Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-13
Use the SChOOIh0uSe.
Copyright. 1913. by Frank Crane.)
BY DIR. FRANK CRANE.

Copyright. 1913. by Frank Crane)
Thanks to Charles Ferguson for calling
attention recently to the need of using
the public schools as social centers.
Little by little democracy is waking to
see and to use it's opportunities One of
the greatest of these is the schoolhouse,
closed a good part of the day. Open it
and let the people use it.
On certain church. SO goes the story.
over the front doors was carved the text,
This is none other than the house of
God and the gate of heaven Most of
the week those doors were locked and
placard hung upon them. Go around to
the back door"
bad as the unused schooihouse. Gov.
Wilson realized it's true nature when he
asked the legislature of New Jersey to
pass a law requiring all school boards to
open the school buildings for social and
public purposes on proper demand of re-
sponsible citizens
In Wisconsin, 1 quote Mr.. Ferguson,
ANY local organization of citizens that is
neither partisan, Sectarian nor exclusive
CANDY right Of citizenship and not by
grace of school board-make social and
public use of school building. The law
of the state makes the cost of light, heat
and janitor service a charge not upon the
particular organization, but upon the
community
There are four purposes to which every
schoolhouse might be used for the bene-
fit OF the people. of afternoons and even
ings-music, the theater. dancing and
reading, including the library and read
ing room.
Before this can be done we shall have
to grasp the idea that it is the duty of
democracy to look after amusements as
a means of culture and a function of
self-government, and to see that amuse-
NOR fc how HZcl to do ho lie
of the people.
First. music.-There is no handmade to
democracy so fair and helpful as this.
Organize orchestras, choruses and choirs.
Give every person. young and Old a
chance to join these groups. Encourage
group singing and playing. Many boy
and girl could be saved from the vices
and moral LESSONS of idleness by the at
traction of self-expression in music The
beauty Of music is that it is fun as we'll
as culture.
The theater. = Recognize the immense
educational force in acting. Young peo
pie love it. Playing a part is the first
thing the human creature takes to, with
the dawn of consciousness: the little girl
plays mamma. the boy plays Indian or
pirate Form stock companies of our
own people and produce plays constantly
in the schoolhouse. Who can estimate the
good that would result in supplying this
educative outlet for the supernuous en-
ergy of youth? Let us get over the no.
ton that the theater is an expensive
amusement. and understand that it may
be made part of lifes curriculum.
Dancing.-Youth always has danced, al
ways will dance. Provide place in the
city's house where boys and girls can en-
joy this natural and healthful exercise
under proper environment. The way to
drive the cheap and low dance hall out of
business is to furnish the right kind of
dance hall. Why ask millionaires to do
this for US? Why not do it for our
selves?
The library and reading room for adults
should form an integral part of the school
system. A comfortable place where any
man or woman can spend a leisure hour
with good book would be of how much
moral value.
One thing we might do right now, is
to provide cinematograph in the
schoolhouse. Nothing ever devised so
combines amusement and instruction as
the moving picture show. Why cannot
the people take it over?
The schoolhouse is the one institution
wherein the people realize themselves as
a unit. bound together not by sect clan,
class or creed. but simply by the supreme
fact that they are all human beings.
The schoolhOuse is the nest egg of mill
lennial democracy.