Recreational Facilities for Young Apprentices in Yangtszepoo Industrial District GROUP of young Chinese boys playing happily in the grounds of a school in the heart of the Yangtszepoo industrial district—not a very unusual sight, it would appear to a passer-by who took only a casual glance.
But they represent an experiment the results of which may prove revolutionary as far as social work in Shanghai is concerned.
Three times a week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays these boys meet in the playground of the Kinchow Road Primary School for an hour or two of recreation which is sorely needed in lives where hour after hour of hard toil leaves very little time for exercise or enjoyment.
'The experiment follows a sugges—ton put forward last May that a Joose federation' of all organizations working for social betterment Shanghai might be made, It was at ist suggested that these organizations might form a feint council for the purpose of carrying into effect a programme of welfare work and reform, specially in the industrial feld Early in June, a number of persons interested in ectal work in Shanghat met together, and decided that the joint council' would not prove workable, A separate organization concerned only with industrial work was, however, approved, and the following provisional committee was formed:—Mr. H, J. Timperley (chalrman), Baroness Leonie Ungern-Sternberg, Madame Paul Premet, Dr. Agnes Roman, Mr. John S. Barr and Mr. Franklin Fu," The committee decided to postpone the formation of a permanent organization until after the summer, but it was decided to make a beginning by taking up the question of unpaid boy labour.
Out of this plan grew the frequent yecreutional gatherings which are taking place throughout this summer. Permission was granted by the Shan; hai Municipal Council for the grounds fof the Kinchow Road School to be Toaned for the use of young Chinese working boys oltonding the special night school which has been established in. Kinchow Road. Since the middle of July, games and sports, including football, basketball, volte; ball, and ping-pong have been carried on three times a week between 6 and 7.30 pam, The games have been under the supervision of Mr. ¥. H. Tsul, an experienced playground, instructor who was recommended to the committee by the Chinese Y.M.C.A, Mr. Tani hag had the active ce-operation of My, Hau Wen-shin, the headmaster of the night school, and a number of voluntary helpers, including a senior' student from Medhurst College, Apprentlee Labour Even a short tour of some of the hops inthe Yangtszepoo District, such as was made by a representative of the "North-China Daily News, will reveal the urgent necessity of providing recreation for the apprenices employed in these shops. The majority of the boys put in ten hours work day, while a few work Jong as twelve hours a day. Their salaries are negligib seldom exceed sa month, in many cases amounting to only a few cents, and in some cases to nothing at all. Some engaged throughout the day! wielding a heavy hammer which even an adult would find a wearing task, And it is easy to distinguish the symptoms of incipient disease in the majority of these boys, some of whom already show signs' of berlberi, others of whom have poisoned arms of legs through Inck of medical attention, others of whom have affected throats, and some, those engaged in the manufacture of flashlight bulbs, having weakened eyes. Medical attention, of course, may prove part of the social work undertaken among these boys, but at present the work Is In an experimental stage. and ig being confined to providing recreational facilities, The scheme is surprisingly simple and inexpensive in operation. Tha monthly overhead. charges do not exceed $40 a month, including the Instructor's part-time salary, while the cost of the simple equipment, which consists only of a dozen or 60 small-sized balls at less than $1 a dozen, a volley-ball net, ete, is not expeded to exceed $15 for the whole Summer. The boys themselves have proved very easy to handle, proving themselves to be orderly and easily maniixed, and there have been no eases so far of rowdyism. A special effort Is being made to develop discipline among the older boys, a number of whom have been selected as captains and vice-captains, who are given a certain amount of responsibility.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.