The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-06-30
OPEN FAIRGROUNDS
ON COMO AVENUE
Civic League Entertains Repre-.
SeRtattveS of Commercial
Club and City Officials


formally opened yesterday by a recep-
ton and luncheon given by the execu-
tive council of the Civic league to rep
reSentatives of the Commercial club
and to city officials, the event occur
ring in the shelter house on the play
grounds.
Although the unfavorable weather
has prevented the completion of the
improvements in charge of Supt Le-
land, the grounds were crowded with
youngsters when the guests arrived
in a chartered street car. The swings
and other kinds of amusements are
being put in place, and in few days
the grounds will be ready for use. The
shelter house, which contains bath
rooms for the boys and for the girls is
ready.
Those who attended were r. D..
O'Brien and Winn Powers, from the
assembly; J. W. L. Corning, from the
board of aldermen; Louis Betz, city
comptroller: f. H. Ellerbe, city build
ing inspector; George n. Gerlach, SUI
perintendent of school buildings; Theo.
f. Smith, president, and c. p. Slime,
secretary, Of the Commercial club; A.
w. Gutridge, secretary of the AssOci-
ated Charities; w. E. Bramhall and DR..
E. w. Dunning.
After luncheon DR.. Dunning intro
duced the subject of Fairgrounds and
the object of their establishment in st.
Paul, saying that the suggestion was
doubles due to Mrs. Condo Hamlin,
at the time president of the Civic
league. The question had been taken
up by committees from the CONNER
cial club and from the Civic league less
than a year ago.
Credit Due to Civic League
But the credit for the success of
the movement is largely due to the
ladies of the Civic league" he declared.
AN appropriation of $4,000 was Sc
cured from the city, of which $425 was
expended for bringing the property to
grade, $500 has been spent for the
building, $3.50 for appliances and $500
will be needed to pay salaries for the
season, making the total expenditure
$2,175, and leaving 1925 for incidental
expenses
DR.. Dunning said that he believed
when the Como avenue Fairgrounds.
have been made the success they are
destined to be that others will be To-
Gated in different sections of st. Paul
Theo. F. Smith, president of the
Commercial club, complimented the
members of the committee on what
had been accomplished with such d
comparatively small amount of money.
I'VE need more such places in st.
Paul." he declared. There should be
one in every ward, and to accomplish
this more men and women are needed
who take an interest in such affairs
1t should be remembered that the chill
dren of today will soon be the tax
payers and officials of the city. In
their youth is the time to educate
them as to what can be and should be
done, and it would be difficult to con-
ceive of any method so effectual as
filling in their spare time by providing
for harmless play.
Supt. Leland said that the, study of
the play of children is most interest
ing, it having been found that until
they have reached the. age of from
thirteen to fourteen children are gem
orally individualistic in their play aft
er which the team spirit develops.
Play, he held, can be taught effective
ly, and serves to develop citizens who
will take an interest in the welfare OF
the city.
Children to Form City Government
"The idea is to form a city govern
| ment at the Fairgrounds" he said.
| There will be mayor, members of the
| council, a park board, a health board
and other officials. 1t will be the duty
| of the members of the park board, who
| must be elected by popular vote, to
| keep the grounds in condition from a
park standpoint, while the board of
| public works must clean the walks and
| grounds. 1t will be the duty of the
| board of health to assist in washing
i the children too young to care for
| themselves. Figuratively, the children
| will be taxed so much each season,
| and required to work out the tax by
| cutting weeds and performing other
duties. 1t has been found that by this
a al Troy h iV01T n06 70
| take deep interest in the playground
| system
| Mr.. Leland said that when the play
| grounds at Harriet island, those at
| Como park and those on Como avenue
are in full operation it will be possible
| to form teams of different kinds and
| have competition for a pennant.
IF all the efforts which are being
/ made to reform adults should here
| after be bestowed upon the future gen.
| GRAFTON it would not be more than
| thirty years until good results would
| be apparent" declared Louis BetZ, city
comptroller, and the sentiment was
| roundly applauded. MY hearty in
| dOrsement of the playground system is
caused by the fact that their existence
! encourages cleanliness, manliness and
| all those qualities that go to make up
| good citizens" he continued. THE in
struction received is invaluable, it be-
| ing just as important that the children
! be instructed in the best method of
playing as best manner to do work.
ExceIs Boston Fairgrounds
A. w. Gutridge, secretary of the As
! ISOLATED Charities, had investigated
| Fairgrounds in Boston while on a re-
| cent Eastern trip, and declared that
| the one being formally opened would
| eclipse any that he had seen. Having
| taken a deep interest in the success
| of the playground project he felt graf
| flied.
Mrs. w. E. Bramhall, president of
| the Civic league, and in charge of the
| reception, contended that the influence
| of the Fairgrounds on the children
| cannot be overestimated.
| There is too great a break between
| the school and the home,' she declared
and the children must find some way
| in which to expend their surplus vital
ity. Much of the energy that has gone
! into the destruction of fences and in
| the preparation of divers tricks will
go into play, which will fill in the gap
| between the school and the home On
| the playground the child is forced to
learn fairness and naturally aspires to
! become strong and active by example
| The boy who finds that cigarette smok-
ing interfereS with his speed and en-
| durance is liable to give up their use
| this being a stronger argument to boy
! nature than any amount of talk Boys
who play hard never, I believe. be-
come tramps. the hard play developing
| a desire for activity that can only be