Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-01


cured by the playground c)mmittee 1t was
covered with tin. sheet iron, oil lumber
and other rubbish but the boys rolled up
their sleeves and soon had the space
cleared of obstacles to tn cir enjoyment.
On this ground large swings have Deen
erected and there are several see-saws and
teeter boards. Within few days the fly
ing rings will be in position and other ar
paratus will be installed The colored chill
dren also enjoy the sand box and base ball
and leap frog and other sports incident 10
youth are INDUCED in by the children OF
the neighborhOod. 81
tanned largely through the efforts of the
members of the Social Center. which is To-
Gated in building opposite the lot. and the
playground movement has aroused a large
amount of interest among the colored resi-
dents of the southwest
1t has been popular belief that girls are
unable to engage as Strenuously as boys in
exercise and sports. but another popular
belief would be dispeled by visit to the
playground for girls and small boys stuat-
ed in the rear of 'Neighborhood House
There Is happy gathering here every
evening. and it Is not at all unlikely that
the girls could give the boys pointers on
how to enjoy themselves in the various
sports and how to manipulate the gymnas-
tic contrivances.
"Shooting the Chutes."
One of the most delightful sports in this
playground Is shooting the chutes."
piece of apparatus invented and installed
by Uncle Richard" the colored janitor of
Neghborhood House. who takes as great
delight in the pleasures of the little folks
they do themselves. The "chutes' con-
sists of long. smooth plank. the lower
end about twelve inches from the ground
and the other placed at an elevation of
about twelve feet. There Is a platform at
the top of the chute. which is reached by
means of ladder. The children climb up
the ladder and seating themselves on the
smooth. sloping board. slide to the bottom
with greater or less speed holding onto the
side railing which has been erected along
the course to prevent accidents. 1t is
thrilling slide and one greatly enjoyed, even
by older people.
about this slide. One who INDUCES in it to
any great extent or with any frequency
should wear an old dress old pair of
trousers. leather preferred. for the fric
ton caused by the rapid descent s wearing
on the clothing. to say nothing of the dis
comfort to the person Any one who has
experienced the pleasure and pain of I'M
interrupted sliding down the old cellar
door. or the old rain board" will readily
appreciate the value of this suggestion The
old saying that some pleasures are accom-
panied by pain is true to a certain extent in
the case of shooting the chutes.
The Punching Bag.
Should the visitor to the girls playground
desire to know how to develop the muscles
Of the arm for ouickness and strength, SO
to land the "upper-cut' in the most sci
entific manner. the young girls will give
demonstration of the training with an ex-
hibition of bag punching. the apparatus for
which has been erected on the ground.
That shooting the chutes is not the only
sport In which blsters may be obtained Is
evidenced by the raised flesh the hands
of the girls who journey through the air on
the flying rings. There are many adopts at
this sport who visit the playground and
they enjoy the aerial trip Notwithstanding
the blisters
To this playground nearly every evening
a little mother about eight years old,
carries her baby sister and deposits the lit
tie one in the sand box where the little tot
with several others. revelS in the cool sand
and expresses her enjoyment in "ah GOO
baby language. unintelligible except to APP
preciative ears. There are numerous swings
on this ground also and the children with
streaming hair glide through the air to dir
zy heights and then "let the old cat die"
just like the boys and girls Of centuries ago
were wont to DO. and as the men and wo-
men of today did in their early days.
The scenes witnessed these play
grounds of Washington serve to call up in
the memories of those who have gone be-
You'd the active participation in them the
tender recollections of long ago. when they.
too. were care-free and the burden and re-
spOnsibilities of life were borne for them
upon other shoulders. The sight Of the
happy children at play in these grounds set
aside for that purpose. touches responsive
chords of sympathy in the hearts of the
older folks and awakens desire that all
the children of the city may have an OPP
portunity for greater enjoyment. and that
more and larger Fairgrounds may be
cured for the youth of the national capital.
Influence on Civic Development.
But there are benefits of practical
nature accruing from these Fairgrounds.
In the evenings, when the fun and frolic
within the grounds is at its height, the
fathers and mothers of the children and
the young people of the various neighbor-
hoods stroll to the grounds and are in
terested spectators of the merry scenes
there enacted. The cares of the day are
forgotten in the contemplation of the pleas
ure of the youths, and the Fairgrounds
form social centcrs for the older people as
we'll as a means Of recreation and exercise
for the tots. Then, too, the policemen in
the localities IN which the recreation
grounds are situated state that they are
not troubled any more with young boys
hanging around the corners OF the streets
for the Fairgrounds. with their healthful
atmosphere, afford greater attractions than
the public thorOughfares. From the stand
point of civic development these results are
worthy of attention from Washington citi-
ZenS.
Inc following contributions for the play
ground fund have been received to date by
the committee: Anonymous Friend 500:
Natalie S. b. Forsythe. 50; H. 3. F. Mac
farland, 50; Miss A. c. koerper, 81; j. w.
Douglass, 50; Cuno H. Rudolph, ST; I.y-
man l.. Pierce, 50; DIR. w. c. Woodward.
So: Anonymous. So; Neghborhood House
Playground, etc. 1857; S Kann. Sons &
Co, SO; e. II. Warner. $40; f. w Graf
ton, 50; NJ. NJ. Shand 81; w Riley Decide,
So; Geo +. Swartzell, 50; j. b. Henderson,
$40: w. II. Rapley s.; Jas E. Fitch, $40;
f. Beriner $40; Thos. w Smith, So: Barber
& Ross, 50; Fred l.. Moore. So; F. A. Wal
pole, So: John w. Foster, IS; Clifford Pin
chot, $40; Serena Hale Davenport, So; Chas
J. Bell, $40; Chr Heurich, SO: Byron g.
Adams, 50; James B. Lambie 50; s. H.
SO; Gertrude M Hubbard SO:
E. II. Droop, So: Mrs. Lewis Clephane. 50:
Dulin Martin Co. 50: A B. Browne. $40:
Julia A. Cox CMrs. S. 81. So: w j. Bowman,
81; VIM. b. King, $40: Annie l.. Edwards.
81; Helene Kirkpatrick, 50; Mrs. M. A. Nc
Bride, So c. M. Hendley. s.: Sallie K AL
exander. IS; Alex: Britton. $40: Caroline Co.
hen. 81; A. M McLachlen, 81; Alonzo o.
Bliss. s.; Jas. L. Norris IS: John Hay, $25;
Mary g. Logan, IS; w. w. Finley, So; Jose
phine Hemenway. So: ]. II. MCGOWAN, SIS;
Elizabeth l.. Dunn. IS: John Joy Edison $40;
Mrs. s. E. Dean. 81: Miss NJ E. Goodwin &
Mrs. j. s. Kellogg, S3.75: George A. King,