The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-04-08
DR.. Curtis Elucidates
Need for Fairgrounds
Interesting Address at Dutch Treat by Man
Appointed Supervisor of System
in Washington.

AT the Dutch Treat dinner of the
Fairgrounds committee. given at the
Pythian Hall, last evening. DR.. Henry
8. Curtis, who has come from New York
to supervise the development of public
Fairgrounds in Washington, made
most interesting and instructive address,
in which he described the conditions in
American cities which necessitate the
establishment of special facilities for the
amusement of children, and drew an out
line of the plans which other cities have
found most effective and advantageous
for conducting their Fairgrounds.
Beside Dr. Curtis, Commissioner Mac
farland, Joseph Lee, OF Boston; Cuno
H. Rudolph, chairman Of the committee;
Edgar D. Shaw, Major Sylvester, and
John B. Sherman made speeches. About
100 persons attended the dinner,s and
great enthusiasm for the Fairgrounds
movement was shown.
Dr.. Curtis Address.
DR.. Curtis was given the closest atten-
ton by those present. He said in part:
1.-The problem of the future is the
problem Of the city. The agricultural
life of our forefathers, and the semi
rural life Of our childhood are passing
away. It must be SO.
in 1890 rather less than per cent Of
our popula ton lived in cities and vii
lagos In the census of 1900 a little less
than 50 per cent of the entire population
of the country are said to be living in
country districts While in Massachu-
setts only S.5 per cent, and in Rhode Is
land only per cent are said to be liv-
ing in the country.
in the face of such conditions, it be-
hooyes the sociologist and the statesman
SO to plan our cities that an environ
ulent of nature shall not be utterly ex-
GUIDED.
THE biologists and neurologists are
constantly telling us that the city could
not continue TO exist were it not for
the constant influx of fresh blood that
il is receiving from the country; that
city life leads to degeneration in the
second or third generation. The cities
are becoming too large to be replenfshed
from the farms. The very continuance
of our civilization is bound up with this
problem OF the city, and the central
problem of this cluster of problems
which the city represents is the child.
1.-The playground is the main answer
to this situation The problem OF the
future of the city and of happiness Tor
everyone Is the avoidance of nervous
strain and worry, the securing OF fresh
air. sunshine, and exercise. To all these
problems the answer is the playground.
The children without a playground
and who constantly play in the streets
cause a threefold nervous strain upon
the inhabitants OF the city. The first is
upon the children themselves. They are
exposed TO the noise and dust and heat
of the street to its constant Interruptions
and danger from vehicles. Second, g
strain is put upon ali bicyclists, motor.
men drivers and chaeffeurS who have &c
there. and thirdly. strain Is put upoT
the parents of the children. In com
parison to the relief afforded the cost OF
the Fairgrounds is infinitesimal.
Since the days of our strenuous Pres
fdent. we hear much of race suicide ano
the blameworthiness Of those who shur
the responsibilities OF parenthood;
agree with him entirely, but we have t.
consider, on the other hand, that the
modern city is a hard place to real
children. 1t is the duty of the city TN
der such conditions to make the care OF
the children as easy as possible.
Necessity for Play.
LAS play is so necessary to the child
certainly more necessary than schoo
to a child under eight or ten. the ext
gencies OF our civilization demand thai
we furnish every child with play
ground, and at least. an acre Of play
ground TO every thousand children
though four times as much would b.
better. This would mean somewhere
from 30 to 200 acres of permanent play
grounds for the city CT Washington.
There should be some consistent pol
icy of securing playground arount
All the public schools Some OF tht
German cities now require minimum
play space Of % square feet of play
ground to every child in the school
London requires %. Some of the Jap
anese cites require SO.
THE responsibility rests on Wash
ington TO a peculiar degree to make con