The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-08-18
GETS THREE PUBLIC
FAIRGROUNDS FOR
SCHOOL CHILDREN
Civic League Needs $500 With
Which to Equip the Plots
Joint Committee Hopes to
Secure the Amount by Popu-
lar Subscription.

The question of at least three public
Fairgrounds is now up to the people.
The Joint committee of the Commercial
club and Civic league has secured
three plots adjacent to as many public
school buildings. Their equipment and
immediate operation hinges on the
raising of $500 which the committees
hope to secure by popular subscrlp-
ton.
Yesterdays meeting of the joint
committee at the Commercial club dis
closed that Mrs. Hamlin's committee
on scheme had in the one week since
it's appointment accomplished more
than gratifying results.
Briefly, the committee on scheme has
secured, gratis, a plot 120x100 feet adj
joining the Madison school, lot ad-
joining the Jefferson school at Pleasant
avenue and Sherman streets. an option
on plot near the Scheffer school;
equipment sufficient to launch one Of
the proposed grounds and a little
money to be turned into the admins
tration or equipment fund.
The ways and means committee,
headed by County Treasurer Peter ].
Metzdorf, after canVassing the situa-
ton and inspecting the Minneapolis
playground system, reported several
plans for raising funds for immediate
use, and one of them-an appeal for
popular subscription, was adopted by
the joint committee.
May Open Madison Ground Very Soon.
With a little popular assistance the
committee will be able to open the
Madison school playground in a very
short time, and if it can secure $500,
will be enabled to open at least three
grounds and conduct them throughout
the remainder Of the summer and au-
tumn.
The matter of equipment for one
ground is solved in part by the equip
ment taken from the old Civic league
grounds on the West Side. and the
Commons playground. With each par
eel Of equipment is a small sum of
money; and with the, co operation Of
the scheels board Mrs. Hamlin believes
the Madison ground may be opened be-
fore school commences
The committee fons scheme reported
that directors for the grounds could be
secured, but recommended that moth
ing along that line be done until next
spring, and that. all efforts for the
present be. conferred toward securing
grounds and placing them in proper
condition, building fences where equip
1nent is to be kept and generally per-
fecting a plan Of perrnanency.
All the promoters of the playground
permanency can be relied upon, their
work will amount to little. The I'M
derlying thought is the ultimate own
ership of the grounds by the city
through it's school board. otherwise
the Fairgrounds would always be in
imminent danger, of having to give way
for the march of business as was the
case with the old grounds. This dan
ger is emphasized by the fact that the
ho do
sirable plots are for sale, but cannot
be secured through lease
The committee has issued the fol-
| lowing Invitation for popular subscrip-
| tons
Committee Invites Subscriptions.
'EThe joint committee on public play
| grounds appointed by the Woman's Civ
1c league and Commercial club has in
| vestigated the matter. and finds that the
cities of New York. Philadelphia. ST.
Louis Boston, San Francisco, Louisville,
Chicago, Detroit, Minneapolis and num-
Fairgrounds for the children in the vicin-
ity of the public schools wherever pos
sible
''These grounds are properly prepared
and equipped for play and in many in
stances are under the supervision of a
trained director. The results in every case
have been very gratifying. both as to the
physical and moral development of the
In ST. Paul we are sadly deficient in
this matter. In connection with but few
schools are there adequate grounds. In
no case has there been any proper ar
rangement for play.
"A subcommittee has reported that
grounds can be Immediately secured with
| out charge in connection with the Jeffer-
| son, Madison and Scheffer schools, and
| steps are being taken to secure ground
near the Washington and Monroe schools
A few schools now have some ground
which can be utilized by the expenditure
| of small amount of money.
THE committee desires to at once un-
| dertake the Improvement of these grounds
so that they may be adapted for the use
| of the children this fall and winter, and
| they estimate the initial expense to be at
| least $500.
1.-The committee is confident that the
| generous people of st. Paul will feel it a
privilege to contribute to this fund.- and
| request that money for this purpose be
sent to c. P. Slime. secretary Of the Com
mercial club. st. Paul, MINI.
Contributions will be properly &C
/ knowledged.''