Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-29

diversion of traffic between the hours of
$50 and 80 O'Clock has also been pos
sible in some places where recognition
of the Importance of the matter has been
brought about. The keeping of the street
car tracks and cars in better order Is an
other possible preventive measure. The
greasing of the curves near the school
houses lessons the noise materially and is
being rigidly enforced in a number OF
places including several rural or Suour-
ban localities. The starting of a car
from the barn with pounding fiat wheel
can be made punishable offense for the
company owning it The useless clang-
ing of the bells by the motorman can be
abolished.
The desirability of quiet zones around
schools. DR.. Nicholas Murray Butler
president of Columbia University, New
York, has Joined heartily in the move
ment not only for its general good effect,
but because he is daily brought to face
the need of some protection from the
noise surrounding the university. The
traffic along Amsterdam avenue, where
the institution is located, is conducted
with SO much noise that sometimes it is
necessary to close the windows of the
classrooms AS this is not crowded
business section, DR.. Butler is urging the
fact that much Of this noise could be
abated.
The public school physicians frequently
and other ailments due to the foul air
of the schoolrooms. The air is bad be-
cause the street noise makes it impossible
for any work to be carried on with the
windows raised. Consequently teachers
and children suffer from the hours spent
In unventilated rooms. In Kansas City
a school building is so located that its
windows are kept closed almost contin-
uaiiy. The health records of the school
were so noticeable that attention was
called to the matter. The only apparent
remedy is the quiet zone"
Where elevated roads pass Il school
building rigid laws should be enforced
compelling the use
Forced to Adopt of every possible
Sound Reducers. s seuha Ea aerue,ns
which have recently been conducted show
how much Improvement is possible by this
means in sections where the relocation
of the school building is out Of the
question. In Poughkeepsie school
building is located almost under a bridge.
The adoption of sound-reducing methods
upon the part of the railroad company
materially mitigated the nuise.
Since the suppression of unnecessary
noise Is largely a matter of education,
the aid of the school children can be
called into play for the general good of
the community. When they are once
made to realize how much they suffer
from the effect of noise nuisances at a
time during which they should have quiet
for study and instruction they are more
than willing to lend their aid toward pro-
tecting other people from a like affection.
In the public schools of a number Of
cities anti-noise brigades are being or
ganized by the school children. and their
effect goes far toward maintaining the
quiet of the community. The first of
these was organized In New York by
Mrs. Rice, who has been interchangeable in
her efforts for securing municipal quiet
She enlisted the active interest of the
late Mark Twain, who became the leader
of the anti-noise brigades of New York
His effective little talks to the children
upon the subject had u wide influence.
The anti-noise movement is being
strongly taken up by the leagues of good
citizenship wherever they exist. In a
Chicago public school an anti-noise meet
ing was recently held by the children