Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-01-24

for a gymnasium. When considering
the future usefulness of the old bath
houses, the possibility of using the
spaces formerly used for the pool as
o small gymnasium, should be con-
sidered. The relative merit of the
swimming pool and shower bath type
of public baths is under considerable
discussion at the present time.
THE knowledge of swimming should
form an important part of every boys
and girls education. In order to
show how much swimming instruc-
ton is needed, a record of the swim
ners and non swimmers of the city
school children over ten years of age
is being made Returns from f1ve
schools give the following results;
School A reports that there are nine
ty-f1ve swimmers and 1,491 non-sw!m-
mers; School b reports 1lS swimmers
and 703 non swlmmers; School c re-
ports thirty nine swimmers and 5O4
non-swimmers; School D reports 1902
swimmers and 420 non-swimmers;
School e reports ia swimmers and
495 non-swimmers total of 46S swim
mers and 3,613 non-swimmers.
Replace Old Baths.
The report makes suggestions about
/ the treatment of old baths beginning
with the Walnut street bath. The old
| bath to be entirely replaced by
modern ones and the bath should be
made a part of every new recreation
building. Mr.. Mason points out that
there is a room in the basement of
the Montgomery street bath which
would lend itself admirably for
laundry purposes. This room should
be equipped with modern laundry
machinery, and the work done here
put on such a basis as to pay for it
self. The matter of providing facili
ties for family washing at the baths
should be more carefully considered
before final action is taken.
After speaking at some length on
the moral, physical and educational
aspects of the playground, Mr.. Mason
says of its financial support;
THE time has arrived when more
| financial support is absolutely essen
! tial in order to make progress pro-
portionate to the needs of the city
The system of playground and bath
administration has been arranged so
as to give the city the best kind of
recreation centres possible. Beyond
this little can be said; pleading for
support is unworthy of the cause and
should be unnecessary; these things
speak eloquently for themselves. The
coming generation cannot be neg
lected without serious danger to the
future of the city. In deciding tire
| future it is as important that the
child be well employed IN the So
called leisure hours as during school
and working hours. In short time
! the appropriations for the coming
year will be determined. We conf
IDENTIFY expect that every effort will
be made to supply funds sufficient to
carry out our plans. Every dollar in
vested in Fairgrounds and recreation
centres brings double returns to the
city In better trained boys and girls
| for future citizenship"
! The report also draws attention to
what may prove to be an important
matter to the Playground Commits
| sion, IL the bills for water consumed
| at four of the baths which the Board
of Works has sent in, are pushed for
| collection. These bills are for the
| four baths at Montgomery street,
| Morris avenue, Walnut street and
| Summer avenue. and total S95369, for
water used between July 81 and No
vember 29 1913. At that rate the cost
| OF water for four baths for the year
would be at least $1,000
, There is no special appropriation to
meet this expenditure, and the play
ground commissioners hope to be able
| to convince the Board of Works that
! the water SnOulu ne given llCc " liic
baths. Investigation OF this situation
revealed the fact that the Board Of
Works commissioners are considering
the relief of the Fairgrounds Com
mission OF fh3t charge. Action on 1t
NAV take place 81 the next meeting
of tbs latter beard to ne held next
| Thursday,
President Charles r. Kraemcr,. of
| the BoarG nj Works, says fatty that
he is In favor of making the water
! bills of the Fairgrounds Commission
a mere book charge, not to be collect
ed. The reason for installing water
meters in the baths was, he explains.
to discover where the city's water Is
going and to ket p check on any
possible waste. The meters will, in
any case. remain in the baths with
| the idea that they will lead to re-
duced use of water, something rem
dered necessary by the fact that the
daily consumption of water by New
ark is rapidly nearing the limits of
| the present supply.