Evening star., 1903-07-27
EQUIP PLAY GROUNDS
Colonel Symons Favors an
Appropriation.
USE OF THE PARKS
MONEY NEEDED TO BUY SUIT
ABLE APPARATUS.
The Wisdom and Economy Of Provid-
ing Recreation Places for
the Young.

In his first annual report submitted to-
day. Col. 7. w. Symons, the engineer off,
Ger In charge of public buildings and
grounds. has a chapter on children's play
grounds. This Is a subject" he says. Ito
which desire to invite special attention.
Persons interested in the well-being and
development of the inhabitants of cities are
seeing more and more clearly the necessity
of providing places where children and
young people can take exercise and find in
nocent recreation, and the great value
thereof in developing health of body and
mind in the citizens Of the future Where
ever play grounds have been provided the
beneficial results have been Immediately
manifest. A suitable play ground draws
children by the hundreds from streets and
| alleys where their occupations and amuse-
| ments are of more or less questionable
character, and brings them together,
where, under the care and control of suit
able persons. they can indulge in pleasant,
| innocent and interesting exercises. competl-
| tions and games. Many cities are quite ad-
vanced in this particular matter. and some
have expended vast sums of money In pro-
viding these play grounds and breathing
spots, where their crowded INHABITANTS can
| get little relief.
ACL1Ou OIL congress.
"The desirability of public play grounds
| in Washington has been recognized by Con-
gress to limited extent, as shown by the
two laws on the subject:
"Act of Congress approved August 30.
| 1890: The officer In charge OF public build
| fnes and grounds may authorize the tempo
| rary use of a portion of the Monument
| grounds or grounds south Of the Executive
| Mansion or other reservations in the DIS
| trict of Columbia for a childrens play
grounds, under regulations to be prescribed
| by him
| in charge of public buildings and grounds
shall authorize the use Of a portion of the
| ground within the circle south of the Ex-
| ecutive Mansion for chiidrens play
| ground under regulations to be prescribed
by him
ground was set aside between B street
| north and the main drive north of the
! Washington monument. This contains
about eight acres and is in use every pleas
| ant day.
Act approved March 3. 1903: The officer
| in charge of public buildings and grounds
| may hereafter authorize the temporary use
| of the Monument grounds or grounds south
| of the Executive Mansion or other reser-
| vations in the District of Columbia for play
| grounds for children and adults, under reg
! ulations to be prescribed by him.
| Under the additional legislation granted
| by the act last named large number OF
| permits have been granted each month to
| play base ball upon that portion of the Mon
| ument grounds already set aside as a play
| grounds. In fact, requests for these per-
| mits have come from more organizat tions
/ and aggregations of individuals than could
| be accommodated at any one time on the
| area available for the purpose.
| Several years ago reservation 128, at the
junction Of Georgia and Virginia avenues
| and L street, between 9th and 11th streets
| southeast, was graded and has been allowed
| a nlay ground since
| between and l. and 5th and 7th streets
| southeast. was allowed to be used for ball
| playing until 1t was shown to be too small
| for the purpose. On some of the smaller
| reservations croquet has been permitted.
| While there are not many parks or reser-
| vations where base ball or foot ball or other
games requiring much space can be per-
| m1tted, there are numbers where the area
| Is adequate for the installation of the SIM
| pie apparatus needed in a playground for
| small children.
| An Appropriation Needed.
1t Is respectfully submitted that per-
mission to use these reservations and pub
| lie grounds is not sufficient An appropria-
ton should be made for fitting them up.
| and every year the necessary appropria-
| tions should be made for their care extern
| sion and renewals as apparatus Is worn out
or broken. do not believe that there is
| any other way in which a small amount
can be expended which would do more good
| or give greater pleasure result in more
| lasting benefit, than money appropriated
and expended for fitting up, caring for and
| maintaining children's Fairgrounds Some
small Fairgrounds have been established
| on private property with money subscribed
| by the generous people of Washington but
tho matter needs far more general, Wig
| orous and immediate treatment than is DOS
| sible on the subscription basis
| Il would therefore recommend that an
| appropriation Of $4,000 be made for estat b
fishing. maintaining and caring for chill
| dren's Fairgrounds on public reservations
| In Washington and authority given this Of
| flee to erect or permit the necessary struc-
lures thereon. I beg, furthermore, to invite
attention to report on public play
grounds by Mr.. George H. Brown, land
scape gardener. which Is appended hereto.
as appendix B., and which contains much
interesting matter and valuable informa-
MI. Browns Recommendation
In an accompanying report Mr.. George II.
Brown. landscape gardener. makes num-
Der OF pertinent comments on the subject OF
public play grounds. In part Mr.. Brown
says:
"It is now generally recognized that street
| play is in a large measure an evil, and that
! the space between curbs Is altogether too
narrow and confined for the physical devel-
| York. Boston and Buffalo in the east and
north and a number Of large cities in the
west and south have made commendabIe
progress IN establishing play grounds In the
thickly settled sections of their cities, and
open air spaces have also been set apart in
the parks and park places Of very many
other smaller cities, where children and
young people Of more advanced age can
gather and romp and play games. etc.
under only such limited restrictions as are
found to be necessary for their protection
and we'll being. in connection with this
work and in furtherance of 1t. many city
governments have made liberal appropria-
tons for increasing the number Of their
play grounds. providing gymnastic appara-
tus. swings. see-saws, sand heaps and other
good things for the childrens recreation
and enjoyment.
washington is not yet densely popu-
lated we have no tenement house districts
like Chicago and New York, and our open
air spaces are abundant dotting the inter
sections OF streets and avenues in every
section Of the city. This in a large measure
has prevented the excitement incident to
the play grounds movement In other cities
from reaching us to any great extent
Our parks. squares. circles and small
parklets comprise in all about 300 reservn-
tfons, and are so wrely distributed that
few sections of Washington u,ftho,,<