The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-07-26
SMALL FOLK LEARN
HOW TO PLAY HARD
Instructed in Indoor and
Outdoor Games.
GIRLS MAKE GOOD GYMNAsTS
Rival Boys in Athletics-Swings, See
Saws, Sliding Poles, Rings, and
Bars All Popular.

Teaching youngsters how to use the
different apparatus at the public play
grounds is one of the most interesting
as Well as exacting of the many duties
performed by the Associated Charities
directors, who have daily supervision of
the grounds.
Many of the little ones, when. they
first join the playground squad. come
with a sublime ignorance of horizontal
and parallel bars. swinging rings. cross
ladders, see-saws, croquet and the many
games that are played indoors when
the weather is bad.
II is when the uninitiated show up
ana wander shyly around the grounds
that the instructors are of greatest
value, On ordinary occasions all they
have 10 do is to walk about and help
keep things lively Those who have
charge of the very little children. how
ever, are excepted, They are busy all
the time.
Teaching Newcomers.
When newcomers appear all the expe-
rience and skin of those in charge of
The grounds is frequently required to
get them 10 join in the play
As q rule they begin on the swings
and the see-saws. They are easy to get
along with, and Il few days enjoyment
OF them makes the timid ones feel an
home.
The instructors keep close watch on
the swings to see that they are used
in manner TO make accidents as I'M
hkely as possible. Under the ends of
the see-saws are piles of sand. which
make soft bed to fall on in case some
oVefboid y0ungster gets too careless
ana loses grip
After the see-saws and the swings come
Ihf Si4dlnS poles. These are smooth
poles, about three inches in diameter,
placed parallel 10 each other. one end
on Inc ground and the other fastened
20 platform ten or twelve feet from
the ground This platform is reached
by ladder. The Whole game CONSISTS
OF climbing 70 the platform, sitting on
the poles and sliding TO the sand pile
Little Folks Like It.
monotonous game. it would seem m
grown-up, but the children never tire
OF 1t. Other apparatus may be desert
Ell. but the sliding poles are always in
use. Also the sliding boards. which are
practically the same only more likely
10 wear out the seats of trousers
BY degrees both girls and boys work
up to the trapezes, rings. and horizon
tai bars. Then they are taken in hand
by the male instructor He Watches
them closely 10 see that they do nor
oVereXert themselves or attempt dan
look out for them
WhlIe these gymnastc exercises are
more Tor the boys. the girls are nur
backward in attempting Them r.
make good gynnasts. TOO. A. soon -
their hands get toughened they can %
anything the boys can do from --shfr7-
hIhS the cat on the horizontal bar 10
swinging the Iuil length OF the ryiug
rings IN proper form.
Teaching The indoor games, however
Is even more of a tax on the ingenuity
OF the teachers. The acquisition of
proficiency in Out-of-dOOr games docs
not require the mental effort Decas=a ~
70 an enjoyment OF the indoor games
teachers find themselves az their wits
end when they are called upon To L<eep
the children interested and happy on
rainy days,
Like a Kindergarten.
Frequently they have to 3lav every
game along with the children, looking
out, at the same time, for those who
are too small to play any kind Of game
In short il Is Il regular kindergarten
affair
The teachers that the Associated
Charities have at the different PLAY
grounds and playrooms measure up to
thekr work, however. What they ac-
compiish il a snort time with absolutely
ignorant children is often marvellous
The greatest difficulty they have TO
confront Is a lack of toys. 1t takes but
little while for toys TO &C to pieces
under the handling they get at the
Fairgrounds DR.. Curtis and his as
s-sIauts are always on the lookout for
anyone who has 4 few old ones on hand
tC give away.
Subscriptions to the playground com
mittee continue to pour in at the bust
ness office of The Times and at Dr.
Curtis office on I street. Most Of the
contributions are small, but the fund
Is growing at the rate of from so 10
81 a day