Evening star., 1898-12-08
PUBLIC PLAY GROUNDS
Children of the City Fail to Take Advantage
of Them.
Not Intended for Base Ball, but for
CrOQuet, Tennis, Cricket and
Kindred Games.

| late that it is not generally known that
the city of Washington is already pretty
well provided in the matter of public play
grounds for children. Col. Bingham, the
engineer officer in charge of public build
ings and grounds, referred to the subject
in recent report to the chief of engineers
and showed that the children of the city
do not take full advantage of their privi-
leSes for playing on the public reservations
open to them.
Authorization by Congress.
by act of Congress approved August so,
$780, says Col. Bingham, the officer in
charge of public grounds was authoriz7 d
TO set aside a portion of the public grounds
for a childrens playground, under regula-
tions to be prescribed by him. The south
ern portion of the Monument Park was at
once set aside for THIS purpose, but no reg
uIatIons were prescribed, there were no
means of carrying them out, no watchman
or policeman having been authorized and
the service of the one watchman on duty
at the monument being needed there to
protect the structure from acIs of vandal-
ism.
Just complaints were received that the
lawns We're being destroyed, trees injured
and that the children's playground was
overrun by vicious and improper persons.
This oIfice has been requested to take
characters, and has bean obliged to call on
the District police for assistance.
10 protect the improved grounds as far
as possible, and to prevent serious annoy
ance to those enjoying the beauty OF the
park, the play ground was transferred in
the autumn of 1893 to the site between 3
street and the main drive north of the
monument. This plot of ground covers an
area u1 about eight acres, and is occupied
nearly all the time by men or boys PLAYING
foot bali base ball.
BY act of Congress, approved March =,
1888, the officer in charge of public build
tngs and grounds was directed to authorize
ne use OF a portion of the grounds within
the eliipse south of the Executive Mansion
for children's play ground, under regula-
tons 10 be prescribed by him.
Notice was given through the public
press that children applying would be
authorized to play lawn tennis, croquet,
cricket and kindred games. The only re-
qulrements were that the children should
be recommended by any reputable citizen,
and would agree to exercise the common
rules of courtesy which would govern them
in a private park.
Only Two Requests for Permits.
But two requests were received last year
for this privilege. Both were promptly
granted. but in neither instance was ad-
vantage taken of the permit
Several applications from young men to
ton We're received, but it was not believed
that ii was intended under the law that
the lawns of the ellipse or other parks
should be used for these purposes.
1T was anticipated that during the last
fiscal year the reservation a. the intersec-
ton of Georgia and Virginia avenues, which
covers an area of about two acres, and
which was turned over in the summer OF
1898 for use as a playground for children,
would be fenced IN, water introduced and
trees planted. Unfortunately, no funds
have been provided for this purpose.
These Fairgrounds should be set aside
in various parts Of the city for the use of
children, not to be monopolized by grown
persons or half-grown youths, nor to be
used for games prohibited under the po-
lice regulations of the District.
Howard University Park, either highly
improved or in its present condition, could
well be selected for this purpose, and many
of the smaller reservations throughout the
city, which have not been highly improved,
could be set aside for playing lawn tennis,
CT Oquet and kindred games"