Los Angeles herald., 1906-07-05
BOYS AND GIRLS
ENTER CONTESTS
CHILDREN RUN RACES ON THE
PLAYGROUND
Violet Street School Scene of Multi
tude of Happy Youngsters Who
Carry Away Scores of
Prizes

About thousand, grimy, grinning
and altogether happy youngsters cele-
brated the Fourth of July Yesterday at
the Violet street playground. Races, in
winch the contestants ranged between
Tiny girls and husky negroes who could
earn their living as farm hands were
held. With set teeth and flashing ewes.
the little tads and the big ones, too,
mixed along the course which was
marked out by Physical Director c.
B. Raitt.
The Violet street playground is open
all the year round. 1t was established
more than a year ago. and has since
Deen the most popular institution in
the section of the city in which it is
located.
Director Raitt is the idol of the chill
dren who flock to the playground every
Gay: Every nationality to he found IN
Southern California Is represented
among the children who daily play at
me Violet street grounds. Poles, Mex
leans, negroes, Russians, Japanese
French, German and English children
were in the contests and in many cases
the rivalry as to the winner has some
thing of race pride about it.
Youngsters Ran Races
The exercises of the afternoon We're
the children of the advantages and
privileges enjoyed by the citizens of
this glorious republic. Park Commits
sioner Lamb was next to speak. and
he expatiated upon the rewards which
the children might win if they went
to work in parks. DIR. Lamb said that
any child there present might work up
IN time to the position of foreman in
a park. After DR.. Lamb finished a
large flag was raised to the f1agpole
on the roof of the building and after
It had been saluted with cannon shots
the races and contests which all the
started.
The first race was about 100 yards
and boys under the age of were eligi-
ME Shedrlck Brown, tiny negro lad,
annexed the baseball which was the
first prize. The next contest was for
boys whose ages are between 6 and 10.
James Williams. another negro boy.
won the finger glove which was offered
the victor
Boys Given Prizes
The next race required three heats TO
decide 1t. Boys between the ages of II
and 13 were allowed to enter. Edward
Staples, the first white boy TO win,
was given the pocket knife which was
the first prize.
Olnel races ana contests were the
following:
100 yards for boys from IA to Is years
old. Won by Ernest Green. First prize,
a pocket knife.
Thrty-yard sack race for boys from
to 10 years old. First prize, a catch
ers mitt, won by Jimmy Williams.
100-yard dash, open to the larger
boys, was won by Billy Williams. First
prize, a pocket knife.
A 200-yard dash, open to all the boys,
was won by Edward Stapler. First
prize, a pocket knife.
A fifty-yard Aace, in which the con-
testants walked on their hands and
feet, was won by James williams.
Prize, a baseball. Ernest Green won
the next contest, which was a hopping
race. A ping pong set was awarded to
him for his ability as a hopper The
girls next had an inning. One proud
papa said to his little daughter: IF
you win I'll give you two bits" Alas
for the little girls hopes she came in
absolutely last, although she made a
gallant struggle.
Have Just Dandy Time
The fortunate one In the girls race
was Katherine Wilson. She proudly
carried home large doll. A croquet
set offered TO the winner of the next
size girls race was carried home by
Edith Pratt.
Hattie Williams, sister of the lads
who won most Of the boys races