The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-11-28
THE GREAT UPLIFT -:-
V.-Schools as Social Centers
By Frederic J. Haakin.

for them. Even these are sometimes too crowded snd many prefer to go to the schools where there are superyi- sors to see that justice even in play is meted out to all, and where there are people ready and willing to devise for them new and wonderful games
 Most pathetic of the players who come to, the centers are the little mothers" the older sisters of big fam- flies who must care for the smaller ones, and who in their busy little world have never found time to even learn how to play. Nineteen play grounds are set aside for these little mothers" and their charges. Ham, mocIxs were swung for the babies. the sand piles and the little mothers" heretofore too tired and busy to enter the land of make believe" have been given some of the childhood privileges denied them. Through these girls the Department of Education is beginning btR uplift work that reaches into the tenement home life. For in addi- tion to their. playtime they are given 6 study period and are taught the of their young charges. are fought simple housewifery arts and the prin- ciples of home-making. Being more adaptable and quicker to take s1EGess .tions than their mothers hey have been willing help in Improving living conditions in a number of homes.
 On the roofs of the more modern school buildings are playgrounds. Last summer these were open every even- ing from 7:s0 to 10 o'clock. and boys or girls who had been busy all day in factory. store. or sweat-shop, gath cred there and spent the evening un- der the stars. high above the dust oa the street, away from the wearying cares of their everyday life. They heard good band concerts, or danced or sang in. choruses under. good tn- structors. The cost of the music tor these places last summer was S20.0ee and the public baths connected with the pIaygrounds cost $10.000 more. But when 1t is remembered that these piaceB drew young people who would otherwise have been in unhealthful homes. on the streets. or possibly, in low resorts because there was nowhere else to 20. the expenditure has already mors than repaid itself in the good that if has done.
 Think of working all day in reek- ing rooms with little light and less air, in the districts where, despite -tene- ment reform. there are still 30O,O0o in- side bedrooms in which people often work day and night under unsanitaTy COnulgiOnB. Inluk or naNiuB uOWhSs p to go when evening comes but to this same room, now reelSing with the smell of food as well as of the sweat shop work. and then think what a tod-sen the roof piaygroupds and the recreation centers are to these boys and girls. these men and wo- men.
 There are circulating libraries in connection with most of the school playgrounds and recreation centers |, Basket ball, baseball and quietgames, are taught. with kindergarten games for the ttniest fellows. Miss Evangel- inc whitney, superintendent of the va- cation schools and recreation eenters, has declared the s'cable which makes sure our anchorage has three equally firm strands--study, work and play. ' Through compulsory education study ts given t6 all children in New York of school age. Through adverse com 3ftious of society thousands becusne wage-earners very early. Now has come the Department of Education with the third strand, play. and in fha city's great task of saving citt-