Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1909-05-07


De buds come poekin' round to see
who singing dat whisDerin' song.
ne wind says: "Hesh! Dis is only me,
An / don mean muffin wrong.
mus have care bout de noise l make,
m tell de arbutus it's time to wake;
I might rouse de roses by mistake
SO Use singing dat whtsperin song
Washington Star.
-o.+o-
The Girl and the Dance
A recently made comparison of data,
collected at different times and under
differing circumstances by settlement
workers, special amusement investigating
committees, social welfare leaders in
commercial houses, and other groups of
philanthropists, has shown, bcyond
peradyenture, that the girl of the people
insists upon dancing. In vain are read
ing rooms, and other wholesome but in
active diversions provided for her; she
Graves the athletic exercise and excite
ment offered by the dancing class and
the dancing hall, and she finds in them
the only opportunities for social life,
in the sense that other classes under
stand it, that a girl of the tenement and
cheap boarding house can attain. To
the shame of the great public, which
spends millions annually on trying to
reform the natives in foreign countries,
this very human desire for social enjoy
ment has been utterly ignored, even by
the settlements planted in Stun neighbor-
hoods for the express purpose of bring
ing light into the dark lives of the tene-
mpnt population, and now that it has
been brought to public notice through the
intelligent work of one woman, it is
fervently to be hoped that reform will
be forthcoming. With an irrepressible
longing for the music, the lights and
association with her fellows, after the
dull day of toll in the shop or factory,
and without supervision of any kind, IS
it unnatural that the girl over 16 should
90 to any dancing hall or class that
comes within her means? And if the
places happen to be bad for her-which
the majority, both of the summer and
winter variety are-is it not the COM
munity, rather than she herself, which
is to blame?
The children of Mammon have been
quick to perceive how this wholly natu-
raj desire on the part of young women
could be turned to financial account
the profits of scores of halls amounting
TO something like SO IS per cent.-and
vet while the girls have danced, and the
professors. so called, have raked in the
shekels, the foreign and domestic mis-
si0nary societies, the settlements, the
EpwoTth leagues and the Kings Daugh-
tiers have gone by on the other side,
without so much as taking the trouble
to inquire what the underworld girl does
with her leisure time.
The problem of the dance hall, and
what it stands for as a social factor, is
one that is present in every community
where there is a Stun population and
an influx of girl labor, but especially is
it a matter of supreme moment in cities
such as New York, where it is roughly
tod 4ho% oh Of fba
girl residents are not natives, and, there
fore. have not even the often inadequate
protection of the poor home.
One means of lettering the situation
projected here is to establish a number
of decent dance halls, and to arouse pub
lie opinion to correct by legislation such
evils as liquor selling and Objectionable
dancing but the first great need is
Widespread realization that the working
girl requires a social life of the same
kind that girls of other classes enjoy,
and not one that is dominated by reli-
gious aSsocia tons and settlements no.
tons of what her recreation should be-
The girl of the wealthy classes, who has
oyer-abundant opportunities for what is
craved by all normal girls, ike her poor
er sister. would decline the reading
rooms and the stupid games, if any at
Tempt We're made to contine her to such
forms of entertainment, and the poor
girls attitude is none the less reason
able.
Since parents who find it difficult make
both ends meet cannot give their daugh-
tiers the social life they should have, the
community, either by public officers or
through the services of philanthropic
groups. should realize that girls must
nave amusement and help them to OBJ
tam it in innocent forms. Certainly this
IS matter of more supreme moment
than trying to make Methodists out of
Chinamen.-Vogue.