Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-21
HELP FOR FAIRGROUNDS.
Funds Needed to Carry on Summer
Work

1t is stated that 81, 100 of the S. 900 needed
to carry on the Fairgrounds this summer
has not been raised. The large benevolent
public whose names are on all the charity
rolls 1t is stated by the committee, have
already contributed Nearly every dealer
In athletic goods or children's games has
given generously. But there are many par
ents and lovers of children, whose names
are on no other lists, who the committee
feels can perhaps only afford to give dol
lar or so, who have not given, According
to a member of the committee "a dollar
will give child directed play ground
for the summer. A dollar may not be much,
but thousand such contributions will solve
our problem II is the dollar man who is
getting all the benefit, for the children Of
500 man are out OF the city
THE government printing office yester-
day sent in $343. which had been collected
from its employees. The gentlemen in the
other departments are no less interested in
the children. Why should they not be
equally responsive? If you have 81 for us.
II is easy to put 1t in letter and send 1t
TO John b. Sleman, jr.. 14OS New York ave-
bine with three or four others until it be-
comes dollar, as gentlemen in several
other departments have already done.
I'VE have an attendance now of more
than 100 children to each playground, de-
spite the fact that there is almost no ap-
paratus in some of them. If we had the
money to equip them properly the attend
ance would be twice as great and the chill
dren would get much more pleasure and
profit from them. If the community will
help the children now. the children will
stand ready to help the community later:
but If the community neglects the children
now 1t will have to spend ten times as
much on jails and reformatories later for,
as the lord chief justice of England said
last week: After forty years experience at
the bar and not few on the bench / can
confidently say that second only to drink
as the cause of crime is the difficulty of
finding healthful and innocent recreation
for the young. The only playground they
have is the street by the very accident of
their existence, and this leads to pitch and
toss. gambling and drinking
There are many who have intended to
contribute to the playground fund who thus
lar have not done so. There are many
felt that the amount was going to be raised
without their aid. To both of these classes
the playground committee makes its ap-
peal to do 1t now so that 1t may know
now 10 plan Its expenses for the rest of
the summer.
The attendance at nearly all the public
Fairgrounds is steadily increasing. and the
numbers are now running considerably over
ioo each The new equipment which con-
sists OF steel frame work, set in con-
crete, to which baby swings, see-saws and
telter ladders are to be attached, has ar
rived and has already been put up In three
or the new Fairgrounds. 1t is expected
that all the apparatus will be IN position
by the first Of next week
The contribution of S343 which was re-
ceived yesterday from the government print
Ing ONCE represented every department of
that office, and manifests the warm SYM
pathy Of the printers in the movement. A
number OF them are also serving as volun-
teers at the playground at North Capitol
and l..
Col. Cromwell has granted the use Of the
reservation at Vermont avenue and u
street for tennis and the one bounded by
New York and New Jersey avenues and
LIST street for croQuet. 1t Is to be hoped
that the public will make use of these priv
neges, FOR doubtless many more such con-
cessions will be granted If the need of them
Is demonstrated and present concessions
are made use of.