The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1912-10-17

people of Kenosha are interested. IT
letter follows:
The Answer.
l. "Why have the public play
grounds for children /been given
up in KenoshaF"
Public-spirited women planned and
organized the public play grounds in
Kenosha and for two seasons they
were operated in most successful
manner.
The third season it was necessary to
find new quarters for the play grounds,
and after futile search, which disclos-
ed only high rents and unsuitable
places, the mayor and council were pc
titioned to grant the use Of the West
Side Park, The petition was not
granted.
The women Of Kenosha are vitality
concerned with the welfare of chill dren
and the home; therefore, they or
ganized the Play Grounds Association.
The men of Kenosha are vitality con-
cerned with business; therefore, the
former mayor considered contract for
many and devious cement walks more
important than healthy children. Why
cement walks9 Maybe, little one, the
giants come down from the stars when
you are asleep and play parchesi on
them.
A man-and-women elected mayor and
council will consider it their duty not
only to look after the. business inter
ests of the city, but would actively as
sist in promoting the welfare of the
cities children. When women s votes
are counted they viii no longer petit
tion for city lot for public play
grounds-they will demand it.
2. care there not enough
young mothers interested to in
vestigate the desirability of one
session in school for pupils under
ten years of age9"< =
Fifty per cent Of all school children
in this country leave school after COM
pleting the fifth grade. If psycholo.
gists are right in saying that the
years Of greatest receptivity are from
one to ten years, would it be fair to
cut in two the five and one-half hour
session OF those children who must
leave as soon as they have finished
the fifth grade9
Low wages and the large percentage
of unamericanized foreigners are re-
sponsible for unfavorable home con
ditions. And so as never before,
the public schools are exercising many
of the functions which were claim.
ed by the home id an earlier day
The tendency, at present, voiced by
educational leaders is for al extension
of the school session and for con.
tinuous school year. The summer va.
cation originated when we were an es
sentially rural people
Professor Ross, of the University of
Wisconsin, in speaking of the need OF
the city child for supervision during
the summer months, ironically added
that every spring three hundred thous
and (900,000) school children were
turned into the streets of Chicago t.
bag potatoes.
8, "Could not the women of
Kenosha band together and build
a club house, where various lines
of work, literary, mothers meet
ings, lessons in domestic economy
to young housekeepers and poor
people and all the great and noble
things that women can do could be
carried out?"
Let us use the facilities which i
already have for these purposes
public school building as social
ter is the proper place for commu
activities. Household economy is be
ing taught in the high school and viii
soon be introduced into the sixth
seventh and eighth grades This is
the legitimate way in which young
women should be instructed in this
fundamental science of the home.
The so-called "poor people" do mol
want charity. They merely want the
just returns of democracy. e., q
public school system which prepares
them and their children for the work
Of the world.
''The great and noble things which
women can do" and have done are
things relating to human welfare. The
first free kindergarten in Chicago wa,
organized and financed by the Chicago
Women's Club in 1867. In 1892 it wa
taken over by the board of education
and it became public. civic, collectiye