Omaha daily bee., 1906-07-22

young blood is heated to a pitch that
makes naughtiness almost justihable.
No wonder juvenile crime increases
more than so per cent from July to Sep
TENDER.
Yet it has only been within the last
eight or ten years that we have awak-
ened TO the need, nay, the urgent neces-
sity, of providing children in our cities
and large towns with a place to play,
To Miss Mary e. Very, a school-
teacher. of Boston, is due, in 1873, the
first vacation school of which there
Is any record. This was supported IN
part by the Woman's Education AS
Earlier summer outings and public
baths began TO be known, the former
as far back as 1919, but no one seem
ed to think Of a public playground.
At first the idea did not spread very
rapidly, but about 1898, almost simul-
taneously, as 1t were, summer Play
grounds sprang up all over the United
States, Canada and England.
TO Mrs Tumpf~y Ward, by the
way, was due the first English play
school at the Passmore EdWards SET
Element in London. There she nus
gathers the children after school
hours and keeps them happy ana
amused till s o'clock each eEehlhs'
and the vacation school, which pro-
vides recreation during the August re-
cess. .,.
Why these Fairgrounds and vacation
schools were not thought Of sooner rs
a mystery. Jack the dullard from
Oyerwork has been so much 10 the
fore that he has quite oVershauoWeu
the Jack Of vacation time, who atter
the novelty OF absolute idleness has
worn on GT nd5 constant Sp What ay mother
has not been distracted on a NOT
summer morning by her child's fret
full wall: Say, mamma, what shali
do next? ! want TO be amused"
y
so. Today all over the land is pro-
vided that judicious admixture OF play
and improving occupation which almost
every child Graves.
The work has unconsciously drift
ed into two distinct phases: the va
cation school for the older children,
where systematic instruction Though
not from text books) is given, and
the primary playground, where the
tiny tots may romp happily for hours
each day under the supervision of a
trained Kindergarten.
II is with these latter that we are
at present concerned.
Have you ever visited one OF these
Fairgrounds on a broiling morning,
when one could barely exist on the
streets, and watched hundreds Of
merry children, from babies in coaches
up to IL years old, absolutely obliViOus
of the weather in the joys OF play? II
you have not, then make IL a point
10 do so at once, and you will i'm
mediately be Inspired with the wisdom
as well as beauty OF this philanthropy.
Indeed, IL Is question IL such a
work can longer be considered a phi
lanthropy. So vital Is II now cOnsid-
cred that II has been adopted by many
boards of education as a part. and
a very important part, OF their regular
work.
But" asks the man or woman who
knows little OF this movement. do the
children appreciate such Fairgrounds?
Are they not very COstly2 Can order
be maintained? What is the real adj
vantage OF them2 How are they run?"
II Is always an advantage to make
a child happy, no matter at what cost
bit. in point OF fact most play
grounds are run at a minimum OF eX-
pense, varying from less than a cent
a day per capita 10 is or 20 cents
where elaborate gymnasium parapheT-
MALTA Is maintained. In addition, think
what II means alone 70 hard working
mothers TO have their little ones out
OF the way and out OF mischief at the