The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1906-05-14

Dfary is 10 De rendered properly erect
i've. We trust that Mr.. Dana will in
struct us so definitely as to what has
! been worked out elsewhere that this
I crying need may be speedily met. If
after school hours one room in each
building could. also be equipped, under
the direction of the public library, as a
reading room with papers, magazines
and current books we would all begin
to realize that at least two millions of
our public money has been most profit
ably invested.
I am told that certain cities are con-
templating the erection Of neighborhood
guild houses for the use of their citi-
zens. New Haven is to be congratulate
ed at the prospect Of having soon such
a building through the intelligent gem
erosity of Professor Farnam. Already
all our municipalities seek, by public
parks, baths, libraries and schools, to
conserve the sanitary and intellectual
Well-being of their inhabitants. Shall
the social and moral interests be left
entirely to private charity and effort?
Man is a social animal. Moreover, he
is powerfully influenced by his environ
ment. If he cannot meet his friends in
places which are clean and wholesome
he will find them elsewhere. 1t is,
therefore, a most practical question as
to Wether or not our public school
buildings should also be guild houses.
| 1t IS perfectly obvious that nothing
should be allowed to interfere in the
slightest with their primary purpose,
which is educational. But accepting
this promise, fail to see why, under
suitable direction and restrictions, they
should not be utilized as meeting places
for social civic, labor and other legiti-
mate organizations. We are glad that
in dealing with this and kindred sub
jects we shall have in our school COM
mittee the practical counsels of Mr.. E.
L. Warden, presidents Of the Trades
council.
Proper amusement Is as necessary for
mans normal development as education
and religion. The value Of the admir-
able training given in our public schools
is constantly being minimized by the
influences to which the children are ex-
posed out of school hours. At present
we are dealing with only one side of
their development. In many parts of
the city tho street corner, the saloon,
the dance hall and kindred educational
institutions are doing the rest. Recre-
alton and moral character are closely
related. If one is of a low type the
other Is almost sure to be the same.
The practical conclusion is obvious.
One of the surest and most effective
ways Of raising the morality Of the
community Is by providing proper
amusements. If it is practicable to
utilize the school buildings for this end
their efficiency would not only be dou-
bled, but trebled. The problems of
method must be solved gradually as the
4 result Of our combined thinking and ex-
perience. Every boy and girl likes to
belong to club, and most young people
thoroughly enjoy music and the theater.
If they can themselves have share in
the singing and acting their pleasure Is
multiplied MANIFOLD. The Dennison
house in Boston is superb illustration
of the dramatic talents of newsboys.
The first need is a place of meeting.
Leaders, plans and organization will
follow. If certain rooms in each school
could be made available for neighbor-
| hood receptions, amateur theatrlcals
musical entertainments and dancing,
in which old and young could partici-
pate, we are convinced that some of the
social problems now looming so large
would solve themselves.
Most commendable is the movement
in many cities to provide for the school
children physical as well as mental
training. If the aim Of our public
schools is to make good citizens tho
wisdom Of the policy is beyond dispute,
At the same relative age our eastern
children are mentally far more advance
ed than those, for example, of the Pa
cific coast, but their children there have
strong, well-developed bodies, Unfor-
tunately that is not always the rule
here in New England. 1t is all too APP
parent that in our eastern cities ro-
bustly we'll and physically all-round
developed man or woman is the marked
exception. Our climate, our more siren
uous educational methods and our more
crowded life make the need for thor
ough physical culture supremely imper-
alive.
These considerations suggest our last
recommendation. IT is that in erecting
our future school buildings we recog-
nize that they conserve the most vital
and sacred interests of our civic life.
They should be laboratories, thorough
ly equipped to turn out citizens, strong
in body and character as well as in
mind.
This larger and yet more practical
ideal calls, among other things, for
common assembly halls in each school
building. With only one or two excep-
lions the present structures consist sim
ply of recitation rooms, with connecting
Railways. Here the needs of the school
as well as of the community emphasize
the demand for large common nall in
each building. In this connection DR..
Maxwell's practical suggestion that our
school rooms be equipped in the future
with movable desks is we'll worthy of
careful consideration and is indispen-
sable if our school buildings are to be
utilized for social purposes.
Already baths with a matron in
charge have been provided in one or
two of our schools. The results have
demonstrated their value so conclusive
| ly that there can be no Questioning of
the wisdom of adding others as RAPIDLY