Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1905-05-25
4 GENEROUS JERSEYMAN.

Cornelius Zabriskie, a wealthy and gem
erously disposed citizen Of Jersey City, has
purchased and given to that municipality.
certain vacant lots to be used as a play
ground. These lots are in congested tene
ment district, and are in the vicinity Of a
school crowded with boys and girls.
Recently, The True american alluded to
the Fairgrounds, particularly for boys. II
was suggested that the youngsters should
have ball grounds, where the boys, who are
to become the ball players and the strong
bodied men Of the future, could enjoy the
game. The Jersey City ,Journal, compile
menting Mr.. Zabriskie upon bis gift, takes
a view similar to our own, when it says:
Men who were boys when there were vacant
lots in abundance in most sections OF jersey
City can remember with pleasure the games OF
ball they enjoyed without let or hindrance, and
they feel sorry for the boys OF today who are re-
dueed to the necessity Of playing on the streets
with pickcts out to warn them OF the approach
of policeman. This is the source OF . demand
for play-gronds and Is the basis for many
propositions for small parks
1t would be q good thing for the boys and for
the city il few blocks OF cheap land were
bought, graded and left as commons where
boys could play. This would not be as expen-
sive as parks, and it would do more good for the
boys.
Trenton, while the city is yet widely
scattered, and while property is cheap,
needs some benefactor to follow the example
set BY Mr.. Zabriskie. The reward for we'll
doing will not be found in any permanent
movement, but in the higher satisfaction Of
having given pleasure to children and in
the knowledge that athletic exercise, par
ticularly ball playing, produces men of
sound constitutions, able at least, to fight
the industrial BATTLES of life.
Trenton True American.
It occurs to us that there is food for
thought in the above article. Cities ali
over the country are seeking spaces that
can be converted into recreation grounds
for the children. A gentleman from our
county who had recently been to Boston
informs us that feature Of the schools
there that attracted his admiration was the
great play grounds surrounding the school
buildings. At BernardsYille, this State, a
100000 school house has recently been
erected on twenty-seven acre lot.
It is possible that sometime in the future,
when Fairgrounds are as scarce in Woode
bury as in other and larger cities of tn
State to-day, a generous citizen will come
forward and give the needed land for play
ground, but there is always the difficulty
of finding suitable ground
We are about to build a school house in
Woodbury. and many sites are offered,
varying in extent from half an acre to an
acre and a half. One site contains over six
acres Prices demanded for these sites
range from 81, 500 to SIG, 900. For the six
acre tract the sum Of $1,000 was de-
manded, and contract for purchase entered
into That contract has been annuled, and
the question Of Site is again an open
one.
School houses, it seems to us, should be
built not only for the present, but so
with view to the future. AS years pass,
more and more school room will be needed,
and if every time few school rooms are
needed the problem of site is to be met,
the school debt will be a growing one for
all times.
There is not a bit Of doubt that public
opinion as to the desirability of the Marley
Lot as a school site has undergone radical
change within the past two months People
have discovered that it is not frog pond
that it is not under water, in fact that it is
safe building ground, and desirably To-
Gated. A good many people, we believe,
are yet convinced that the price, S11 900, is
too high, yet these same people would be
willing to have the Board pay SIG, 900 for
site that would accommodate school
buildings needed now, but not meet the
idea Of play grounds, or allow for future
additions.
The people Of Woodbury. have made
much progress in the past twenty-five years
along lines of municipal progress They
wisely decided some fifteen years ago to
build their own water works and not vote
the franchise to private corporation;
they did the same with sewers, and will
some day own their own light plant.
Public school questions are more i'm
portant than any Of these, and to close our
eyes now to features Of school building
that are recognized as important all over
the land viii sometime be source or re-
gret to the entire city.