New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-09
THIRTEEN SMALL PARKS.
FAIRGROUNDS FOR THE CHILDREN OF
THE CITY.
THE COMMITTEE IMPRESSED WITH THE NEEDS
or THE LITTLE oNEs-LACK OF PLAY
GROUNDS CAUSE OF cRIME-FoUR

Devlns, De Witt j. Se.igman. Or. Joseph ~ pi!
ant Myer S. Isaacs. James J. Higginson and Will
lam r. Stewart. President Wilson of the Health
BOARD and President Mcmillan Of the Park Boaro
are members ex-ofiicio. Mr.. Rs. as the secretary
of the committee, did most Of the Work whiie
other members of the committee were OUT Oh "e
city during the summer. and he also wrote mus
of the report Of the Subcommittee on sites ~nio"
is submitted 10 the Mayor with maps and s'a'is-
tics -,
Sites for thirteen small parks. to be used as play
grounds for the children Of the city, Sehera"y III
connection with public schools are recommehueo
in the repor: for immediate selection ana there are
recommendations for other Fairgrounds LOT the
children in existing parks. The report cans at'eH-
ton 10 the fact that the amount OF Sloo"U" .
year authorized 10 be expended by the o'"a''
Parks act Of 1857 was not appropriated loi seNe'"'
wears and can still be expended FOR TINS purpose
and II Is asserted tina: the entire cost OF the I'M
provements recommended by the committee VIII
be less than S4,OO0000. The report says IN part
NO PLACES FOR THE CHILDREN TO PLAY
In the original plan Of the city OF New-York the
children seem have been forgotten. Dououess
this oversight due TO the extensive area Vi
unoccupiei and which was available Tor the gaines
and sports IN which the youth OF that day We're
wont to indulge. But the city has grown IN pop
ulation and especially within the last thirty Years
this unoceupie1 sp1cf hS tSe children no other OPP
por,un!ty for play but such as can De ionno ~. tv
occupied by carracks so that IS aan bpcn 40
well as obstructive 10 traffic for the ehurTm 10
ring the Interference OF the police sense OF nos
tinty between The children and the guardians o.
pubic order is thus engendered leading to the
growth OF criminal class and TO NE d rde T
Nothing be more to be Gspiored Go TIA.
mos St or ec0nome pons Of View The outlay for
police. courts retormatoIes nosptas While out
side Of these safeguards against poverty ana CIi;c
the cause Of much misefy poverty. and danger to
society, Your committee are cOnVlnceu Iion OH MA
10 MAKE; end esp necoiaabEEorEooG OF the new small
PARKS Which IN have recently been brought into
that the failure provide for the reasonable recrea
D , Sf i4e PepT aH has Been the
Client cause Of the growth Of crime and pauperlsm
In our midst.
LET TIE CHILDREN RoMP AND DIG.
Again since the city has secured the larger parks
there has been strange oversight of the necessity
Of providing first Of all for the childrea the oppor-
tun.ty to these public grounds freely for games
and recreatiye sports. In fact. 1t Is only withh
TIE last that the primary ond has See0 ss
nized by throwing open all the green spaces p inc
cities of the old World this superior claim OF the
children has always been recognzed The Gardens
master OF landscape gardening are probaly me
most beautiful IN ths world AMID az Ime wea a1
spaces under the shade OF trees devoted exclusively
10 games both for adults and young eh ,1 %n the
day innumerabe children digging holes ana playins
do not interfere with this apparent destruction OF
property, but at the close of the day they quietly
for up exc cav at 5 on the foowns day In other
words the practical coneusion mas oe eh nary
should be first of all a playground for the chill
dren and 10 this necessity all other considerations
made 10 Weld.
AN ESSENTIAL FEATURE OF PARK.
In this connection It is well to state that under
the act Of 1887 which permitted the appropriation
OF 100000 per annum for the creation of small
parks. II was assumed that Fairgrounds would be
essential part of every open space thus appro-
priated to the public 1t seems. however, that
the authorities Of the Park Department entertain
doubts as 10 whether the language Of the Act Is
sufficiently clear TO allow them TO establish play
grounds many part Of these parks. The chairman of
this committee. under whose personal supervision
and direction the act was drawn is able TO declare
that the playground was assumed TO be an essential
O me xs 1on this so pon it ia
that the act should be so amend,i as 10 require
ease otherwise the mar objec: in view Of tn
Establishment Of these parks will be defeated
large S UPON the cons!dSraiiohs which led to- the
legislation above referred to because the experience
gained i'm the last years has shown conclusively
70 the public authorities. well as to the cizens
beautiful influence upon morals and conduct OF
these outlets for the physical energies Q. youth
manifest themselves in evil tendencies.
THE SITES RECOMMENDED.
The specific recommendations OF the committee
for the selection of sites for small parks the
following:
First-That hall a block be taken for public
Mangin SITS, adjoining the public bath. TO this tie
Board Of Street Opening and Improvement has al
Second-That the block between Houston and
s stand Grammar ami schoo 60 X and tho S
drai Mission. be taken for public park and play
ground, leaving the school and mission where they
Third--That a public playground be established
on Cherry Hill. on the site OF Gotham Court. now
FourthoThat a shore park be laid out between
East Forty ninth and East Fify-second sts on the
"trip of land on the waters edge now used for the
Fif,h-That a small park be laid out on the two
blocks Of high land at present mostly vacant. west
Of Eleventh-ave.. between Fifty-second and Fifty
sixth-.Tbat half of the block bounded by Null
berrv and Mott SITS. and Spring and Broorne SITS.
be taken for public playground for the Fourteenth
Seventh-That a part Of block on the line o.
Ninth-ave the site suggested being the eastern
end OF block between Fifteenth and Sixteenth SITS.
Of of t lakf Sixteenth ee p Ward ~ VIC
Eighth~That a section about 25ox2oo feet the
west end OF The block between Thirtyhfth and
Thirty-s!xth cts and First and Second ayes. be
taken for a public playground: .,.,,.
curing the new New-York Marble Cemetery, in the
ave. and the Bowery. be taken into careful con.
alteration. with view 10 It's requirement without
Tenth-That the utility of uniting a playground
and pushcart market. as recommended by Colonel
tenth Ward. be carefully considered and II APP
proved that the necessary legislation he secured
at the earliest possible date;
Elcventh-That a public playground at least two
hundred feet square be established at or near
Grammar School No. So. First-avc. and Seven
tieth-st. , . -.
Twefth-That public playground at least two
hundred feet square be established at or near
Public School No. SO. West Thirty seventh-st:
Thirteenth--That a public playground be estab-
Iished the line OF Ninth-ave.. near Fortieth-s;
~ It be deemed desirable pushcart market may be
combined. , . 49,, -
Fourteenth-That the Fairgrounds OF the new
schools hereafter built. whether on the roof or on
the ground be thrown open 10 the public out or
school hours and be made the general places OF
recreation for the neighborhood.
FAIRGROUNDS IN EVERY PARK.