The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-06-15
Charity Near at Home.

for Fairgrounds and The Pittsbure
Woman's Clubs can raise SIC, 600, the
Capital City ought not to find it hard
to raise $1,000.
II each parent gives what he can
easily afford, if it be only SO or %
cents, the sum will be raised at once.
II every child brings 10 cents, the
good work can go on and probably
more Fairgrounds can be opened.
These three matter-cf-fa common
sense propositions are put to the peo-
pie OF Washington by the citizens
committee on Fairgrounds. They rep
resent the considerations of municipal
responsibility, parental interest, and
practical method. They are designed
to touch, and they ought to touch,
every reader of every newspaper in
the District of Columbia.
The public Fairgrounds which this
committee has maintained have
proven their value. They have pro-
vided breathing space for the children
on the streets. They have provided
apparatus for play with a method be-
hind it. They have provided a super
vision over the little ones as watchfuI
and as developing in its influence as
any that the parents might have
given. So much has been done by
contributions from citizens who have
observed this work and given to it be-
cause of the good they have seen
it do.
But the funds these citizens can
contribute coupled with the $4,000
allowance made by Congress cannot
provide for even one child out of a
hundred. The cost of caring for the
remaining ninety-nine and over is not
more than 81 a child. And that 81
will obtain for that child not physical
development alone, but healthful, nor
NAL, and pleasant companionship.
Surely this is sufficient reason for
the interest of every citizen. THE
boy without. a playground" as the ap-
peal says, SIS the father Of the man
without job" If 1t is important
that the schools shall train his mind.
1t is at least equally important that
his training shall not stop there.
Other cities have not stopped there.
To this general interest among the
Whole body of citizens the parent
adds a. special interest, an interest
that touches him every day and
touches his child every day. For the
parent profits directly through the
playground in his neighborhood. No
boy sneaks off to some stagnant pond
to sail his boat at the risk of his life,
or down an alley to lounge about with
loafers, when all the other boys in the
neighborhood are playing real games
with grown up" apr aratus. No little
girl skips rope in the street. lodging
teams and pounding the soles of her
feet on the asphalt, when there are
swings and hop-scotch courts and a
fine field for cross-fox around the cor
ner. And the babies need not run
under horses feet if they can taste
the joys of a good sand pile.
All this for a dollari What
chance this is for the 81 man all over
the city. Here his contribution ac-
composites practical, tangible good.
Here he gives to cause that touches
him intimately. If he cannot give 81,
he can give SO cents, and care for a
child for month and half. Even
rs cents will mean health and joy to
child for twenty-one days
And If there is any man in Wash
ington who will not give 81 or so
cents or 25 cents for the sake of the
children, surely he will De willing to
give it that some poor mother, swell
tering in hot kitchen, may have a
respite from watching over her babies
an hour or two hours or half a day
six days in the week. There never
was a charity which came nearer
home than this.