a.
complaint from some Of the property
owners of the district of the Madison
School, who reported to the board that
the children of that school We're NOT
permitted to play in the school
grounds, and for that reason resorted
TO the Railways and staircases of
nelghboring buildings. much to the
annoyance of the occupants Of the
! buildings. The object of the hoard
was TO do away with that ANNOYANCE
ana the resolution had reference to
the school children only but Yesterday
! the members were inclined to believe
| that 1t might have had some infIu-
ehce In creating the false impression
| as to the public use Of school grounds.
Police Ignore Calls for Aid.
It was suggested that the police be
! asked to assist the janitors of the
schools in preventing the school prop
| erty from abuse: but Mr.. Smith and
Mr.. Gerlaeh both said that thew had
| repeatedly appealed to the police with
out any satisfactory results.
Mr.. Rogers thought that the iani-
| tors, who are special police. should be
able to protect the property, but Mr..
Smith observed that the special no.
/ lice powers OF the janitors had not
| the moral force of blueceats backed bv
clubs and revoivers, and the full in
Yestigatin Of the latter. even though
| the janitors might equip themselves
with all OF that physical force, includ
| Ing the revolvers. Mr.. Gerlach ex-
| planned that the janitors could not be
at the schools nights and Sundays
On motion of Mr.. Fisher, it was d.
rected that the chief of police be noti
he'd of the situation and requested to
issue the necessary orders to his men
/ as to the protection of school propertv.
Supt Smith was requested to Frame
an amendment TO the rules as above
stated.