Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 284, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 November 1913 — Broaden Use of School-Room. [ARTICLE]

Broaden Use of School-Room.

When we speak of schoolhouses we do not mean that they are places merely to pursue studies. We can bring into them features like concerts and lectures, which will add to the social enjoyment of all. We should treat these buildings like tremendous educational plants, and anything that tends to stimulate the intellect has its functions in the school house. To limit the schoolhouse for school purposes only is wrong. It is criminal negligence to allow those buildings to remain idle when there are organizations that are only too glad to utilise' them for entertainments; lectures and other purposes which help to broaden and improve the mind. In Chicago some years ago we were compelled to go to Ac Legislature and ask for a law giving us permission to utilize our school buildings, valued at more than 125,000,006, for other than school purposes.