Several members of the school board are understood to be in favor of discontinuing the evening schools. Some of these members regard such a step as necessary because the funds available for evening school purposes are exhausted or nearly so, while others would abolish this branch of our public school system altogether, funds or no funds.

While a reduction of the number of evening schools may be necessary, to discontinue or seriously cripple these useful schools would be a grave mistake. If the board is under the necessity of practicing strict economy, there are probably other items in the budget that could be cut without seriously impairing the work of the schools.

The evening schools have done excellent work and are really an indispensable 2part of a complete system of public education in a city like Chicago. Thousands of young men and women with limited time and still more limited means acquire their first knowledge of English in the evening schools, while as many others, whose general education has been neglected without any fault of their own, flock to these schools to make up for lost opportunities.

This branch of the school system is not a "fad," nor is it open to the objection that public funds expended on this account are used for purposes of "charity". The instruction given imparts only such knowledge as men and women need to be good citizens and in order to be able to hold their own in the battle of life. Should the evening schools be abolished their useful work will be left undone. It is true that some of our "social settlements" have been conducting free evening schools for the benefit of young people; but their means and facilities are necessarily restricted, even if they should consider it expedient to give less time and effort to management of the world and the universe at large. There are no other educational agencies in the city that could replace the evening 3schools. Individual efforts may be made to occupy the field should it be left vacant. But that is uncertain. Nor is it to be taken for granted that all instruction that might be volunteered would be wholesome. We know that the knowledge imparted in the evening schools is confined to what is necessary and useful and that it does not serve as a cover or sugar-coating for anarchism or destructive teachings in any form. We cannot afford to dispense with these salutary schools, and it is sincerely to be hoped that the Board of Education will find the means to open as many as possible, as soon as possible.