The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-02
'Ssndicr hoy" tho Fayorito at tho York
street Playground I'm Brooklyn--Cool
Spot for tho Little Ones Under the
Bridge Arches--soclety's Good Work.

These small, IL ansplanted Neapolitans,
though, have no such fanciful notions
about the pleasant place in which they
play every weekday through July and
August. They are far too busy with the
many interesting things that 1t is possible for
them to do in the al too short time between
q nd IL, and and 0 clock daily. -four
OF the arches Of the Brooklyn end OF the
Bridge, with an overflow space out under
the Fulton Ferry branch of the Myrtle
avenue elevated road, make up the play
ground site. Two of the arches are painted
n light cream, color for a good many feet
up each side. and the earth floor is covered
with neltly laid boards. This makes two
fine spacious rooms In which the indoor
games and occupa ton work may be carried
Oh Their Improvement in this way was
the work Of the late C. c. Martin, super
intendent OF the Bridge. Mr.. Martins
interest in the playground had been I'M
failing since its establishment. He was
frequent and familiar visitor to the child
rem, and only few days before his death
had been down with the CHEEKY word to
the director of the grounds that she must
let him know whatever was needed for
greater convenience in the place and he
would see that it was forthcoming, II it was
within his power.
A piano is part OF the new equipment
this season, to the great delight Of these
natural music lovers the children Of 1t ly
Every morning ct Q o'clock one Of the
young women assist nts phys a guy,
populir march, and the crowd Of eNger
children outside the big wooden gate ia
| at once plert. When something akin to an
| orderly line is formed the good-nat ured
tOh NJ
impr thence, swings open the Rate and the
children troop in. To the quickstep time
they march around and through and be.
tween the arches. weaving in end out till
they bring up in two opposite lines, boys
on one side and girls on the other. before
opening between the arches, The fig
salute Is given and afterwnrd America
is sung with rousing emphasis
Then the days fun is en-. Every liberty
and freedom are accorded, the only rule
being fair play and respect for the rights
of each other. The most popular game
on the grounds is that of as ldier Boy
IA to the boys. 1t Ia q ring game, played
with flags and TO the notes Of stirring
chorus
Soldier boy. soldier boy. where are you going,
Wearing so proudly the Red. White and Blue?
fyou1 be soldier boy. you may come. too
we played it twenty-five times con-
secutively this morning explained one
OF the assistants, a young Vassar girl, and
then II was and net the children who gave
it UP. coaxed them from that to their
next gavorite. The squirrel has hiding
place but we had only short respite from
Soldier Boy fer they clamored to go back
to that after few rounds Of the second
garce:'
While the ring games are going on, other
children are variOusly employed. There
is fascinating sandpile, In which little
! der skinned babies. with big. round eyes,
, dig o>ntentedly for hours with little tin
shu wells, and a row Of soups as they call
the swings, in which more tiny young
sters take their turns Tables are fitted
around the sides Of part of the arches and
| fe-e boys and girls stand and paint Ti(t-
ures In sketch books with boxes Of wafer
colors, 30 interested in the work that net
| a sound viii be heard from them for half
! an hour at a time. They look at books
| here, too, and play card games and check
ers. showing remarkable aptitude in get
| ting the pc ints Of a new game. In another
| arch the girls pather around a table for
| sewing and millinery and the making Of
baskets and little trinkets. The millinery
| occupation consists In trimming dolls
| hats, which Il taught, however, with an eve
! to the liter trimming of the farNily hats
! The re- IA, work Ia keenly enjoyed and the
| little bags and baskets made are proudly
| cherished The weaving CT hammocks has
lately been ntrcduced and Is in great ia
vor. The strands are attached to hooks
| In the wall and the children stand. reaching
| up and out as they weave the mesh.
Outside In the open is played basket
| ball and, In a further arch, baseball, both
| under the charge OF Princeton senior.
Il don't have TO teach them baseball
! he said; -they know that down TO the last
| point. I only have to watch to see that
In their zeal land enthusiasm they don't
| carry off the gloves and balls to use in their
street play Basketball is newer, and when
Il was proposed one Of the BOYS wanted to
| know II that was the 'Yale-Havid' game
! didn't quite like bis putting us OF the foot
! ball field 40 completely and took pains
10 make him understand that basketball
was not football and also that football was
the Princeton Yale Harvard game"
The director and her three assistants,
who keep the work and play going smoot hly,
have q busy but far from embarrassing
time. The tenement youngsters are like
sny other children, perfect little creatures
Of their environment and are constantly
giving delightful bits Of their home life.
Most OF the families are large enough to
sqtisfy even President Roosevelt; but one
, little girl who appeared alore daily was
asked " she had no brother or sister who
would like to come.
no" she replied, my brothers go to
work and there's only the three of us. We've
had thirteen, but the rest is dead, and, oh, "
she finished, proudly, but we had grand
funerals, ma am.
Many Of the children are devout little
Catholics and often carry their religion into
their play. The other day, In the old game
Of London Bridge. which is special, favor
lite with the girls, one OF the two leaders
offered az prize wish "a church of rubies
and diamonds with statue OF our Lord
with rubies and diamonds" She got GO
many more followers than the other leader,
who could only present the inducement
OF "a pretty house with chairs and lounges,
that the game was broken UP and had TO be
readiusted by one OF the workers on more
proportionate basis.
The recent mortal illness OF the Pope
was followed In it's varying phases by the
children with careful reports TO the teachers
every session, apparently under heimpres.
sion that the latter had no other sources Of
information. But on the day Of his death
1t was little girl who was not Catholic
who betrayed the most feeling. As soor
as she reached the grounds, she hurried tc
one Of the workers with the Jews, adding
teacher, don't want to do nuthin.'"
Unlike many OF the other playground
Of the city. this TT York street LOSES NO
hours through the summer because
OF the weather. Showers cannot bet I'M
1t is equally protected from heat. A cur.
rent OF refreshing air sweeps constantly
through tho high arches, while the mass
Of ma sonry overhead and at the sides ef-
fectually shields from the suns rays. SC
cool and comfortable the stone- Qirt pla ".