Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-08
MANY SPEECHES MADE
WAsHINGToNIANS ADVOCATE
FAIRGROUNDS FOR CHILDREN
Either in City or Suburbs-Commis-
sioner Macfarland's Views
Other Speakers.

dolph presided and addresses were made by
several prominent guests. Among those
present were Commissioner H. 3. F. Mac
farand, who responded to toast; Major
Richard Sylvester and DR.. Henry S. Curtis.
lately recommended by Commissioner Mac
farland as District supervisor of public
Fairgrounds.
After the courses had been served tbs
toastmaster introduced Commissioner Mac
farland. who put the guests into humor-
Gus mood by relating several witty anec-
dotcs. He said he was heartily in accord
with the proposition to have permanent
Fairgrounds, and had the pleasure to
recommend the appointment of DIR. Curtis
as District supervisor. He spoke of the
municipal appropriation for Fairgrounds
and the efforts of the Commissioners to Sc
cure funds for the purpose He said 1T was
impossible to get larger appropriation
than was given, but declared that during
the coming year the Commissioners would
include in their annual budget larger items
for Fairgrounds. He dwelt at some length
upon the generosity and public SpiritedneSS
of the people of Washington in connection
with the project. mo place" he said, rs
characterized by greater civic pride ana
phiIanthropc spirit than Washington. He
said that he was glad to have been present
and to have advocated the establishment OF
permanent Fairgrounds, but that his object
in coming was to listen to the addresses
OF mothers on the subject.
Mai Sylvester's Views.
Major Richard Sylvester was the next
speaker. and responded to a toast to The
President" He prefaced his remarks with
a narration of many incidents leading VI
to his recommendation some time ago for
the establishment of permanent play
grounds for small children.
He spoke of the Presidents sympathy In
the movement and his Endorsement of the
plan. THAT great and good man over near
Lafayette square, he said. when small
boy learned to appreciate the value of play
for health's sake" He said the President
had grown to sturdy manhood, and told of
his different forms of recreation as DEMON
strating his belief that amusement for the
old and young is essential And this man,
the President of the United States" he
added has Endorsed the plan for play
grounds in the District of Columbia" Major
Sylvester said he did not favor their estab-
lishmant in the heart of the city, but pre-
ferred to see them placed in the suburbs.
The speaker said he came with sharpened
appetite and not loaded with long speech.
DR.. Curtis Talks.
DR.. Henry S. Curtis, who was recently
appointed by the Commissioners supervisor
of Fairgrounds in Washington, was the
principal speaker. and delivered an enter
tanning address on the wisest policy to be
pursued In the development of playground
system.
Dr. Curtis said in part:
1.-The problem Of the future is the problem
of the city. The agricultural life of our
forefathers and the rural life of our child
hood are passing away. 1t must be so. AS
the race has advanced, each new year has
discovered some new need and each
new need has supplied new body of men
to- supply it. In 1890 less than per cent
of our population lived IN cities. In the
census of 1900 little less than 90 per cent
of the entire population of our country are
said TO be living in the cities. In the face
of such conditions it behooveS the sociolo-
gtsts and the statesmen to so plan our
cities that an environment OF nature shalI
not be utterly excluded. We are told that
the city Could'not continue to exist were it
not for the constant influx of fresh blood
from the country. and further, city ire
leads to degeneration. The very continu-
anCe of our civil Zat iOn is bound up with
this problem of the city. Why does the
city life often lead to degeneration? Be
cause of it's nervous strain, because ii is
too fast, because of a lack of fresh air and
sunshine and lack of exercise.
The Fairgrounds is the main answer to
the situation The problem of the cities
future and the happiness of every one is
the avoidance of nervous strain. The chill
dren without a playground who constantly
play in the streets cause three-fold
nervous strain upon the Inhabitants of the
selves who are exposed to the dangers of
the street, second strain is caused bicy
clists motormen, drivers. &c, and thirdly
a strain is put upon the parents.
1T is impossible to estimate in dollars
and cents the loss to this generation and
the next in happiness and vigor and length
of life which is represented by this nervous
strain. 1t Is impossible for We cannot
Innate spiritual values upon a monetary
scale In comparison with the relief af
rorded the cost of the Fairgrounds is in
intestinal
A Great Problem.
The problem of the morality of a city
is largely the problem of their amusements,
or. in other words. furnishing them some
attraction in the playground that will draw
them away from the saloon and the brothel.
Our diminishing hours of labor are giving
our people more time for recreation or dis
sipatiOn. Which shall it be? In a natural
state The child gets through play much of
MS physical development The exigencies
OF our civiliza ton demand that we furnish
every child with playground. This means,
OF course. that permanent Fairgrounds
must be scattered over the city in direct
proportion TO the child population. and that
there should be at least one playground
Tor every thousand children. This would
mean somewhere from 30 to 300 play-
grounds for children in the CITY M WI
ington.
There should be some consistent noIjcv
IN securing Fairgrounds around the public
schools The responsibility rests in WASH
lngton TO a peculiar degree to make condi-
tons beneficial. The best present service
the friends of Fairgrounds in Washington
could perform would be to make a man of
the city indicating the sites needed for
Fairgrounds and their probable cost The
government is going 10 awake to this need
soon The city of Washington cannot at
lurd TO be at the tail end of the car of
progress. If some committee has some we'll
organized system to recommend it may be
adopted at once.
You have here in Washington about 10
ptihN IoI adults and not one for children
ms condition Of affairs should be remedIed
anu Fairgrounds should be established
M, Joseph Lee spoke OF the great value
vi pay TO the child i'm the formation of
character The speaker declared that chill
oreh In playing like to play at something
IN "hlch their individuality is brought out
lie said he was not in sympathy with those
VINO wanted to see Fairgrounds established
III the suburbs. believing that they are not
feaully accessible. He advocated the So
lection of spaces near the homes of the chill
dren. INV I'M
Man With the Cash.
MI John B. Sleman, jr., was introduced
next by the toastm ster as 1.-THE man who
handles the cash" The speaker said he did
not deny the allegation, and admitted that