Arizona republican., 1914-11-23
CURING CITIES
Chicago Herald)

Springfield is taking treatment. Perhaps that isn't quite accurate Springfield is having dag- nosis made with view possible treatment. When the nature of it's malady is known and the has been measured, the capital of this may decide to suffer the remedies but these the future
 Last spring investigators invited to cast critical eyes about the city of Lincoln and make a report of their findings The experts sup piled by the Russell Sage Foundation. and under the direction of Shelby M Harrison and E. G. Rout- zahn they hurried to their task. The sections which have been recently reported have do with ation.
 What the experts say about Springfield applies with force to Chicago Recreation there and here and everywhere is good and bad. It is in part bad for the same reason that much of modern industry is evil Recreation is largely commercial Anything commercial looks more for profits than for human welfare. At least the emphasis is put prifts In contrast, Springfield and Chicago communities, much more interested in he wholesome devel- opment of all the people than they are in profits, and the diagnosis of the experts may lead better things
 Springfield, like Chicago is beginning open the schools to the people. Once every nine ten weeks school building is used for recreatona pur poses. That is start, but it is only start, the experts show. Compared with other cities which have paid real attention to the matter. Springfield is derelict Allentown. Pa, for example. city of the size. has two school centers which open three nights week during the winter. Duluth, Superior Wis and number of other cities have . school centers which open from one to four nights a week.
 These cities are clearly doing something structive about recreation. Presumably they plying wholesome opportunities to the children and the men and women who live near the school houses. Such is infinitely wiser than mere ly forbiddng bad dance halls prurient moving pictures. The Russell Sage experts that all the schoolhouses in Springfield be opened twice week and that voluntary associations be organized to develop the best the buildings Such d course would be extremely beneficial in Chicago. People in every part of the city are willing and anxious obtain the opportunities which the school buildings would. offer.
 The experts urge that the school principals be encouraged become acquainted with the people of their neghborhoods and thar they enlist tte help various groups in making the schoohouses profit able Through the neghborhood associations mo- ton picture could given clubs of all sorts, athletic, social, literary, musical could be tHmed Branch libraries could be established and dances could be given in the school buildings.
 One the valuable features of the work is investigation of what the high school students of Springfield actually regard amusing Parents and teachers and school boards and authorities gen. orally decide what boys and girls ought to like and proceed to plan in that fashion. The consequence is they seldom have the sympathy and the o-opera- of the children. The Springfield experts sum- marized their information in a manner which ought to Illuminating many communities.
 Some of the facts these: Practically all high school students attend the movies Eighty-six per the boys and s4 cent of the girls attend the theater. Forty to AS per cent of the boys and girls in the habit of dancing In more than half of the young peoples homes social gather ings are held. Practically all of the amuse- ments without the chaperonage of elders, and the dances held where the temptation to drink is strong The of present amusements strengthened obviously the recommendation that the school be opened for wider use.
 For a large part of the United States the church congregations the most clearly defined social groups. That the churches have responsibility connected with both commercial amusements and public recreation is the opinion of the experts. Bill liards illustration, is extremely desirable At he blllidrUS is afforded mainly in connection with the saloons
 The invitation to drink is demoraizing. Have the churches duty in this matter? Have the schools no duty? It is thing to close bad billiard halls. It is quite another to open heaithful ones The experts give the churches of Springfield credit for their efforts suppress evil Then prop erly they ask: Can't the churches go further and the leadership in bringing public opinion up to vision be made for properly equipped and super vised playgrounds athletic fields and recreation for the youth of the city?
 Milwaukee has been a pacemaker. The Wiscon sin city has placed twenty-five of the finest type pool billiard tables in it's school buildings. The Russell Sage experts point out that recreation IS of the compelling forces in the moral life of young people-and old, too, for that matter. The moral life is supposed to be the business of the churches.
 This Springfield report is type of the new effort. Reform has come to realize that the inst- tutons which additionally it has objected were responses sound human needs. The older idea awful examples It was Sodom and Gomorrah method Fear, albeit is not powerful enough and men and women are learning to look to their ideals for help. Of such a character is this survey from the Sage Foundation. Springfield may profitaby cept it's suggestions