New-York tribune., 1906-07-01

whenever rubbish of any kind on Shs
floors or sidewalks must pick it up"
One OF the songs which the girls chose for
opening their meetings contained the following
refrain:
Don't forget there's cleaning in our own back
And the airzhaft needs us. too
+ OF great help to the men and women who
are directing the present children's crusade
against Glrt Is the example set In the summer
OK lSsS by the boys Of HelTs Kitchen. They
were organized by William Chauncey LangdOn.
az present secretary of the executive COMMITTEES
or the New York State Branch OF the American
National Red Cross. Funds for the work were
furnished by Miss CathariEe s LeveFich OF the
WOmen'S Municipal League. At the very start
OF the work Mr. aDp1oT Fo,,r5 fIot ~ ,o~TS
DO nothing unless he recognized the gGng sys-
TEN, on which the boy society OF the middle
that each street had its own gang which was
bitterly hostile 10 every other street gang The
only way he could get the boys to clean up
the streets. therefore. was TO so to each gang
separately. and appeal TO the pride OF that group
by saving that the gangs Of neghboring streets
had begun to clear away their garbage. old
cans and dead cats.
At the height OF the work Mr Langdon had
l+O0 children enrolled. living in fOrty-tWO
blocks, and all contained IN the territory
bounded by 16th and 39th streets Ninth avenue
and the North River. Headquarters were es-
taONshed in AID street. but il was a long time
before the JSd street gang would permit boys
from other streets to go into their bailiwick
without stih fight.
1t Is Mr. Langdon's belief-and IN this he IL
upheld by Dr. Luther Gulick. director OF physi-
cal training In the New York public schools
that street cleaning by children mishy well he
made a regular part OF the work o. the pubic
schools.
children from a certain defined part Of a
school district are assigned to the Same school
he said yesterday. let the principal and teach
ers. therefore create IN the children civic pride
for this area, teaching them TO regard q as
their municipal neishbOrhOOd. for which they
have a real civic responsibility IN an this
worS let The teachers recognze the boys au-
thOrity in his own street. and take seriously hts
position IN the boy world Not only VIII such
recognition help alcEG civic education. oitinG q
local application with the pupils but Il win
tone uP all the school wOrk. warming and vital
tZing the relations Cf the teachers with tho
pupils
IN the classroom teach first and keep prom
tnent what the boys and girls ID. EsNpI9iN
10 the children some simple regulation OF the
street Cleaning DepartEnc1t or the Beard 90
Health. On a later G9-- ict them bring into the
class. or by means OF their EnsiisA composition
work. reports Of the coalition OF thsir terri
tory or their own home or street In regard %
that regulation. Finally. third day. Tot
them report what thew have themselves done
70 iTRprOve things in this rcsOeCt
This universal irstlnet ef the live healthy
bow this territorial principle Underlyire the
gang Offers the solution for the chief defect GA
American citizenship. RecogusEe &C. G1vc The
gang principle a chance ~ 90 itS own snor-
famous work. and the Srf1fl WIZ Nnd o. fhe
wilo untamed tribes of the afternoon tho allies
needed % enable @ % tuvn cut % the suffrage
able sud worthy MeA-"