Gloucester County Democrat., 1908-01-09
THE NEW SCHOOL HOUSE.

neer Carter's residence, is the place of all
places in Woodbury. on which to construct
the new Woodbury. high school, as viii be
seen by the proceedings of that body,
printed on another page.
None of the members Of that body has
oontended shat the lot is ideal either in To-
cation or extent.f for the purpose for which
it is to be put, but it is the only lot for
which Council would appropriate the funds
necessary TO proceed with the erection Of
the much needed school building. The fact
that one membersdesired to supplement-
the purchase by the purchase of adjoining
land, would indicate shat at least one mem
ber OF the majority believes that the lot is
inadequate to the purpose of the proposed
school structure, and as yet no member Of
the Board Of Education as has. denied the
accuracy or force of any of the arguments
made in opposition to the wisdom OF this
purchase. ~
On she face Of the transaction the entire
procedure bears the impress of combina-
tion and collusion one-q1arter of the
gross appropriation is TO be expended for a
small lot on the business street and close to
the business centre.
Such location will probably satisfy the
pride of some taxpayers whose principal
interest in this enterprise is one of local
pride and proft-who desire to be able to
readily direct attention of visitors to the
high school as monument of our devotion
to educational objects, and induce people
tosmake their homes here because of the ex-
cellence Of our schools.
In way, all this is laudable, even
right. We would not sacrifice one of these
considerations, but would make them the
least in consideration.
ne aconld build the school for the chill
drea.
No school authority now advises the con-
struction Of schools in business centres or
on business streets.
No school authority advises the construc-
tion of school houses on little lots where
children must be deprived of all oppor-
tunity for healthful exercise.
On the contrary all authorities unite in
advising that schools be not erected on
business streets in the business centre.
In almost any educational paper one may
pick up, will be found something like this
from a recent issue of the Educational
Journal Of Boston;
Superintendent W. F. Gordy, Of Spring
field, Mass. schools, says :-"Gennine
recreation comes from the freedom
and spontaneous movements of outdoor
sports. This means large Fairgrounds
and opportunity for their use, not
only as recess, but when the school is
not in session. The time will probably
come when our cities will be Obliged, for
the physical, the mental, and the moral
health of the community, to make special
provision not only for large Fairgrounds,
but for the most efficient teachers to take
charge of them and see that they are used
to the best advantage for free and organized
play"
Close the Manley lot, and where will
Woodbury. children go to throw, knock Or
kick ball, or run race? Very few OF our
children can belong to the Country Club
and enjoy its privileges; the ordinances of
the city forbid ball playing on the street.
What then is left for the children to do.
They may seek some secluded place like
Diokerson's woods, the railroad station,
or the club Fousss along the creek and
there smoke cigarettes and play crap.C@o
Right on this line we quote from the
Saturday Evening lost of December 14:-
The article is enlisted, Sin the Open,
Keeping Children OFF the Street." The
article is two columns long, and we can
quote only paragraph or two:-
sGiye the boys pace where they can
play ball without the necessity Of keeping
a lookout for the policeman, and you will
not find many Of them left around the cheap
amusement joints; give them good club
with gymnasium facilities under intelligent
and sympathetic supervision, and they will
speedily desert de gang of the street COR
ners and the alleys. This is not theory; it
is fact based on literal experience, not in
one city, but in sixteen, of which l speak
from personal knowledge; and, undoubted-
ly, there are more than twice as many
others of which I haYe no intimate knowl-
edge, where similar effort is being made
with like satisfactory results.
"The casual man or woman is apt to pass
this subject as one only for the Settlements
workers. or the church, or some other spe-
ciic and professional body that makes the
saving Of souls a business. And that is
where popular ignorance. nearly as lament
able as shat of my backwoods friend con-
cerning teeth, shows itself. This is a ques-
tion Of saving bodies, and, without pro-
Tossing TO theological erudition, or aspiring
10 deal out religious dogma, maintain
that the most direct route to saying the
soul is through first saving the body
cleansing il, making ii healthful and strong.
This is where the Fairgrounds comes in; do
you sec il?