Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-10-25
FAVORS SCHOOLS
AS CIVIC CENTRES
"
DIR. Elliot Declares Saloons Are
Places of Tenement Social
Gatherings.
MEETING SHOULD BE HELD
UNDER PROPER AUSPICES
Public Welfare Committee
Meets to Discuss Ways of
Aiding Poor.

Taking as his topic THE Civic
Centre" DR.. John l.. Elliot, of New
York, in an address before the Public
Welfare Committee of Essex County
at the Second Presbyterian Church
last night, declared that the civic
centre in the large American cities
was the saloon, where the average
tenement dweller is driven for his
amusement and also the place where
matters pertaining to his needs and
wants are discussed. As a remedy he
suggested that the school buildings be
thrown open every evening for hold
Ing meetings where citizens OF a com
munity could discuss their local needs
under proper auspices.
Dr.. Elliot said that the schools
could also be used for amusement
purposes. Taking up the question of
tcnements, the speaker declared that
it has often beer said that the tene-
ments of New York city are the best
in fthe country; but. continued the
speaker, If these are best, God help
America"
The meeting, which was called for
the purpose of discussing the various
civic and moral needs of tho ON
munity, was presided over by former
Sheriff Frank II. Soinmer. chairman
of the committee. He introduced the
various speakers, all of whom spoke
On. Housing in City Planning"
John Ihlder, of New York, field sec
rotary of the National Housing As
ISOLATION, in speaking on the housing
problem In ''city planning said a
citizens organization should be
formed in all American cities for the
purpose of lettering the housing con-
ditions in the tenement house dis
tricts. The speaker said that the
tenement house sections should be
made wholesome and sanitary and
this could be accomplished by hav-
ing strict laws passed and also have
them enforced. The laws should
provide that every room in a tene-
ment house have the proper amount
Of light and air, sanitary plumbing
sfieHld be the best and each family
should have a certain amount of pri-
yacy, which they do not nave at the
present time in many tenementss in
large American cities.
DIR. julius Levy, of this city, a
member of the, Public Welfare Com
mfttee. spoke on The Baby" DR..
Levy said that infancy was the most
important period in a persons life
and schools should be established for
the educating of women for mother
hood and the proper meansanf bring
ing up the children who saregto be our
future men and DIR. Levy
said the present housing conditions
and women working in the shops and
factories were the chief causes of the
increased infant mortality. More
than 1000 infants die in Newark every
veal and this number could be
lessened considerably by having bet
ter housing conditions and by having
parks in the crowded tenement dis
triots. These parks would provide a
breathing place for the mothers liv-
Ing in overcrowded tenements.
Others who spoke were the Rev..
Pleasant Hunter; pastor of the Sec
ond Presbyterian Church; the Rev.
John J.. Moment, pastor of the High
street Presbyterian Church; Nathan
Kussy, Mrs. f.. G, Jacobson, and
others. ....