Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-03
As SUMNER RESORTS
American Cities Now Afford
Many Attractions
FOR ''STAY-AT-HOMES''
MUNICIPALITIES PROVIDE BAND
1coNcKRTs AND ATHLETIC FIELDS
Diversions Are SO Interesting and
Hsalthful That to Leave the Aver
ago City Quite Unnecessary.
Written. for The star.

Written for The Star.
1t IN not meet that the people who are
packing UP. preparatory to leaving our
cities for the summer, should expend too
much sympathy on those of US who are
to be left behind Such pity is not in keep
ing with the present day order OF things.
The city is no longer the dread spot of
summer. 1t IS no longer barren waste
It Is no longer q mass of hot brick and
glaring stone and nothing more. In many
ways the city IL getting to be an ideal
summer resort, especially since the munich
palities have begun to realize the necessity
OF doing something to make life more bear
able for the thousands of people who are
compelled to spend the greater part OF sum-
mer over desk and counter. and to whom
not even two weeks run into the country
is practicable.
To this end the up-to-date park is no
longer merely a space of green and trees,
where people may sit stiffiy upon wooden
benches and get what pleasure out of 1t
they may. Practically every park in every
one of our largest cities, and many of these
of the second class. are equipped with all
manner of contrivances for the recreation
of all sorts and conditions of men. women
and children. No one really has just occa-
sion to complain that the means for in
dulging his or her particular form of rec
reation have not been provided.
Listening to the Band.
Chief among summer recreations fur
nished generally nv municina lities Is that
of the band concert.
Thirty odd years .lgo the municipal band
concert was thing not thought Of In
America, although there were few band
Iaa ders who ,ya,,a onen,sr coroerts a. their
own aynanse in e,,uia tion nerhans ~ the
militarY hana concerts of Eurnnean caIio
itals II this fi,na too IN Na,S yorl. tho
hsa 80 80 49, ~ $500 d. III
n nh, t,,a,, cnns;dsraS ~, ur $50
handad tocathay and nroyids5 thsH noaney
for con carfe n, the narf, reaI;zing hand
somsI,, an The inyastment in incrassed re-
i.y M ..e f;t - $50 -. r;.a f
tots No a,.o1,sad ~ a,,thoritgas aS ",
rious municipalities to the realization of
oitias ftaInSe1ya. to a5,,cate The raanle IN
a uonular way and at the same time pro-
vide for their further comfort and we'll
being. So 1t came about that quarter or
century aso Tue city VI SeM LII pesah
ct har cttias u,era not long in following shit.
Today there is scarcely city of the first,
second and third classes that does not pro-
vide band concerts for the public with in
creasing ffberality. on the Island of Man
haitian inward of five hundred concerts. alb
over 300 being held in thirteen different
marks with twenty-fiye bands matchmaking
The recreation piers also were the scenes
of concerts the summer through and in
the outlying horoughs concerts were given
with considerable frequency
That this mode of entertaining the people
at large is a great success goes without
saying. Twenty thousand people frequently
attend a concert in Central Park, many
fashicnably dressed people driving up in
carriages and automobiles and stayine uu-
til the final selection has been played Down
on the East Side the parks are TANNED on
concert night, while in Paramount Park.
Belmont the gently sloping hillside is car
peted with the forms of thousands of home
stayers, all intent upon listening to the band
and drinking in the view of the city and
the beautiful Wissahicken drive ON the
opposite bank Of the Schuylkill
fiay 6ood MUSIC.
me programs played at these concerts
s,anaar that ,r,or,aa,. - .s ,pe''soo
NOT 1oyers ~ COL ,,,,,sio rp,,
nroeran ;ncI,,das 1900, az
march aItu,5ig,ngs,, W.. a,,a -
arao,or. a. poo,.,o.,o .e-...
from .I.,Ariesienne. Bizet: grand fantasv
from "a Midsummer Nights Dream" par.
tholdy -MendeIssohr: intermezzo. Ga ReIle
au Bots Fantasia Tsehaikowsl,y: suite,
.'Peer Gynt." Grieg. and andants sro,,,
THE Surprise Syunhonv y Havdr
1t is the custom fer the hand naas.ars ON
gagged in giving summer concerts tn furnish
programs which meet the approvaI Of their
audiences One concert tn any given To-
cality is sufficient to enable a hand master
to discover its musical taste. and after that
programs are arranged aceordinpIv r.
speaks well for the people at larrs that
even in quarters Of our big CITIES wbare
high musical taste would nor he Ioo,<ed for
the people demand classic salections 80
do not take kindly to a nros-ram naad. an, ~,
entirely of EXCERPTS from the non,,,ar ,,,,s W
of the day. A glance af The proera a,os ~
concerts given in the noorast p,artars . VI os
New York last wear reveals tba faot ~
classic selections predominate 49, 'ti".
Measured by the definite nIa.s,ro ,,,,,,,,.
these municipal concerts give tha nns.
seems infinitesjnal For t6a .s cos -,
the parks of New York 1sst vow 49,, 500 III
2eo was spent, and the exnen.i.,,ra a. 10
cities is relatively small III o'iier
opportunities Ior outdoor Athletics.
The number OF cities 10 i,,cra.s,,,,,
that mo ,nt.y, q, -, ;. - rs SeA'iS
-. a. A' - 'ile PARKS ana open spaces
.neanS LOT young and old Of all classes to
indulge In out-of-door athletic recreation.
No summer hotel. no matter HOW odyor-
ia eeousIv s;t,,a tod c. l,s.
SAtoneSN COIL olttT TO the atfliGt-