Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-19
SUMMER PLAYGROUND
The Principal Keeps 5000
Boys and Girls Amused,
IT rs WORK FOR HIM
ONLY BRIGHT SPOT IN THE sLUM
CHILDREN's LIVES.
An Arduous Task, but One Tending to
Build Up Good Citizens
Instead of Toughs.
Written for The Star

Written for The Star.
Speaking of hot weather, how'd you ike
to be the summer playground principal?
But before you answer. perhaps you'd like
to know what a playground principals du-
ties are7
Well that's soon told It's up to him TO
keep from 800 to 1900 boys and girls health
fully amused and contented and at peace
with one another these warm afternoons
and nights. That's all.
You believe you wouldn't care for the
tob7 Very we'll; but If you care to pass
an instructive and entertaining afternoon
or evening this week drop IN at one of the
open-lot or schooI-roof Fairgrounds pro-
vided for boys and girls OF public school
age in the poorer and most crowded Sec
tons OF your own city by the school or
municipal authorities and watch the prin-
cipal go through his days work.
Perhaps the first thing that VIII strike
you about him will be his seemingly In
finite patience.
Waiting to Begin.
It is shortly after o'clock OF an after
noon when you reach a playground; Is q
favored hour for throwing open play
grounds to the expectant youngsters who
have been standing in line since 10 o'clock,
perhaps awaiting the event. From / TIL
l:45 the program calls for free play-the
boys on their side do anything they
choose 10 amuse themselves except to fight
or sneak through the gate to the girls
side. Each swing is carrying at least thr2e
youngsters; little chaps. who are scarcely
knee high TO grasshoppers, are trying to do
initiative stunts on the parallel bars and
the travelling rings; some of the older boys
are practicing at basket ball: everybody
seems supremacy happy. when from out the
medley a boy with a tear-statncd face
makes his way to the principals side and
begins to pour into the latter q tale Of
woe about how Jimmy Smith, he hit me.
cause | wanted to swing In his swing and
II amt his swing no longer. noway, cause
he's already had his fifteen swings and
want 10 have my turn, and he won't let
me"
That starts the ball rolling Within the
next half hour II seems that about every
boy in the playground seeks out the princi-
pal to straighten out some misunderstand-
ing or tell him something coptidentially, or
TO ask when such and such game will be
played. But does the principal lose his pa
thence? Not he. He calls each boy by
name slaps him on the back, as like as not
listens attentively to what he has to say.
and II. upon investigation. Johnny Jones
has been wrongfully deprived of his turn
at the swing, Johnny gets the swing: and
so on.
And all the while he is keeping an ear
open TO all corners he is making well-amed
dives at the gate between the boys and
girls sections, yanking back little rascals
who plead for an opportunity TO speak with
their sisters for Jest minute. and shoe
ing back little girls who want TO divide
cakes with their brothers-ostensibly.
He does all this with a smile his face:
he never raises his voice In speaking to his
charges; he is never rough, even with the
most obstreperous.
Tour Of Inspection.
When things look calm among the boys
the girls. While he is talking to his assist
ant In charge of the girls-a young woman
who teaches In public school in season-he
spies two girls swinging standing up.
"Sit down. please" he says to the young
ladies.
Both smile saucily at him-and continue
swinging standing.
Sit down, please" he repeats.
The girls smile again at him-thats all.
sit down. You're likely to fall and hurt
yourselves the way you are now, and we
don't want any accidents"
Slowly the two sit down, one across the
others lap.
That's right" says the principal; and
then aside: You can manage them by
kindness and patience alone. At first they
don't understand when you don't scold them
or make out to cuff them. That's the sort
OF treatment they've been used to all their
lives. Now those two girls have learned
their first lesson In obedience through kind
ness, and l venture 10 say tnat tney Will
give me very little trouble the rest of the
summer. Be kind TO these boys and girls
and they'll reciprocate, as far as their ma
lures and home training will allow"
Lining Up for Work.
1t is now nearing a quarter of 2, the
hour to begin systematic work, II anything
connected with an open-air playground can
be called work The principal goes back to
his side and blows his whistle. All the boys
come running up to him.
Now. all of you line up against the
fence" he says
In Jify, his Instructions have been
obeyed: then he begins sorting out the boys
according to age, until he secures five
groups. The youngest boys-little shavers
az nix and sevo0-number thirty. Singing