The morning journal-courier., 1908-05-08
CHILDREN'S RIGHTS
A Mother Speaks Enthusiasti- Cally in Favor of Roller
 Skating,
AN INNOCENT AMUSEMENT
should Not hy Any Means Be Pro hibitcd--Ilcailh-G Giving
 Play.
mo following is solf-explanatory

inc lpUpNlng lS SSell-eNplandtpTy
 New Haven Conn May G. 1908, Editor of The Journal Courier;
 am sure that there are many fath- CTS and mothers in our city this morn Ing who like myself, want to thank /. you' personally for your words in be- half ol the rights of our children on the roller skating question, What more Innocent ana healthy exercise for our children can be found than roller skat- Ing? What moro delightful music than the happy voices of these same chil- dren? What ovelIer sight than that of seeing them glide along, with rosy checks, and bright eyes sparkling with pleasure, hair blown by the wind, and set off by the pretty costumes which each mother provides with such care? Who but some invalid or diseased per son with a warped mind, could be any thing but glad to sec them enjoying themselves so heartily? Are they noisy sometimes? Certainly Filling thelr lungs with Gods blessed air. Shouting for pure joy. Is t not good to hear them? Does it not often bring back n smile to many weary care-worn man or woman who has seen so much sor- row that the time when they were carc-free seems 50 far away that they have almost forgotten how to smile un- til they hear tho ripping laughter Of our boys and girls and the shouts of glee which recall to them some far away day of forgotten joy, when they, too, were happy, and they smile in sympathy.
 Those of us who have once known the joy of noisy house, merry with child ish voices and noisy play for a season, and then endured the agony of their sgoinc away from us forever and suf- fored the silence, tho painful silence In our homes, wlll certainly not be the ones to wish to prohibit the children left in our city from anything go health giving as roller skating.
 A city is a noisy place in many ways, but other things that make 1t noisy arc not prohibited, why should roller skating be prohibited? By such prohi- bition shall we force our children, the
 
 tions, Go seek other pleasures which arc harmful yes sinful but allowable because they can he done in secret and without noise? They must be busy they must and will seek pleasure of some kind. and if innocent amusements un- der the eyes Of their parents and the public arc denied them they will find less innocent diversion in less frc- quented places
 It seems to me very undesirable that our children be driven into our parks even. How much better 10 be near their own homes. under the watchful eyes of mother, with their own neigh borhood playmates.
 Much Is being said of late on the subject of small families, and com plaints that this generation is not do- ing as well as former generations in popuating the world In crowded cities with little or no backyards, If laws are made to keep the children off the side walks and to make no noise what ln- duccment do people have to make them want large families? Rather would we go without the pleasure of house full of merry children than 10 suffer them to come Into a world with such unlsnd laws for children
 Many mothers will say with me, let the children have q good time at any cost of our own comfort or pleasure. We are children but once, and the cares and burdens of life come all toe quickly. What seem like small self-de- nIals to us are mountains of sorrow to their little hearts, so do not deprive them of any innocent amusement, but especially such amusements which like roller skating will give them health e now and strong bodies for the future, as well as SO much pleasure O So much for the noisy part of 1t and the annoyance it may be to the growr T ups /"
 l. And now as 10 the danger side: wh, should the grown ups" have their fur O and pleasure yes, and the noise, too '- with the dangerous auto to the ex- [ clusion of our children's fun and pleas n ure and noise with the far less danger ous roller skate? If they cannot botl 'f be arranged for in our city, a thousand IS time over let the "grown-ups" lay asid, their fun for the sake of moi only tn, fun but the health of our children. II N some cities it seems to be found pos. N sIbe to endure both Visiting in bot Washington, D. C., and in New York
 found the children enjoying to the full |, their roller skates on tho paved streets as well as the sidewalks. = cannot feel that l am taking { II selfish view of this matter, for I hay, no small children now to partake fl this amusement, but l love the boy 10 and girls, bless them, and I want tt to see them happy, and their rights re IF spected, And they have rights, thes, children of our city and land,
 Let 1t be remembered what Chris said about offending one of these lit Id tle ones"
 ne \ MOTHER.