ROUND LONDON

Evening Star, Issue 20023, 14 November 1928, Page 6

ROUND LONDON

CKILDP.EK GET THEIR MBHEY’S WORTH Jl would seem (said a rcprerentalivo of ihe •Morning Pn.,t ’ recently; that to lHU ,r c Vi umbers ot* .London school clnldrcu the" summer holiday has horn one of exploration from the Up deck of a London Lountv Council (raiiicar, an exploration extending from Hampstead ot Hammersmith. and lipping to Greenwich. Hus has been Urn result oi the cheap Cd a 1-day travel-at-will tickets for children, with the success of which the authorities are well pleased. The facilities were widely advertised in all Ihe schools, and eagerly sensed by the children, who entered into the project with many divergent motives, but with uniform enthusiasm. During the holidays no fewer than 1.143,553 journeys were taken at 6d. On August bank holiday alone 156.893 tickets WCI'L sold to the children. Many children have set out with the honest" intention of improving their minds and their geographical Knowledge— some to see how far thev really could go tor 6d, and others (in "the opinion of many a harassed conductor) to see how much mischief I hey could accomplish within the limits of "ilie country area. They may bn conveniently divided into three the llr.-L class have visited museums, the Tower, ami the cilv, spent sunny days on Hampstead heights, or revelled in woods at Lpping. The second arc perhaps best represented bv two small boys who wrote with pride to "tbo L.C.C., claiming to have ridden (with ouo brief pause lor refreshment) from 8 a.m. to 11.45 p.m. At the moment they hold the known record, bet it is not unbeatable. The tickets are available until 5 a.m. on the next day. Of the third class of 6d passengers muen might bo said, and is said with little reserve, by conductors who have, in tbeir own words. - ‘bad some.” These merry little souls, with ready Cockney wil, saw in Hie 6d ride-at-will ticket* unlimited scope for new games and a heaven-sent opportunity lor chivvying mer» adults. A iavourito competition among these bright young people from Hie elementary schools was to see how many times thev could make 1 he tram stop in any given distance. Another was to stop the ycliicie when at full speed with great dignity-, board it with precision, and (lien get on again with similar ceremony at the next stop—generally a. few hundred yards down the. road. •‘Glad the holiday, arc over." one conductor answered. "I should think 1 am. It has been nii.thing hut kids. My own lot at home and everybody clso’s on the tram.