The Mount Holly news., 1916-11-21
Chartannna Welfare.

MANU-. 1Qere was 700 mucQ DONG
elsewhere to ensure full attendance.
The chairman of the Business Mems
committee was at the meeting of the
township committee, acting as clerk,
and the chairman of the health and
sanitation committee was at the same
place attending to the business of the
township and incidentally putting up
a fence for future use.
Miss Mary Flynn, chairman of the
committee on recreation, read an ex-
haustive but not exhausting paper in
which she described what had been
done in the way of providing recrea-
ton for children. She told of the play
ground that was fitted upin the rear of
the court house and which was having
an average daily attendance of 80 when
the infantile paralysis scare caused the
place to be put under quarantine.
Miss Flynn saw great future for this
particular part of the welfare move
ment. She gave many ideas respect
ing the conduct of entertainment
whereby children may be kept off the
streets and educated as well as amused.
She thought the moving pictures might
well be looked after with the view of
having them elevated in character and
not be such as to produce bad effects
upon the young. While it is feet
that there is law forbidding children
under Is years of age attending these
shows, yet there is not an evening that
this law is not violated. But Miss
Flynn did not make her plea especially
for the boys and girls. She said there
were young men and women who
work daily in the mills and factories.
They should have some elevating
means of amusement provided. When
the boy scouts were organized she
heard several girls express wish that
a girls campfire might be instituted.
The report was an admirable paper
and was highly praised.
Miss Myrtle E. Smith, of the educa-
tional committee, read a paper in
which she gave an idea of what is be-
ing done in school work. She referred
to some of the defects in school build
ings, especially in the matter of light
and ventilation. She spoke of the
school building on the north side of
Brainard street, which is not up to the
standard required for light. The
plumbing is bad and there is much
need for improvement in many ways.
AT the conclusion of these two papers,
Rev. Mr.. Bicknell, chairman of the
meeting, asked for remarks. In re-
sponse the statement was made that
the school building referred to was
built in 1893, and at that time every
requirement OF the state, SO far as heat
ing, ventilation and light were con-
cerned, was adhered to strictly. Since
then there have been changes in the
rules OF architecture and building and
it was possible if any in the room
should live 25 years more they might
findsthe present high school building
back number"
On the subject of recreation it was
thought there was much food for re-
lection in Miss Flynn's paper. The
suggestion was made that the high
school auditorium ought to be offered
more freely for public purposes. One
idea was that the meeting that was
held in the court house should have
been in the auditorium. Another
speaker was of the opinion that it
would be of great advantage to have
the gymnasium fitted up and made
recreation room to be used at all times.
The playground in the rear of the
court house was fitted up almost en-
tirely by money provided by the
Woman's League and it was thought
the school authorities or the township
fathers might well spend few dollars
on this project.
Patrick Dolan, overseer of the poor,
was called upon to speak upon some
subjects that were touched upon at
previous meeting. He said he had
heard of children going to school with
out anything to eat. Such condition
is not necessary. He had never re-
fused assistance to any worthy appli-
cant. He recited cases, however, where
children had been mentioned to him
where the father is a steady worker,
making from SIS to 500 a week, but
there seemed to be lack of knowledge
how to spend it or else it went to the
bar rooms. Mr.. Dolan thought there
was large field of usefulness for the
churches along this line. He said he
knew of children who go to school
daily, are well behaved and are not
seen on the streets at night, who had
never been TO Sunday school or church,
one of them being Is years of age, and
the only reason given was that the
parents did not go and the children
were allowed to do as they pleased.
This report brought forth the inquiry
whether social worker" would be of
advantage and it was thought such an
addition would be very beneficial, but
then arose the very important question
which seems to control every move
ment, "Where is the money coming
from?" Some one asked if the visit
ing nurse had not done much mission
ary work outside of what she in en-
gagged for, and the reply was in the
affirmative, but it was said it would be
impossible for her to take on the extra
duties that would be required of her.
1t was quickly stated that such was
not the intention. One speaker told of
what he knew the nurse had done in
many families where she had gone
professionally, even getting down and
scrubbing the floor. Great praise was
given to the nurse for what she has
done, and the opinion prevailed that
she certainly did all and more than
she was engaged for. In this connec-
ton it may also be stated that the
compensation of the nurse is guaran-
teed and paid for through the efforts of
the Woman's League.
1t was decided that another meeting
be held on the first of December. In
the meantime it was suggested that
those present carefully consider what
had been spoken of and see what steps
should be taken to follow some of the
suggestions that had been made. The
audience was not large but it was very
Ynunh iptarectod ond thara ;s - ,l<,,L.