The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-26
MERIT BOROUGH, SCHOOL no.
>ELT-GOI ERNNENT WORkS WELL
HITH Young EAST SIDERS.
Health Department Keeps watch AZ the
Door for Dirty Faces. Police Seize
the Offenders. courts Try Them. Loss Of
franchise the Doom Of Inc Guilty.

order over on the East Side at Public School
40. Broome and Cannon streets. The
borough has a charter which is based on
,gc Golden Rule and the charter of tho
city, and it has a full set Of officials all Of its
pwn, Mayor, Corporation Counsel, Board
Of Aldermen, Judges and all the rest.
The mother of the borough is the prin-
crpal. Miss Adeline +. Simpson, who com
rlctely o~vershadows Martha Washington
IN the affections and imagination of the
small citizens. They know Mrs. Washing
ION from the steel engraving over the
feacher's desk as a stout old lady with a
rather severe face who looked "a If she
would as soon spank as take tea. Miss
simpson, who helped organize the new
borough. is the real thing, they found out
and the school celebrates her birthday
dong with that of the first president.
II used to be that School 10 was like the
others on the East Side. Ii had its share
a. boys and girls that played truant, came
o school with dirty faces and sadly soiled
ands. blew paper wads at the white CELL
lrg, made faces at their teachers when
the teachers backs we're turned and other
wise behaved sinfully. There were times.
too when the teachers were hard put TO it
not 10 give a real old fashioned spanking,
but the organization of the borough has
changed all that. IL has made School 40
n model and letters are being received by
Miss Simpson from other principals in this
city and from other parts OF the country
asking how to start a similar borough.
She hopes that in time every public school
in New York will organize itself into a
torouGh, and that the various borough his
may be combined into a greater sch DOL
city, SO that the rewards offered to good
children will be proportionately higher
and better worth striving for. Attempts
are being made TO interest the Board OF
Education itself in the plan.
Miss Simpson found that it was hard to
interest pupils in civil government or to
put in them "A working knowledge of Just
what government is and how government
is accomplished. She hit on the plan of
organizing the children into a city OF their
own. and the plan ven from the start.
When the children found that they would
havea chance to govern themselves in almost
everything, make their own laws, punish
the sinners and reward the we'll behaved
they took a direct interest in problems
Of civil government.
The first election of the Borough of Good
Children was held the other day, exactly
according to, the election Law for grown
ups. 1t was holly contested. and Lee
hosower, whose years are less than IL,
was chosen mayor (the borough boasts
a mayor, not a mere president) by a small
majority. Three judges, Jacob Jacob
wits, Benjamin Schatz and Lillian Gardner
we're elected, as well as a corporation coun-
sci and District attorney, Eddie Spanier.
The board OF aldermen was regularly
chosen, two representatives from every
class.
Mayor Kosower took two or three days
for reflection and then selected a police
commissioner who was known for his
probity and abhorrence of graft, julius
kopsky. Joe Kissane, who never went TO
school without washing his face and hands
and who had two points lead over all for
general neatness. got the job Of health
commissioner. The principle of woman
suffrage was approved by making Louisa
Levy court secretary and Bessie Magid
oouTt clerk. The term of Office is one-half
Of the school term, SO that elections will be
frequent and everybody will have a chance
D. get in Office.
The duties OF the police commissio ner
and health commissioner are important.
Every morning Health Commissioner His
zane and a force OF inspectors, Hyman
Rlankenstein, Able Wenderoth, Emanuel
LIGHT, Philip Finkelstein and Yetta Gold
berg take their stand at the main entrance
ana look over the incoming CnlIOTen WIN
sharp eyes. The police commissioner. witt
u squad of cops attached To his department
hy the order of Mayor Kosower. waits in the
lall ready TO make a pinch.
The little boy or. girl il in hard luck who
goes in with a'dirty face or grimy fingers
combed properly. clothes neat. with a neces-
rarv allowance of buttons (pins don't go
with the inspectors) and reasonably clean.
It the children pass the inspectors in good
shape, all right; hut II one OF them has 80
much as a smeary face the inspectors call
a cop and the unlucky youngster il promptly
oollared. When the guilty have been nailed
court is held.
The Judges take their places with dignity.
SummOnses for witnesses are made out by
Court Clerk Bessie Magid and served by q
court cop. Eddie Spanier prosecutes, and
the defendants are represented, II they
phad not guilty, by volunteer attorneys;
II guilt is proved sentence is passed and
punishment made, usually dlsenfranchlse-
irPnt for a specified time.
The police department keeps watch in
class hours for noise and disorder. and the
Commissioner IL held responsible by the
mayor for strict performance of duty. II n
mp to the commissioner also 10 apprehend
truants and bring them into the borough
court for trial and punishment. Miss
Simpson has found that hardness ano
truancy have been reduced greatly:
II isn't everybody that gets citizenship
~ the borough. Examinations for ad-
mission are held IN the third school Friday
uf every school month under the direction
nf the principal or some teacher desig-
mated by her. School city representatives
vote on the admission Of candidates, read.
ing. writing and Interpretation OF the
borough charter being the principal ex-
animation requirements. All pupils from
Grade BB TO sB may become citizens, ano
any pupil from A 10 "a who has been rated
A in conduct and at least B in lessons anC
can pass a satisfactory examination car
get in.
The most important section Of the charter
reads this way: 1T shall be- the duty OF
all citizens to be courteous and kline 10 al
whom they may meet. and % avoid any
violation OF the avs or interference will
the rights of other citizens
Miss Simpson is delighted with the way
the borough plan il working. She saic
yesterday: -The citizens all manifest
spirit Of interest and responsibility which
IL quite unusual. There has been a YER
noticeable change in the school atmospher'
since the organization OF the school city
The children assemble alone, under tn
supervision Of their own officers. and main
tain wonderful discipline under their di