New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-04-07
Mayor Says Appropria-
ton for Public Entertain
ment Will Be Small.
WORK MUST BECOME
SELF-SUPPORTING
Board of Education Wants to
Increase Use of City'S
School Property.
Nv HENRIETTA RODM,N.

Inc future OF puDllC iNNiSe'i"" -"
New York was discussed yesterday by
the Mayor, the President OF the Board
of Education and others at the Wash
ington Irving High School.
"The Board of Estimate is in sym
pa.hy with the work of providing
wholesome recreation for the people OF
the city" said Mr. Mitchell, "but tell
you frankly that in fairness TO the
taxpayers we can't burden the budget
with a large appropriation for this
work.
at will have TO be made self-sup-
porting in the main, or it will have to
be curtailed. | hope that it may be
made self-supporting.
"Such appropriation as can be al
lowed with justice to the other activl-
ties of the city should be spent, !
think, rather to develop leadership and
to arouse local initiative than to fur
.nish detailed supervision
"If there are to be leaders" said
Mr. Churchill, sit is important that
they should conceal their leadership
and work with the people to get the
expression of their ideas, and not the
ideas of the leaders.
"What the people want is the oppor-
tunity TO express the energy left after
work. in that divine activity called
play. which we all want from childhood
to second childhood.
1--WE respond to gaycty and laughter
as we do tc sunlight and fresh air.
"They say the schools are worth
$4,000 900, and that they arc used
only 40 per cent of the time. We want
TO throw them open to the people and
have them used 90 per cent of the
time 100 per cent if it is possible.
"The young people may come to
dance and remain to debate. | have
gone to these community centres and
wished that could tango like Mayor.
Let the motto of these centre be
Welcome for All Let the city be kept
clean by daily bath of education by
, daily baptism"
In another public statement made
yesterday Mr.. Churchill said; THE boy
or girl educated to deal with the prob
lens of civics and hygiene all except
sex hygiene will be well fitted for cit
izenship."
Does the daily bath of education '-
the daily baptism"-lOse its whole
some power to cleanse when it touches
problems of sex? Or is no bath needed?
Or is Mr.. Churchill inconsistent?
That's very interesting scheme OF
THE Evening Mails" to have each
school run like miniature city.
The plan is not new one ana Il
has. | think, two very serious defects.
The first is that it is cumbersome. A
CITY Government is too complex an or
ganization for children run easily.
The second fault is graver. The plan
is artificial, and has to be imposed
upon the children.
The school is not city. 1t has not
tenement house problem, nor are
fire and streetcleaning among its most
vital problems.
The school is a community OF a
simpler type. and it can prepare for
citizenship most effectively, | believe,
by developing q democratic organlZa-
tion of its own.
Class clubs. school organizations OF
students and teachers, with responSi-
bility and authority to deal with their
own problems, are the best. prepare
tion for citizenship.
The good citizen Is, first OF all, the
man who can face reality honestly and
deal with it effectively. Pretending
that the school is a city and that its
problems are the city's problems Is not,
| think. valid method.
But | may be wrong.
MADAM: | shall be very grateful II
YOU will answer the inclosed questions.
/ went to the Boards Offices and met
such discourtesy on the part or one
prominent man and the clerk of an
other that I've almost declared ia
never 90 again. A. NJ a.
Bv the way, is discourtesy gross
misconduct" or isn't it? We await pa
tientlv the decision of the State Com
missioner of Education.
"Madam: ! hold that it is unfair 20
the citizens of this community for US
to demand half pay pensions. The
average citizen receives less than $500
a wear for his work, and no pension
when he is forced by old age to re-
tire.
81 am sick Of seeing my fellow citi-
zens at siXty-fve or seventy handing
out papers and trying to live on the
profits of penny sales.
1--WE teachers arc not a special kind
of flesh and blood.
I'VE have a right TO demand fair
treatment, and believe we have force
enough to get it; but let US remember
that we're not the only people to be
considered A TEACHER"
like your letter. 1t helps to save
my faith in the unselfshness of my
colleagues. Nearly every communica-
ton that have had from teachers in
the last two months has related, di-
rectly or indirectly, 10 their salaries.
CHINESE ENTERTAIN
Minister Gives Series in Honor