The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-03-15
IW|LL M|Ss3ARENTs
GET PLAy:GRQ|'UND?!.
i,ss.sl---..--.- II iss s3itf5
Mayor Has Rcco nniendcd That
Clark Spring Properly Be
Sold to Her.
Go'D ID '|::I'' 10 CHILDREN !! j ZEN
MIR. Lee, of Boston, Writes III
tcresting Letter Favoring
the Plan. s.

Mayor Mccarthy has received from
Mr.. Joseph Ice, OF Boston, ylcc.prcsldon
o. tho American Civic Association, n let.
ter urging him to use fis Influence tc
secure for Miss Grace Arents the Clark
Spring property to bio used for play
ground for children.
The property is wnntcd by the Holly
wood Cemetery Association. but Miss
Arcnts has offered to bid as high. and
Mr.. Lee urges that tho preference be
given to the childrcns friend.
1t is case OF the quick against tho
dead; a sale for a cemetery or for a play
ground thnt Will give health and life to
thousands OF little ones.
Mayor Mccarthy in a message to the
Council has advocated q sale to Miss
Arents. not. only because of tho splendid
work she proposes to do, but because he
thinks the growth OF Hollywood will
impede the growth OF the city. and drive
many from tho pleasant locality over
looking the James
At the present time a part OF the Clark
Springs property has been loaned to Miss
sArcnts, who has in operation There a
small play ground for children. II she
Is successful an securing the entire prop
crty, she. will make tho grounds some
three or four. times az large and provide
healthy alnusements of all Kinds for all
sizes of children.
What Mr.. Lee Says.
Mr. Lees letters read In part'as follows:
The beneficial effect OF playground
we'll carried on, as seems likely to be the
case with this one in Richmond is very
great. To look upon the negative side
alone, tho effect of such n playground
in the prevention of law-breaking Is ccr-
tain to DO very great. For instance, the
master OF n grammar school half a mile
from our Columbus Avenue playground.
in Boston. told me the winter after we
started that whereas in previous years
hardly n single week had passed without
complaints being made to him of law
breaking on tile part of llA boys, there
had that year no. been single instance
of such complaint. The testimony of the
police OF that division is the same SINH
lar testimony was obtained from a large
number of policemen in New York city.
at the time of the investigation made by
a committee. of which Jacob A. Riis was
secretary in 1897. ] have sent You their
report. The policemen testified in sub
stance that when a playground was
started the lawlcss gang disappeared. and
their testimony was absolutely uniform.
Here is An opportunity for an investment
that will save the time of your police
men. your courts and the keepers OF your
prisons. to say nothing of saving the lives
and characters OF your children.
The reason why the playground has
such an effect as this is clear to all
those who know the modern city. and
who know the boy as he has always
been and always will be. The sub
stance Of the whole matter Is that
play is m essential part Of a, boys
provision or opportunity for play.
do not think that we who were
brought up in suburbs or In small towns
or small cities realize what the life of the
modern city boy is. Suppose there was
really actually no place where you could
so and play a game bali without being
liable to arrest for playing in the street
or to being driven off mans land for
trespass. AS I say, 1t is difficult to
imagine the situation for those Of us who
did not have to endure IT. What could
a boy do under such circumstances? AS
has been we'll said recently OF the boys
who are arrested In our cities. in nine
cases out of ten the offense is one which
the boy committed simply because he was
a boy. and we should have despiscd him
If lie had not committed 1t. It Is simply
his attempt to lead d normal life. to en-.
ercisc his faculties in the way that the
Lord intended him to do, and for which
NC in our blindness, have made no pro-
vision. TO tho boy In modern city,
without Fairgrounds. the alternative pre-
scented Is either stunting from the disuse
OF his faculties or breaking the law.
The whole question Is one OF giving
tho children tho opportunity that nature
intended them to have to grow up to be
strong and healthy men and women.