New-York tribune., 1918-03-30
DR.. Henry S. Curtis
Booed i'm Ohio for
Praise of Germany
Former Director of New
York Fairgrounds Rebuked
in Midst of Lecture

DR.. Henry Stoddard Curtis, educator
and lecturer, former director of play
grounds in this city and after that sec
retary of the Playground and Recrea-
ton Association of America, was booed
in Cincinnati last week, according to
"The Cincinnati Enquirer" by an au-
dience of teachers who thought his ut
terances proGerman. He was inter
rupted in the midst of his address by
Charles H. Merry, principal of the
Woodward School, to whom shocked
teachers had sent a hurry call, and left
the city without attempting the other
two lectures he was to have given.
"You see, thought Cincinnati was a
German city," is the explanation he is
reported to have given to Mr.. Merry.
Curtis was expected to suggest
changes or improvements in Cincin-
MATHS Fairgrounds and recreational sys-
tem,' "The Enquirer" states. "Instead
of doing SO he launched into ridicule of
American education in general and
playground work in particular con-
trasting it with the general efficiency of
German educational methods.
Rebuked by School Principal
"Many among the audience, believing
the address to be of an unpatriotic
nature, left the auditorium Several
teachers hurried to Charles H. Merry,
principal of the school, and told him
Of the nature of the address.
"Mr. Merry went to the auditorium
listened to the talk for several minutes
and then Interrupted the speaker. He
told Curtis his statements were not
true, and in view of the inhuman and
degenerate nature of German kultur
since the outbreak Of the war thev
were particularly out of place before a
patriotic American audience. He said
! the United States was engaged in war
to the death against those very feat
ures of kultur which Mr.. Curtis seemed
to admire. Mr.. Merry was checred for
several minutes.
Curtis seemed greatly surprised that
any one should take offence at his re-
marks. AS soon as he could make him
self heard, he assorted he was not a
German, and had no intention to offend
his hearers. tie promised to drop his
praise OF the German pedagogical sys-
tenn and speak only of the English and
ll-C
American"
Admired German Efficiency
During the ten minutes he spoke be-
fore Mr.. Merry's interruption, Curtis is
said to have praised the German sys-
TEN of play as teaching children to
love their Fathcrland, which, he said.
lied to a better army and greater
spirit of patriotism." He also is said to
have commended the military meth DDS
used in The German Fairgrounds, by
Which children are compelled to play {.
certain number Of hours daily whcthe er
they want TO or not, and to have de-
nounced "British Indifference to the
child labor problem" citing what he
called atrocities Of the British factory
system.
DR.. Curtis is we'll known in this city
lie vas director OF the New York play
grounds from 1898 to 1901 He then
became secretary of the Playground
ard Recreation Association of America
which has Offices in the Metropolitan
over. He was prominent in educa
tonal circles here, and has been looked
upon as an authority on Fairgrounds
some SIX years ago he moved from New
fork to Olivet, Mich. He has been
iecturng most Of the time since. He
is a graduate of Yale.
Henry S. Braucher, director of the
/ Playground and Recreation Associa.
I ton, said DR.. Curtis had beer great
adrnircr Of Germany. He said he loved
to talk about German efficiency
Il saw HIM some time ago" said Mr.
Brauchcr. eve were then at war with
4 Germany, but he was still talking about
! German efficiency"