The Washington times., 1904-07-19
TUESDAY, JULY 10. 1904
Fairgrounds for Children.

Eminent political economists agree
that the home is the bulwark of the
nation. Eminent sociologists agree
that the child is the bulwark of the
home. The world in general is quite
agreed that the eminent political
economists and the eminent sociolo-
gists are about right The value of
the child to the nation may, there
fore. be written down as too self-evi-
dent to require proof.
The child differs from the adult in
degree, not in kind. When the man
does not make play out of his work,
he works that he may play. The child
is less given to subtle distinctions.
The business of his life is strictly
play, and he pursues il with a single
hearted purpose that should win ad-
miration Of the adult. instead of ana
themas because the child is charac-
play
1t is universally recognized that
man without work is a useless crea-
ture, however important he may seem
to the tradesmen who supply him
with clothes, food, and automobiles.
Why is it that thes world is so slow
to recognize that atchild without his
play is in the same category, and
that, consequently, as a matter of
self-protection, the city, State, and
nation owe the child a proper place
to play?
This problem wasl first tackled in
Washington in 1898 by Major SylYes-
ter, the Superintendent of Police. In
that year he placed himself on record
as follows:
"The small boy in all large cities
has long sincesbecOme not only sub
ject of much complaint, but he has
frequently fallen into the hands of
the police. The continued encroach-
ment upon the privileges formerly
enjoyed by him has had much to do
with his early downfall. Driven from
pillar to post. defeated in his at
tempts to play ball on vacant lots or
in the streets, to swim in the river
along the city front, or to participate
in any amusement which occasions
exuberatiOn, described in complaints
as unusual noise compels him 70
seek seclusion, where he finds more
dangerous sport to occupy his leisure
time. This condition of affairs is a
forcible argument for a playground"
The agitation of this matter for
some five years has resulted in the
eight Fairgrounds now in operation
within the limits OF the city of Wash
inston, for the establishing and main
tanning of which no public money is
appropriated. The Fairgrounds are
situated at North Capitol and i
Streets, First and P northwest. Ninth
and Virginia Avenue southeast, 456
n Street southwest, First and Della
ware Avenue southwest, 468 n Street
southwest, Fifteenth and II north
east, Tenth and V northwest.
Grounds are also being cleared be-
tween Third. Delaware Avenue, and
NJ Street southwest. These grounds
are equipped with swings, sandboxes,
travelling rings. chutes, baseball
grounds, where there is room enough,
and gymnasium ifixtures-admirabl
equipped, in fact. .as far as they 90.
But the apparent fact is that there
are not enough of them. Parents
naturally will not send their chill
dren long distances to play unless the
children are accompanied by some re-
sponsible person, and this is just what
parents whose children really need
Fairgrounds cannot do. The street is
not a proper playground for any
child Children in vacant lots are re-
garded as nuisances. Hear what
Major Sylvester says:
''The complaints that / get from
people about children worrying them
by playing on vacant lots are ridicu-
lous in the extreme. We have re-
ceived more this summer than ever
before. and II seems TO me that the
young American gets the worst end
of the deal in every case. There are
some people in this town that talk
about fiye-year-old children as If the
little things were ogres and terrors."
The selhshness of such people is
plain, but 1t is also plain that as long
as they complain the police are
Obliged TO act, and that means chas-
ing the children of the lots.
The Times is not so omniscent as
TO feel that it can give an adequate
solution of difficulty which has been
engrossing some Of the best thought
Of the city FOR many years. But IT
does believe that the time has ar
rived for serious public attention 10
be given to this important matter.
1t also believes that the mainten-
ance Of Fairgrounds for the children