Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-14

Culture Conveyed by Impressions.
Culture, the speaker added may be con-
veyed by impressions but persenality-the
aggregate of power and ability to do some
thing-hnds expression In action as surely In
children as 1t does in adults.
Mr.. Stewart reviewed the history OF the
movement for the establishment of public
Fairgrounds. starting with New York city
ten years ago. From q beginning attended
with many difficulties, he showed much
had been accomplished. Many of the great
cities of the country, he said. had embraced
the Fairgrounds plan as a plain and prac-
teal sociological and educational PROPOSE
ton In the case of New York city, the
speaker said the sum of 81. 100000 had re-
Gently been appropriated Tor park play
grounds and 100000 for athletic fields.
He mentioned Boston. Philadelphia and
Chicago among the cities which have made
extensive provisions for Fairgrounds.
Gaining Popular Favor.
Mr.. Stewart ascrlbed TO DIR. Henry s.
Curtis the chairman of the Washington
Fairgrounds committee, much OF the credit
of gaining popular favor for the movement
in New York The ideas put into opera
ton In New York. he added, had been bor-
rowed by Mrs. Humphrey Ward. through
whose influence similar institutions have
been established in London.
Mr.. Stewart thought it would be highly
fitting for Congress to appropriate funds for
the establishment of such Fairgrounds In
Washington would afford a model for
other cities. and such as would serve TO
stimulate the spirit of imitation in other
municipalities throughout the country.
Miss Amalie Hofer, principal Of the Froe-
bel and Pastalotzi Kindergarten Training
School, in Chicago, was the next speaker.
Unique Festivals in Germany.
Treating the subject of Peoples Play
Festivals" Miss Hofer told of several
unique festivals which she had seen in Ger
many at which grown people played With
all of the zest and enthusiasm of childhood.
It was inspiring Miss Ifefer said. to see
learned professors and men prominent in
affairs Of state throwing aside care and en-
tering gleefully into the playing of games
which wildly recalled the happy days OF
their youth.
1t was because the children of the nation
had INDUCED freely in those healthfUl and
inspiring sports from generation TO genera
ton, she said, that the qlder people were
frequently found participating in simple
outdoor games. She urged upon her hearers
the ACCESSIBILITY of fostering among children
the love of wholesome games. and warmly
advocated the holding of play festivals in
connection with the Fairgrounds associa-
lions.
Miss Hofer gave a realistic description OF
the charming pastimes enjoyed by the Mag
var lads and maids upon the green banks OF
the Danube near the city of Buda Pesth.
In Centers of Population.
Mr.. Archibald Hill, who is interested in
the Fairgrounds movement in New York
city, told the audience of the pressing need
of Fairgrounds in the large centers of pop
ulation. He had examined into the death
rate of children under five years OF age
whose homes were in the better portions of
New York city finding the proportion OF
deaths for the year 1895 TO be one child to
every seventeen births. That, he thought.
was bad enough, but when he turned his in
vestigation TO the crowded tenement dis
tricts he was appalled, to discover that the
rate of death one to five. He did not
claim that the establishment of Fairgrounds
accessible to the children in the latter dis
tricts would have evened up the death rate.
but he did assert that the mortality among
the unfortunate class described would have
been greatly lessened.
Value of Wholesome Games.
DR.. Henry S. Curtis followed with short
address, in which he laid stress upon the
value of good wholesome games as a means
of moral training for children. II child is
taught TO be honest in play and to abide by
the rules of the game, he said. there would
be no need of experimenting that man
he will not be honest IN his business and IN
all the relations of life.
A similar mass meeting will be held this
evening In the Church of the Covenant Rev.
DIR. Teunis s. Hamlin presiding. The speak
ers will be Commissioner mcfarland and
Miss Sadie American. secretary of the Ma
tional Council of Jewish Women.