The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-05-29
Children's Playground in Military
Park a Constant Source Of Pleasure
AreA Kinds TaeirA
% After Welfare of tn Ones.
Swings andO Paraphe

used TO know; and at either end is a cross
piece that prevents the teeterers from slip
ping down the board.
THE APPROVED MANNER.
That is. it does if they teeter in the ap-
proved manner; but what's the use of doing
things always in the approved manner
anyone can do that Edith prefers to do
stunts on the teeter-totter; she sits side
ways first; she teeters without hanging to
the crosspieee, hands up in the air, straight
little back bent backwards as the
teeter swings her up in the air; finally
she draws her toes up under her and that
proves her undoing. AS the teeter swings
up. Edith sitting crosslegged like Turk.
loses her balance and down she slides, end
ing in little heap against Martha at the
other end. No damage is done except by
fright, but Edith is a bit subdued when
she resumes her place at the other end of
the long board. and she grips it firmly
tins time with knees and hands.
The teeter-totter is a famous place for
gossip as you will discover if you visit
the playground. Two of the teeterers are
deep in the discussion of their respective
schoolroomS and their conversation takes
on the artificial tone which older converse
tionalists are apt to adopt when they are
sure they are being overheard.
Yes, she says she will pass child when
ever ii isn't entirely impossible; 1 heard
her say SO myself; those was her very
words"
'Oh my. isn't that lovely Was you ever
in Eva Jones'S room? She isn't right in
her head, and she says the funniest things
Why you'd just die a-laughing. But they
pass her because they have to because if
they didn't why she'd never pass"
'Oh, myi Well l should think that maybe
that would be all right in the low grades
where you don't have to know much any
way, but what will they do when she gets
n no lCh doc
oh well / guess they just tell em
about her you know-and they'll let her
pass. They have TO do that with people
that amt right in their heads you know, or
else they never pass"
The slfdinS-board is the favorite amuse-
ment for the wee ones, perhaps. 1t is a
jolly arrangement, and Mrs. Stockdale says
proudly that ii is her very own invention.
wide, springy board, which in the begin
ming probably was as smooth and slippery
as II was possible for carpenters to make
it, and which after its time of service has
taken past master degree of smoethness
and polish, is placed over another of the
very harmless and very necessary horses"
which the small ones climb to slide down
the slippery surface of the board. The ETH
quette of the sliding-board prescribes no
particular way of going down; one may
go down backwards, or even on ones
tummy if one prefers, and ii is all one to
the other sliders. But there is one thing
insisted upon, and that is fairness in the
matter of turns. When you've had your
slide it's no fair to crowd in ahead of some
of the others in the line and get another:
the real right way is to go down to the end
and wait. Sometimes the sliders let ETH
quette slide as well. and the result is usu-
ally the same as it is when one Hampers
with any of the other laws of nature-the
tamperer comes 10 grief Small Anna found
that out the other afternoon. Small Anna
is feminine, and naturally she takes kindly
TO the disregarding of laws of justice and
equality also, she is fond of the sliding
board. So. as soon as she landed on the
ground after one swift, exhilarating slide,