New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-03
APPEAL FRCM EAST SIDE.
TO PETITION MCCLELLAN.
Recreation Centres SaCed Young
from Dance Halls.

II The recreation centres are closed. the Board
or Education has decreed. TIE thousands Of chill
oren who go 10 them viii be thrown into the
streets. What this for the girls OF the lower
East Side. with tie Eovery dance halls bec1on-
irg 20 Them, Is almost as horrible return TO
TIE conditions OF the red light" disirict-condi-
lions which mis- exodus would help to establish
again For the boys it wou!d 6e bad
though they would ne exposed TO the evil infiu-
eaces OF street corner loafers and the saloons.
which they now escape in the clean interest and
the study OF the recreation centres.
The declaration that the Board Of Education
could not keep these centres open any longer came
like a blow TO the children who have enjoyed
them 10 the fun for the last year or two the
parents. who just beginning TO understand
tie good they diG. and the teachers who labor
there under conditions little understood by the
public. The children are sorely Grieved. From
School no. IL. centre Tor girls there are being
circulated petitions, signed by the children and
their parents. which via be taken Mayor Nc
Hlellan tomorrow morning by delegation OF the
children, who wiz tell him Just what the centre
meai.s them.
There tvver.ty-tl.ree OF these recreation cen
tres situated in the crowded sections of this
borough and Brooklyn. Save two, they are
open from 10 10 p. each evening. except Sun
days and important holidays. The attendance
varies, but the average total for night is 7.Oo1
They cost the city about $4,000 year. Each CEN
tire has well equipped gymnasium, admission 10
which is conditional on belonging of several
literary clubs at the centre. There are games and
magazines, weekly and monthly. There
potent Instructors FOR the gymnasium work. while
in some Of The centres rather ambitious reading
study courses have been laid out.
In Public School No. H. when a Tribune
porter visited It on Wednesday night there was a
Christmas entertainment. given by the pupils; or.
rather, the Glee Club The teachers and Miss Nc
Bride the principal. supervised the affair which
included little play, music and gyHnastio drill,
besides class dancing. There were two hundred
or three hundred girls there, from little tots TO
well grown girls OF seventeen who work IN shops
during the day. The interest taken in every
tail by them remarkable. II was them
thoroughly enjoyable social affair. pleasure 70
which they had been looking forward for weeks
When a committee for the pupils gave the teachers
some flowers and thanked them for the great in-
terest they had shown. IL a personal tribute
from every child there, given gladly. the teach
ers had given their work TO the children.
We've worked hard with them" said Miss Nc
Bride. I'VE found 1t hard TO get in touch with
the mothers IN this district, but finally
aged fl by buying magic lantern and giving
hbitions. The teachers hero gave that. well
the decorations for the room here-the clubroom
and the pictures The children are in love with
the system and think that they leave their
study and games their gymnasium work and dane
ing, is grieg1ng them deeply. 1t much
70 them, and so much TO US. who interested IN
them. The difference I can see between these girls
now and they came to couple OF years
IS wonderful.
They clean now; they take an interest in
good things and healthy things; they are learning
20 think and live sanely. IL this school is closed
there is place for them but the streets. They
cannot afford 10 Join many Of the Jewish institu-
tions although few Of the older girls who work
might get the money. Then this is different. any
how. for the parents have the greatest respect for
anything with the government sanction whereas
they suspicious Of the settlements and social
work affairs, because they fear religious influence
II hard that all the work We have done must
20 for nothing"
In Public School No. J. at No. g Henry-st for
boys. there lively game of basketball. That
sport is the chief amusement there. Mr. Foster,
the principal. says that the boys would play all
might There is good gymnasium however. with
dumbbelis and Indian clubs. parallel bars and
rings. ladders and bucks. They have competitive
drills and basketball tournaments. There is an
average attendance Of eighty. of boys from four
teen TO young men, They are Irish, Hebrew and
Italian. They keen for the athletic work but
l. also like The games the debating club and the
reading clubs. Checkers is popular. and there
frequent match games. Chess tournaments are
held, too, although they SO popular Ana
grams and other simple card games are there for
The younger ones wiki teacher in attendance 10
him they would do almost anything TO retain the
centre, and were talking Of sending petitions TO
In majority Of the centres petitions have been
the district leaders aldermen Cougressrnen and
other government officials.
ne streets are bad around here" said young
woman IN an upper East Side centre. When this
pace Is Closed many OF the girls and young
men Will back walking aoout at night and
that viii do them no good. Here everything is
eleVating.' -
o Rssises r Joined s46i in S another we're al
afford 10 pay for the gymnasium and dancing
lessons we get here. 10 say nothing of the pleasure
we cerlVe from the literary and reading clubs
KNOW lots OF fellows, who used 10 be pick
pockets, who come down here and keep off the
centre - 0'N
4 think that the boys of every centre should
write The district leaders. don't you2' asked an
other. We've written TO our leader and he has
promised 10 help Us"
Yes; We ought TO petition Mayor Mcclellan
posed third. -
II seems 10 he generally overlooked by the edu-
Gators. as wei as by the Young people. who are
looking for aid 10 The incoming
that Nj. Grout. in his stand the cut in the
pGoget is acting as q prominent official the new
administration and Is Voclng Tammany senti-
rnents in maintaining that the Board OF Education
has now All The money IL rir.nns