Sacramento daily record-union., 1889-09-13
GROUNDS FOR CHILDREN.

GROUNDS FOR CHILDREN.
In all considerable cities provision
should be made for the entertainment of
the children in a rational manner. 1t
should become an established rule of we'll
ordered society to do this in some form,
since the nature of the child demands
amusement and entertainment In cities,
because Of the concentration of population
the child, as rule, is confined to narrow
areas, and has not the opportunity of the
child of the rural sections to occupy and
disport in the unbounded fields of nature
The very best, therefore, that can be done
in cities is to provide parks and play
grounds. But the latter have not been
plentiful. Boston was the first to set aside
large part of her Common for the
especial benefit of the children of the me-
tropolis of Massachusetts,. New York, in
rather weak imitation, provided for the
entertainment of children in Central Park,
but such are the conditions that the chill
dren Of the poor do not avail of the privi-
lege to any considerable extent. In San
Francisco, generous private donation en-
abled playground to be set apart in
Golden Gate Park But the mistake was
made of putting most of the money into
stone building, for which the children
raallv bova M usa and tlot -, f,ot ., 80,
respect is inviting to the child. On the
contrary, it has impressed us on two visits,
as anything but cheerful. and that in fact
there is in it no place for the child. Ada
cent thereto, however, spacious grounds are
laid out where the young may disport them
selves IN variety of ways, but by no means
IN such variety as should obtain, since it
is exceedingly easy to make generous and
greatly varied provision for games for
children that are at once addressed to
their understanding, their fancy and
their imagination, and that serve for
teaching purposes at the same time, while
in large part they may be made to ma
terially contribute to physical culture.
But the one feature at Golden Gate Park
that takes the life and spirit and temper
out OF its beautiful play ground, is the fact
that charge is made for nearly every ex-
ercise in which the children most delight.
This at once constitutes barrier to large
class, and shears the play ground scheme
of its greatest benefit. All such places
should be absolutely free; any money con-
sideration attaching robS them of their
merit in large degree In this city, at
the State Fair, few gentlemen have
shown that a play ground can be made
thing Of great beauty and of infinite vari-
ETY., and that from five to ten thousand
children in day can be entertained
Sherein, without confusion or friction,
and with the highest physical and moral
benefit to the child. We take it that no
one who has looked in upon this feature
of the fair in the afternoon of any day,
can have failed to be impre essed with the
entire success of the scheme. Such a
ground should be maintained here perma-
nently. Some of our vacant public squares
could be well dedicated to its uses. 1t
would be a source of constant pleasure
not only to children but to adults,
who delight in the robust Joy of
the child. The cost of maintenance,
we believe, could be met by the sale of
privileges and by special entertainments.
There would be no need for costly build
ing the merest shell, to shelter it from
sun and rain, and enable it to be used at
all seasons, would suffice The value of
such plat to the people would be very
great, indeed. 1t is not, we think, at all
in advance of public sentiment to suggest
that some such provision should be made,
for that ali such things tend to withdraw
children from temptation and to render
them less susceptible. to the influences of
the street. A comparatively small sum
would, handled by philanthropic and dis
Greet committeeman, imbued with spirit of
the idea that led Boston to dedicate and
fit up half of her Common for a similar
purpose, could probably secure and con-
tinue in existence the playground at the
fair, and assure to Sacramento the honor of
opening and maintaining the first real plat
of ground on the Pacific coast dedicated to
the free use of children for games and
sports at ali seasons, and without fee or
charge. Every investment of that kind is
security for the right training in their
amusements of the children of the city,
and is in the direction of opposition to the
multitudinous influences that swarm about
them to trap and snare them to their de-
struction.