New-York tribune., 1903-07-08
SUMNER PLAYTTNE.
Recreation Centres and Vacation
Schools Just Opened.

DCICOOLo q NoC - k5C'OCN'
y,--ls Hebrew boy, with the long nose and the
e-,e1,ls ewes and 10 shirt TO speak Of, is making
= through the crowd Of urchins who surge
,r,-,6 the gymnasium teacher as ocean waves
"a, against q lonely pinnacle Of rock
=, Toss 3 dirty right hand. Teacher" he says.
- tbs uasal half whine. half twang Of the lower
r.e+ ss5e Teacher you would not be mad with
ne 7 was 10 ask you your name?'
.,yThv 10: certainly not Ny name is srythe."
'1What7
"snythe
Nsrs "a call you Hey any uore2"
No"
The lad turns away satisfied: then comes back
49,, with an expression Of cleverness in his beau
,fpl syes. Up goes his hand again.
'Teacher.~
.WeI?'
Hey is for horses. eh?"
This IS the recreation ground opposite Hamilton
rssb Psrk one q the many such which have Just
s4s, opened for the summer. There are between
.srsr and eight hundred boys and girls in attend
s-oe about evenly divided between the sexes. They
are al haTd al work playing The shouts Of the
bovs and the continuous beeIke murnur of the
little children roll over the gravelly incompleteness
r. Hamilton Fish Park, bringing q faint smile TO
the surface Of the park custodtan's cheeks
~Poys VIII pe poys," he remarks genially TO the
policeman whose beat lies through the park
Sure" essents the policeman, hickng thread
of white lint from the ridgepole OF his hat.
N the concrete paved courtyard. under the July
sky some Of the lads are playing basket ball.
Hither and von sway the players. some IN overaIs
and bare feet one or two II sweaters a few clean
and neatly dressed as 4 tidy mothers care were
somewhere IN the background. but many Of them
sal0T unkempt and sloveEly- There are two
men 70 look after theu-ThevaniOu G. Cook. who IS
the principal Of the whole recreation ground, and
director q physical culture at the institution
sor Deaf Mutes on Washington Heights. and both
are clever athletes and gymnasts.
JUMPING THE BUCK
II the foreground are two rows Of boys who are
forming in line 70 take their turn at jumping the
b1ck. There are two bucks and the top Of each IS
kept IN high state Of polish by the rapid success
sion q tTo-ser legs in their transit TO earth.
Over 5y the wall six boys o. about eleven are
working away on the ladder OF these three are
shining Up the poles. and the others are hanging
By their hands from the rungs and pulling them
selves along another group Of youngsters IS anus
ing tssI. with the parable. bars. The lad who is
splitting on his hands preparatory 10 doing a
stunt Is q clever gyranast rs you tell by the
Nay he raises himself top Of the bars. and hold
i-s his little body alofr. proudly waves his feet in
The neighborHood OF the ceiling. The others look
N a1niring-r first one and then another trying
70 co Il after him By and by some OF the boys
Vho are 50 intent over their ring toss will feel
compelled r abandon their game and come and
'ook OF, and 50 The gospel OF athletics gets itself
preached
accidents wiII happen in the best regulated play
grounds
Teacher" cries the thin lad with elbows stick
;ng CT o. his shi-rseeTes that big boy hit me 4
kcE JUST 1oz.'
Teacher The boy with srech,es al over his
rose Is baT-ing. 'rhat boy over there broke his
zoo, a. The knee"
Teacher, that hoy snook tsneaked) into line, -
shouts -t--S
And 50 i goes
n lhe Et-s section the atmosphere * as busy IS
f-Te7arEe1 With happiness and almost as noisy.
: ne p-grai-s and pinafores are busy over some
'-S. -r1n the mites scarcely bigger than babies,
F-2 are knocking down Tiny ni-epLns with lilipu-
nan os-s. 70 The older girls. from seven I'D 70
,s co-s Teo are marching 70 he strains Of The
~ -, - s-1lller +lTle or drilLng IN an aGlo!n-
sos t.9 Iesc- z! nnastlcs ana basketry, man
~ - zE--aergsrfan and play the piano.
10y idea c- z recreation aground said NJ
oerz5 amount 81 iesrsr53 md i19 toto Z ees l,lzs
-. ss---goVe-r-rerr should BE- rhe ideal I lor''
-. :. -9r instance mat u Is good plan watch
- ~, ~ ne --cle- place them On their honor
~ 4ssL.--1-a md have made ? mistake. We allov
- -.s- 3 n the place NOT that blame rhe boys
hgha-g. only they cant DO il here Hamilton
-z-A IS opposite. ard JEaC a-c-Zs them room
,ss-s s-11l-g 1ght o. fglt'ag Il close range. and
Tel to IesDect the scao-- crorerty and fi7ey do
=, .+os1 down profanity, and there IS very little
a-s. Il Le MIDST ot an excited game Yesterday
- = ne bigger bcyE shouted What the h
-e caught stsht q ne and stopped. placing
s-,-,--c over 1-s mouth 7 didn't quite say IT, he
98-E THOUSAND CHILDREN ENROLLED
--ess children are quick 70 notice Nl- snythe
~ college cap with 1913 n gilt letters on II
~. = yoInEster sidle5 Up % him bashfuIly
-7571sr. you have 2 mistake What .Yoy
Fs-.,, a-st7A= You say 'o- but -o1 ought rc
yss -s-'eafion grounds are only part cf the
vs.., s-eLn ot summer instruction and pleasure
e. Ae7-YorA oters lis Children There are
w. s-- vacation schools. twice IS many as las
De-. -- -2-ry thousand children are enrolled II
s-e- -'-e there Is long waiting list q chill
lsy 20 cannot BE- admitted = few of tbes.
s,Pe e---l-ite1 later out il Is feared that Z
eeee,f-,rr ~ W. oe sappoIrrel- one OF ms
H5irs - -acE cT teachers n Ic-artYoArfs FOR
R,rk 49, -s z special demand. such as bencl
esge- - y e-4aet-dn -rcnworE There are about
Esscers .--e- te<c1crs II The schools The roo,
lrse si--0i-ler great and successful enter
s4s gsrJe we thousand children having aftendel
esT - 80 q -f--lgton and Forsythe sJs on Mon.
tsrFr1--r s'r4---E night. The entire system ot
eoc-t &C.. piers, baths and schools employs
Fs-- hundred persons
~ 0ETT0u rIf0 n