New-York tribune., 1901-06-16
A PLAYGROUND OPENS.
SEASON OF FUN BEGINS FOR WEST
SIDE TENEMENT CHILDREN.

Rain has terrors for the dweer in tenement
and cellar. If one might judge from the number of
children who gathered yesterday IN the Ninety
ninth-st. playground its opening for the season
The hour for opening was 9 o'clock. but long be-
fore that time the boys and girls waiting, in
a crowd that numbered fully hundred. and by
there were nearly two hundred ready 10 enter.
The casual passerby, looking into the dusty, unin
Nting plot uncheered by a single blade Of grass,
would probably wonder why permission enter
should be so joyous event the eager. beaming
races proved it TO be. but the fact that even so
unattractive place is valued is the strongest
proof Of its necessity. Without 1t the children
would have no playground but the street. with its
dangers and few amusements
In less than minute after the gaze swung open
every swing and seesaw was occupied boys were
swarming over the parallel bars. and sand beds
were being converted into forts and mountains
Mrs Clarence Burns. chairman of the committee
was at the playground all the morning and
kept busy settling the many small disputes that
arose over the undue monopoly OF swing
saw. Small boys with aggrieved and dust stained
faces went constantly with such complaints
Mrs Buyns, at big boy over dere has took my
swing of O. me!' or Miss Buyns, dat feIler keeps
de swing all de time an amt got turn YETI
Little girls brought their troubles when the boys
everything. The chairman with Sympathetic bur
cheery smile and tone, always succeeded in pour
ing the complainant himself OF unjustly monopo-
had de swing took off a. MIN 4 feV baif han
tering questions extracted confession that had
already held the swing for than the twenty
swings allowed TO each, and that the other
justified therefore by playground ethics. in eject
ing him.
1one Of the great advantages of the playground. .
said the chairman, is its constant incubation Of
Jusuce ana unselhshness- Last summer the I'M
provement was most marked Boys who al the
beginning We're constant trouble because OF their
selfish wish TO keep possession Of things they en-
Joyed, its close self-cOnstituted guardians
Of the rights of others The girls give less trouble
al any time, and the larger girls are real little
matrons in their helpfulneSs.'
The playground occupies twelve city lots and It's
is given by W. y. Crane executor of the Mer
riam estate TO which il belongs A portion OF the
ground Is given TO basketball. baseball and
open air gymnasium, to be directed by expert
enCed instructor. Last year the Board of Educa-
ton provided the instructor. and also a kinder
gartner and many inquiries made yesterday
the proba bility OF their presence this year
The chairman assured the questoners that they
expected. TO the evident delight OF the chill
dren.
large tent for the kindergarten games Will be
erected a little later, and will a shelter for
the many crippled children who brought 70
bring their babies and luncheon. and stay all day
there 10 leave while they are AZ work.
Every week during the hot season members OF
the committee take groups OF children 10 the coun
try and seashore. and the eager questions OF the
little ones showed that these trips are remem-