The sun., 1908-12-13


the experiment. Of teaching children In the
open air striking results have been OBJ
tanned. and II Is expected that the Council
will extend the scheme to the schools In
the metropolis which are most suitably
situated. So far only q few hundred
children have been under treatnsnt.
whereas an official estimate shows that
about $1,000 Of the pupils attending tho
London elementary schools are unfit
for education under their present oondi-
tions and require open air treatment.
The experiment was started In q little
oopse near Wooiwich. where the Council
carried on an opsn air school for thirteen
weeks In the summer Of 1907 The season
was wet. but very good results were OBJ
tanned and the scheme was revived this
year on larger scale The schools have
been carried ON unntefruptedly this
year from June TO October
The pupils have been children from
neighboring elementary day schools who
were found to be 30 debilitated In health
that they failed to profit by the instruo-
ton they were receiving. Before admis-
sion to the open air school each child 10
medically examined. Many Of the chill
dren showed signs OF cardiac and other
diseases which accompany highly
anemio or nervous state of health. and all
but veryNfew we're strikingly III nour-
ished. These physical drawbacks have
been fought by food, fresh air, rest and
properly regulated exercise.
The children are on the premises from
4. M. till dark. and provision 10 made for
three good meals day. The cost Of this
food is roughly go cents week for each
child, and toward this each parent con-
tributes as far as able. the balancebeing de-
frayed by the voluntary funds controlled
by the Council.
The hours of formal instruction are
curtailed in favor Of nature study at first
hand, basket work, gardening and other
handicrafts. All the pupils are supplied
with blanket on which they can lie and
rest at midday. The Councils medical
men pay periodic visits and the children
are watched by trained nurse.
A study of the children shows that they
fall into three classes, those who at the end
Of the five months can safely return 10
ordinary conditions; those who by reason
Of bad homes or permanently enfeebled
health will quickly lose the ground that
they have gained unless on leaving the
open air school their feeding and supef-
vision. is continued; lastly, the children
who should be drafted to residential open
air sanitariums.
To solve the unemployment problem in
England the curious suggestion is made
to organize big scheme for the recovery
Of the treasure lost by the English King
John Lakeland Of Magma Chafta fame
in the Lincolnshire quicksands nearly
100 years ago. At recent meeting Of
the Society of Antiquaries at Cambridge
w. H. st. John Pope, vice-presidsnt Of
the Royal Archaeological Society, pre-
sented an exact reconstruction Of the
King Johns fateful journey. The three
most Trustworthy chroniclers Of the time
agree that the catastrophe took place in
the Well Stream, sea arm which con-
nected with the Wash, the bay which
separates Lincolnshire from Norfolk.
On October IL, 1919, King John, after,
raging furiously up and down England
in his interminable quarrels With his
barons, marched out Of Kings Lynn,
Norfolk, where the townsmen had pro-
pitiated him with rich gifts. Three or
four thousand knights and crossbowmen
were with him, also q long train Of wagons
and pack horses.
This baggage train was to take short
cut across the Well Stream. which was
fordable at low tide and provided path
five miles long over unstable sand to Long
Sutton, where John with his horsemen
would await its arrival. The convoy
had only got half way across when the
tide set in with unexampled fury and en-
quilted them all. man and beast.
What was quicksand in 1915 Is firm
ground in ieos. reclaimed by diking and
draining. In the wagons was the plum
der Of half a kingdom and the royal treas
ure Of king. 1t 10 certainly worth re-
covering.
How necessary il is to be cautious when
writing ones "reminiscences is shown by
a pretty little quarrel that has arisen
between Miss Ellen Terry and ]. II. Barnes,
the subjest matter in dispute being the
part Of Bdssdnio In The Merchant OF
Venice
In the story other life Miss Terry said that
during the many years she played Portid
she seldom found BassaRio to please
her. As for Mr.. Barnes acting Of the part,
she criticised, 1t as simply o2erwhelm-
ing in Its gentility. although .in the love
scenes he appeared to be taking orders
FOR furniture
Now this. was not likely to please Mr..
Barnes. But moro lay behind. Miss
Terry told Of joke she and her sister
Florence once played on this di gnifed
by substituting two almond
rings for the real rings.
mot so.' retorts Mr.. Barnes in the
Stage. Il was handed. not ring. nor an
almond ring. but a small India rubber bah
With hole, in it. and filed with water.
which before realized what it was had |
sjected considerable stream all down |
l very light gray silk costume, provided |
,y the management, compelling me to
,hange completely the rehearsed busi-
hess of the scene by playing the end OF
he piece with my back to the audience
Mr., Barnes oonfesses he was angry,
,ut does not say what the management
hought OF the injury to the gray silk
uit Of clothes.
The house where Benjamin Franklin
irst set up his lightning conductor at
'assy has been handed over to the
yreclr era for demolition IL bora n nIaoi1a Il