The Washington times., 1916-03-05
USE Or SCHOO[SON
| 4 SUNDAY IS DECR|ED
Rector. Of Dumbarton Avenue
Church Would Also Bar
Dances in Buildings.

Decrying the growth OF any institu-
ton that attracts people away from the
services and the work OF the church. the
Rev d. H. Martin. pastor of the Dunn
barton Avenue Methodist Episcopal
Church. in Georgetown. In a sermon at
hts church today. delivered a broadside
against the use of the public schools
BY the Sunday forum.
He also argued against the use OF the
public schools for community dances.
will the churches stand silently by
end see. another assault on the sacred-
4eqB OF the Lords Day?' demanded DIR.
Martin. Thousands and Thousands of
oifr best people of all creeds and classes
cannot conscientiously indorse such. a
movement. No sane person could OBJ
5aet to the use of public school build
Ing for community meeting on any
day of the week except Sunday. when
ouch meeting does not interfere with
the work of the schools.
There are, however. many OF our
people who do not think II proper to use
e'school building for dance. ...
Rights to Dance. g.
"The people who want to dance have
. perfect right to do so. But there are
many OF our citizens who do not think
that the public school. buildings were
plenty OF places where community
dances can be held without holding
them in the. public school buildings.
When our public school buildings be-
como converted into dance halls. and
when such buildings become centers for
the secularizing of the Sabbath, II will
be time for the people to question the
%SS I better sss PSe'c Se caTe9S TeeSp Of the
character of the schools and the use to
which we put their buildings. The pub
lie school has many critics. and we can
not afford to open It many way to fur
There IN an effort to open our public
school buildings on Sunday for an open
forum. making them places for social
pleasure and for the discussion OF edu-
cational and civic questions on tn.
Lords day. This movement is headN
by Mis- Wilson. the daughter ,oi the
President. and other highly respectable
and distinguished persons. ~.
Would Challenge Bill
Representative johnson has intro
duced bill In Congress to provide for
such use of the public school hulld-
ings. This is a very grave matter and
should not so unchallenged.
"Such a movement. II ihaucuratcd,
will have n serious Tearing on the life
Of our people. 1t should be opposed
The injurious character Of thu propo-
sttion shorld not be hidden from tho
names of some highly respectable and
distinguished persons are connected
with 1t and the people should not hest
tate to hEht the proposition because Of
the prominence OF some OF Its advo-
''Thc proposed Sunday forum viii
have an injurious effect on the home
life. for II viii take the parents away
A = IaHG al NNNaNT
ought TO be together.
The very existence OF our nation
depends on the kind Of homes We have
and the Sunday forum would have a
tendency to break down the home life
and for that reason should be dis.
'It will injure the churches. They
stand for everything good in our ma
diminish their influence in any way. oil
TO establish any institution that will at
tract the people away from the services
and the work OF our churches.
Calls 1t Violation.
"Thc Sunday forum is purely OF a
secular and social character. anC
would be a violation kf the sacrednes:
OF the Lords day. The people do moi
need the proposed forum. Our homes
and churches are able to supply ouI
people with every influence and pleasure
that Is good for them on the Sabbath.
Our civic life does not demand tn,
sunday forum. There are plenty OF
other times and opportunities for socia
pleasure and discussion Of secular af
fairs. without trespasslng on the Sab
bath.
We already have n Sunday In wash
ington that In many ways is a disgrac,
to the nation. We should work for ;
better Sunday and not a worse one anC
the proposed forum would be a further
secularization of the day.
Let us bear in mind that the char
acter of the Washington schools has al
influence that Is nationwide. All churci
people and others who look to the publ,
good should commend the Board OF Edu
cstion Tor refusing to open the publ,