Omaha daily bee., 1905-10-01

evident to the supervisor and teachers that
If the newly opened Fairgrounds were to
be any benefit to the children who swarmed
there by thousands, some other game, some
rival organization must be started, to offset
and finally eXterminate the gang. Now,
boys like organization. Boys like self-gov-
eminent Boys are young animals, who
must have some vigorous outlet for their
animal spirits. In the crowded streets of
the city they cannot find that outlet with
out resorting to rowdyism and crime. They
crave excitement, action, contest, some
thing upon which to exercise their very
active minds as well as bodies. Acting
upon these facts the supervisor elected
captains" from among the boys and or
ganized all kinds OF athletic games Teams
were aformed-base ball, foot ball, basket
ball, track teams gymnasiums were
opened, both inside the building for use in
inclement weather and outside on the play
grounds, interest was excited. The gangs"
began to languish. The boy who had for
merly been the captain of the gang" be-
gan to md more excitement more pleas
ure. more glory in being captain of team.
Rival teams from other parks were chal-
lenged to match games, victories were won,
community pride and community interest
began 10 grow. When it was found that
cigarette smoking and late hours inter
fered with the chances of making a team
the boys began TO "cut out" smoking ana
street prowling. Daily exercise on the field
IN the gymnasium. and on the trimming track
followed by cold plunge and a brisk
rub, began to show results. More bright
eyes and healthy compilations were seen
| in the vicinity of Hamilton Fish park
Organizing the Playground City.
Observing the rivalry among the boys
| for the positions Of captains and ''moni-
tors" Supervisor Kelly determined that the
time was ripe for broader development
II was time that this heterogeneous mass
/ of foreign-born children should begin to
learn self-government, begin to be good
American citizens. As in the old days, the
children were taught war by playing war,
so now they should be taught citizenship
| by playing politics. On July 81 a oonven-
ton was called, at which a city charter,
/ modelled almost exactly after that Of New
I York City, was drawn up, and a constitu-
| ton adopted Incorporating the Fairgrounds
Of Hamilton Fish park into city under
the name of Playground City" and con-
| tanning the following preamble:
In order to insure the furtherance OF
good citizenship. clean athletics. manly
| sports and the development Of good fellow
ship among us, we, the boys Of Hamilton
| Fish park. in convention assembled, hereby
| constitute ourselves the Playground City
| and adopt the following constitution"
| Nominations were then made for mayor
twenty members of the city council. a
comptroller, a police commissioner and 1--WE
captains Of track teams There had been
some talk at first OF having equal suffrage
but. unlike the little girls Of the Little
Farmers community. over in the Dewitts
| Clinton park on the other side of town
| little interest In the subject was shown
among the girls OF Playground City. Com.
ing mostly from Jewish and Italian families
long years OF tradition lay behind them
and Il was plainly evident by their attitude
toward the coming election that they re-
garded the right OF suffrage as being ut
terly at variance with the duties and in
terests Of woman. The franchise, there
fore, was limited to the boy members o.
the new city, and the campaign was in
augurated with a buzz OF interest which .,
entirely absorbed them that the old gang
languished and died a natural death.
II was a process OF natural selection
which led TO the choice Of two OF their oldel
boys for the honorable and responsible Do
sition OF mayor. Nathan Kase and Samue
Neither were the rival candidates. Su
pevisor Kelly, Park Commissioner Pallai