Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-08-06
FAIRGROUNDS FOR CHILDREN.

While Honolulu Is figuring on ways
and means to bring its Mckinley Mem
orial park into being II can well afford
to have a thought for the general man
agement of the grounds after they are
once completed In the general talk
Of committees, special prominence is
given the demands of the leading
sports, baseball, cricket and track
contests. Promoted by active young
men of the town II is quite natural for
these athletic sports to take first place.
Boys and girls, the children. are usual
ly supposed to be satisfied with the
corner lot, the school yard or the
street.
Cities Of the Mainland, however, in
fuenced by aggressive educators arc
turning their attention more particular
ly to the youngsters with results that
furnish practical proof that efforts in
their behalf are a good investment from
every standpoint. In Philadelphia the
summer Fairgrounds for children have
become an established institution.
maintained at public expense and under
the general supervision of the super
intendent Of public schools. The re-
port for last year proves the play
ground to be well worth the price.
Twenty-seven Fairgrounds recorded an
attendance Of 325,O4S children during
the months of July and August.
The school superintendent describing
the character of the work done says:
The Fairgrounds were fairly well
equipped with material for pleasant oc-
equations suitable to the children.
Cardboard was supplied for the cutting
OF dolls and household furniture, ETC.
popular occupation with children;
and when the colored cardboard was
exhausted the children came with
pasteboard boxes ana lids from home,
which were used for the same purpose.
Colored cambria for scrapbooks, IRA
phia" for basket making, cardboard
for sloyd, etc, were used extensively
The Tether Tennis case was especially
interesting to the older children, and
one of these was kindly presented to
the Pierce playground by a visitor OF
the Civic club. The children were con-
stantly bringing from their homes re-
productions of the work done in the
Fairgrounds, showing their interest In
the work and its influence In develop.
Ing habits Of industry. One child who
had worked with the "raphia" in the
playground brought a basket she had
made from corn husks having plated
and sewed II together as the "raphia'
basket had been at the school. An,
other child had interested her father In
the making Of paper fans, and he sent
to the teacher for her approval beau
tiful reproduction of the same in cloth
Pages could be given showing how
these Fairgrounds touch the home lif'
of these children and inculcate babitl
Of industry and orderliness.
While these are called Fairgrounds
they possess an educational lnfiuenc,
which is not to be lost sight of or un
dervalued. We must remember tina
these. children are receiving not onl!
physical benefits in the playground
but that the plays, when skillfully di
rected, contain the germs OF the Who'll,
life which is to follow-that In pla.
character is being formed. Ever!
characteristic OF excellence in playIni
-quickness, alertness, enthusiasm
persistence, energy and independence
Is a characteristic of good worker a
| maturity" Plato said: 1.-THE plays 0
the children have the mightiest in
tiuence on the maintenance or non
maintenance of laws" From the frs
years, he said, the play of children
should be subject to law; "for II thes
plays and those who take part in then
are arbitrary and lawless, how cal
children ever become yirtuous men
abiding by and obedient to law?"
That the Fairgrounds serve to cult
waite that natural love and respect 70
law found in children, is shown by tn
many rules and devices they invent Il
their own free play. In one playground
where the tether pole had never befor
been seen by the children, immediate
ly after being taught the method o
playing II, they invented their owl
rules and score to govern the game. II