The Washington times., 1905-08-08
PLENTY Of SPORT
FOR ALL HANDS
TOurnament-Day Plans for
the Fairgrounds.
ADDRESS TO INSTRUCTORS
Urged by Supervisor Curtis to Join
the Children in Their
Games.

a meeting of the directors of the pub
lie Fairgrounds was held last evening
at SII G street northwest. Definite ar
rangements were made for the weekly
athletic tournament to be held on all the
reservations II was decided that sat
urday would be the best day to hold the
games, and the following program was
adopted as a uniform one for all the
grounds; Twenty-Five. sixty, and 100
yard dashes, high and broad jumps, po-
tato and relay races, baseball, basket
ball, volley ball, and tennis games. Next
Saturday it is the intention TO have ali
the directors carry out this program on
their own grounds. The following week
picked teams from one ground Will visit
another This viii give the boys
definite object TO Work for ana serve &c
get them into condition Tor the large
open meet which viii be given as a
grand finale to the playground season.
How to Spin Wool
Miss Harrington. OF Baltimore. gave
the women directors instructions how 10
spin wool on small cardboard looms
Supervisor Curtis has secured several
hundred of these looms and intends to
make the weaving OF caps, mittens. etc,
a feature of the kindergarten work.
Dr. Curtis made a short address in
which he urged the instructors to join
with the children in their play. He said
that a man or woman who stood around
merely watching the children and not
taking. any part in the games would
never be able 10 get hold on the
child or become intimately acquainted
with his habits
the most important phase of the play
ground system BY this means the child
is kept amused and interest does not
lag. The game vii be part or the
tournament at the end of the season,
and l want every child, no matter how
small. 10 participate IN some manner II
he or she so desires. The teachers must
get In and play with the children. This
Is the keynote of success
A book giving the rules for several hum
dred outdoor games which may be play
ed without a apparatus was given 10 each
Instructor last night and they were
urged 10 teach the children as many
different ones as possible Each day
they should be drilled in at least one
new game.
The advisabiIity OF a daily program
was discussed by DR. Curtis. The sing
ing Of patriotic songs vii be the open
ing exercies on many of the grounds.
Following this a certain time will be
set aside for the different games, and
on the grounds where there is kinder
garten work 8 special time given to pa
per weaving, wool spinning, basket work
and rafha work Many OF the women IN
SITucIOrS are now GeNOlnS Il CEi tam
period daily to story telling and read
ing.
Testimony of Appreciation.
AS a striking testimonial Of the pleas
ure and benefits the directors OF the
Fairgrounds are getting IN return for
their efforts, the following letter from
one of the instructors voices the senti-
rnents which is heard on nearly all OF
the grounds daily.
lob B street southeast.
August D. 1905.
Ny dear Mr.. Curtis: ] want TO express
my thanks for having been allowed the
privilege of having charge of one OF the
Fairgrounds this summer I feel that
/ have been helped very greatly by this
work. and : know I shall be a better
teacher for the experience. We teach
ers need to get into the ehiids play
more than we do. for II is only IN this
way that we really know, or reach the
child
I wish that every teacher could share
the good this work has done me.
I mounted and left at the WaIlach
School specimens of the children's work
which 1 thought you might Ike 10 have
Thanking you again for the help I have
gotten from the work. I am very sin
cerely, SADIE L. YOECKEL.