The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-06-27
Boys and girls work in carpentry class
Almost Incredible Results Obtained in Classes That Last
Twelve Hours a Day, Six Days in the Week, and in
Which Work and Play Are Scientifically Mingled

were taught domestic science and
then in turn helped to teach It. There
were lunches FOR five. ten and fifteen
cents OF soups, salads and meats. All
OF these they cooked themselves.
There We're the penny lunches for
the poorer children. Everything cost
a penny-soup a penny. salad a penny,
FISH a penny. The deficiency was made
up in the sun total by all the others
who could afford paying five, ten and
fifteen cents for lunch.
Here again was n doubtful thought.
Would there not be feeling OF an en-
vious kline or a slightly superior kind
on the parts Of the poorer or moro
favored children? My companion was
ready with her ever cheerful answers:
mo. there's not a hit Of feeling
she assured me. You see they feel
they belong to the penny lunch class
and that II Is what they are supposed
10 pay. They do not feel any envy
because they belong to the penny class
any more than they would II they were
In the sixth grade instead of the
eighth. They Just feel It Is what they
ought TO pay"
~ 90 q 'AAV bhN I bthi u hplbI
70 remain in my mind. she pulled me
along, and said;
Come and see for yourself. The
penny lunch children are Just going
TO begin their soup
And then upon seeing hem all
doubts vanished. II certainly was
TRANCE. l couldn't account for such
an attitude, II seemed too ideal.
PIT, fhp-o yt - hnsn,,
My companion saw that | felt con-
vlrced. SO hurried me of 10 the dam
cling classes and the gymnasium work.
There the happy faces, the radiant
smiles seemed testimonials OF the
school. For 20 be happy and 70 make
others happy-!t IS obviously true that
that at least tends to make these chill
dren better men and women.
After the school hours | watched
them al their play. There were games,
clubs. amusemcnts Of all kinds. These
children were not going TO play on the
streets of their crowded home Sec
lions where the surrounding evil Of
congestion and poverty might OVER
power their naturally good tendencies.
] talked with many Of the children.
! visited the shops over again for the
sake of getting another child's point
OF view. There was always "A lack uf
sclf-ConsCiousnoss and vet his feeling
of responsibility. They were going to
make good the Gary system. They
we're going to 500 thai the same op-
portunity would he given to other boys
and girls Of America. the boys aud
girls to come, the boys and girls wlu
daily pass Ellis Island.
II is by their example, they feel,
that these schools will he organiNrd
throughout the country. that the
school boards Will realize the inpor-
lance, the necessity and the hope ~
the country through the medium ~
these schools. AMI with their childish
minds having Graspcd these truths
they are trying to make others grasp
them. To the fullest extent dc they
realize and appreciate what they arc
being given and with every fibre arc
they trying 70 make others receive
these uncertainties.
! came to the conclusion that that
was thu secret. There were thirty
" hundred children in that school.
They were NOT tied down to any harl
and fast rules, And yet. AS struck me
So strangely at first, there was No con-
fusion, It was the inner secret If tho
Gary school system
Beyond tho evident facts II its prar-
tiCal and economic success and 90 irs
inherent advantages lay tho SOU 2
the system tho unity Of tho parent
aud the child and the cooperation Of
the school and the p'rcut. The VS.
dom Of the SNa,om has a deep root ~,
spring from am its hyluch,~ VIA
spread far and wide, Win ever new
sprouts sprincinr up huirius with
thcm the same huds Of hope ana tho
flowers of fulNlmcnt.
| visited the school on Flag Day.
Every child carried a small American
flag, Almost every face was foreign.
y was significant that they had come
- this country or had been brought
10 this country because Of what that
iiar stood fur.
ma us the childish voices repeated
zone nation indivisihlo. with liberty
ana justice Cor all" the flash ot under
standing camo-tho opportunity of its
realization lay here in the Gary sys-
TEN OF the public schools.
J.