The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-11-23
USE OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOL ROOMS
Further Plea in Behalf of the Boys of the
Street
Street.

practice, and no one wants them to be
so limited,
These suggested study. rooms and
recreation rooms would certainly
have a tendency Ito enlighten the I'M
derstanding, correct the temper, culti-
vate the taste, and form the manners
and habits of the boys and girls of
our city If this be so, why is not
this work within the province of our
Board of Education? Why cannot
school rooms be legally, properly, and
to advantage, used for these pur-
poses?
There can be no question that the
care of boys at night is, primarily, a
matter that should be looked after by
the parents, but what about the poor
boy whose parents neglect or, by rea-
son of circumstances over which they
have no control, cannot perform, this
duty? What about the poor boy who
has no parents? What about the poor
boy whose toiling father is so weigh
ed down by the burden of earning his
daily bread that he cannot afford these
comforts and advantages for his chill
dren though he would give his very
life blood to see his boy have these OPP
portunities? 1t is for these children
we are interested. 1t is for such chill
dren that free schools have been es-
tablished. 1t is for these children
that tax payers of this community
have willingly put thousands of dol
lars of their money into the public
school buildings of this city and an
nually contribute $l50.000 to education.
It is not for the children of the wealthy
that we are interested. They can af-
ford ito make the home attractive"
and provide the proper reading mater
ial and games" and the well-lighted
study rooms in their comfortable homes.
II WI a ~ fo Ar ,f
munity not wealthy? How about the
poor laborer or mechanic, the bone
and sinew of our city, who cannot
afford this reading material, these
games, or those well-lighted, comfor-
table, study rooms. They toll hour
after hour to earn the bare necessities
or life. They cannot give these things
to their children. Why cannot this
city, which is made chiefly by the re-
suits of their labor. permit the use
of school buildings for these estimable
| purposes? These purposes are distinct
| ly school purposes.
In my former communication. the
| clearly expressed intention was to pro-
vide adults to take charge of each
room, and, consequently. there would
be no more danger of defaced walls.
| injured desks. untidy rooms or other
things which would unit the rooms for
school purposes, than there is during
the day. An adult would be in charge
Of each room at night, just as teach
err is in charge of a room during the
day. The boy who caused damage
could be made to pay for it just as
easily as Is the day scholar.
Why should not boys come to these
places when they flock to similar ones
IN other cities? Why should a boy
who lives in "Yamacraw," or the odd
Fort or in "Collinsville" or the
/ N IL
| Y. M G. A. rooms or the Public Lii
brary, when the school buildings are.
respectively. within a stones throw of
their homes?
Why not try what has been success
full and OF great advantage, not only
In New York, but in many other
cities? Why condemn. before trial a
plan which has proven a good thing
| elsewhere? Remember, public educa-
ton is TO rear boys so that they may
become good citizens. Because for
| sooth, we may not need these things
In the way New York does, Is that any
reason why we should not try them
here for the purposes for which we
do need them? Why put aside a plan
unirled simply because II comes from
certain source2 What difference
does II make where a suggestion origin-
ates II u be good one2 What diff
ference does the motive make AZ the
plan suggested may be OF great bene-
fit2 Why should Savannah not be a
lender In education In rs broadest ana
highest acnse7
Who would be better men 10 inauRu-
rate and supervise this new and great
work than The Board Of Education of
this county composed. AZ n a. Of able
distinguished and philanthr0nic gentle
| men who have voluntarily accepted the
l sacred trust Of tho education Of the fl-