The suburban citizen., 1900-12-08
PUBLIC PLAY GROUNDS
TURNING CITY HooDLUMS INTO
sELF.REsPecTlNC CITIZENS.

ture For the Youngsters
Some years ago there was imported
into the Eastern States from Cali
formal think from San Francisco
an expression which in its way
marked an epoch-the expression
"hoodlum," writes the New York cor
respondent Of the Philadelphia Record.
1t awakened curiosity, and when 1t
was found to describe a certain type
of youth better known for his power
Of annoying his neighbors than for his
good citizenship, it awakened the in
terest Of thoughtful men and women.
The genus was found to exist and
thrive in other plnces Investigation
brought out the astounding fact that
juvenile crime seemed to be increas-
ing, but analysis proved that what was
called crime on the part of the boy
was often in reality the crime Of ig-
nOrance, neglect or worse ON the part
of the men and city which stigmatlzed
him as criminal, arrested him and
placed him in the hands Of the police
instead of putting him under surveil-
lance Of one who could show him how
to entertain himself in ways less de-
structiye to the neighbours comfort or
property and to his own moral de-
struction.
CHANCE FOR MUSCULAR ACTION.
1t has been conclusively proven that
these so-called criminal acts are al
most entirely the result Of undirected
energy. TO say misdirected would put
too much responsibility on the boy. 1t
becomes destructive, and only needs
guidance to become a source Of good
instead Of evil Nature endoWs every
| normal youth with a fund Of energy
| and spirits which must express itself,
often demands expression in muscu-
lar action, and II it finds no outlet
something is sure to happen. Nature
also endoWs the youth with vivid i'm
ngnation which must be fed or it
seeks it's own feeding ground, and nav
ing little discrimination chooses poison
often instead Of food.
PLAYGROUND coRREcTs EVIL.
The public playground has been
| found to serve as the best means to
correct these evils and to turn the
"hoodlum' into a self-respecting and
respected citizen, because it furnishes
a healthy and legitimate outlet for
the normal energies. Even in a city
| with so many gardens as San Francis
co there is little or no place to play,
especially for the thousands coming
from working homes Though there
may be no tenements, a man occupies
! no more rooms than will house his
family, and there is no place for quiet
play for the boys and girls, and GER
tainly no space for those games which
require energetic motion. The open
spaces are small and not adapted to
sports of any kind. Golden Gate Park
Is too far away for the majority.
CRIME AND ATHLETIos.
The youngsters, therefore, have no
recourse but the street Older COM
munities have discovered that the lack
Of proper Fairgrounds is a source OF
great expense and waste to the COM
munity, expense which runs the cost
I of the police system, including all pen
al and reformatory institutions, into
millions, and waste of the energy and
power which should go to making
staunch citizens instead of strong
criminals, Hon. Abram S. Hewitt
said about the small park question in
its relation to New York: "Improve-
ments Of property have left children
no other opportunity for play than
those that can be found in the streets.
1t IS impossible to use these for games
without incurring the Interference Of
the police. A sense Of hostility be-
tween the children and the guardians
Of the public order is thus engendered
leading to the education of citizens
who becomes enemies Of law and or
der. With a common accord the pre-
cinct captains attribute juvenile row.
dyism and turbulence to the lack of
better playground than tho Streets"
1t would seem, therefore, that crime
in our large cities has largely resolved
Itself into a question of athletics
NEW YORK's SMALL PARKS.
For this reason New York City has
been creating small parks for more
than a decade. Millions of dollars
have already been expended and many
more will be spent in the next decade
to undo what lack of foresight and
commercial greed has made necessary.
Wherever small parks are created, the
verdict of the police is unanimous that
they have changed the character of
the neighborhood. The hoodlum in
stead Of taking his necessary exercise
In annoying passers-by or destroying
property, takes it by games Of varl-
GUS kinds or in using the gymnasium
apparatus put up for him. The results
which have followed in the wake of
the creation Of Mulberry Bend Park. in
New York City, and the Hudson Bank
Gymnasium furnish sufficient evidence
to prove the wisdom Of the plan. There
the outdoor Recreation League has put
NNa