Los Angeles herald., 1907-05-19

parts of Los Angeles makes it doubly
convenient for the hordes of youngsters
who need nothing but outdoor exercise
and plenty of companionship to de-
velop them into sturdy manhood and
good citizens of the country.
At the north, flanking Echo park with
line of beautiful sun protectors, stands
row of magnificent old eucalyptus
trees, their ever present shade inviting
the tired youngster, worn out with MS
hour of baseball and romping with COM
panions to the dreamy seculsion of the
grass underneath. Stretching almost
around three sides of the field itself 1t
broadt bank, from which the little ones
who cannot partake of the strenuous
joyousness of their companions may
watch the scene with mingled delight
and wonder, and from where the elders
may see that no harm comes to their
offspring.
In the field proper are six swings
for the boys, like number for the
girls, bars without and of both hori-
zontal and vertical style and teeter
boards whereon the real young young
sters can ride up and down in the sub
lime warmth of the sun. Basketball
courts are there, too, and a regula-
tion size croquet court is being con-
structed for those who cannot par
take of the more strenuous games.
Sand boxes will line the edge of the
field, and there the babies who care
not and know not of the joys of the
trapeze and the ball field may work
their little lives out in the activities
of shoveling the yielding white earth
in and out of their toy buckets.
Baseball Diamond Great
The baseball diamond itself is the
piece de resistance of the entire field.
1t is of regulation size, with plenty of
space for the outfielders to get back
after any fly ball that may chance to
go beyond the regular limits, and it's
surface is of the hardness of granite.
The base lines are all clearly marked
with white chalk and the home plate,
in its glory of rubber width, is a joy
in itself for the amateur pitchers who
will practice thereon
Much of the credit for the work
which has been done to insure the
children of Los Angeles schools a
chance to grow into the sturdy men
and women their American birthright
should presuppose is due to G.. B. Raitt.
superintendent of the city Fairgrounds,
and to the playground commission, of
which Mrs. Willoughby Rodman is
president.
Perhaps Mr. Raitt would be better
ID.
whether Stanford's star Quarterback of
a few years ago is resurrected or not,
the children who make his Fairgrounds
thelr headquarters all know Mr.. Raitt
and what he has done for them. "Stub"
mas the confidence of every school bow
and girl in the city, and the work he
is doing every day of his Young life
adds to 1t a hundredfold.
Mrs. Rodman's part in the work was
no small one, either. Going before the
mayor and the park commissioners she
scolded. demanded, pleaded and wept
Tor more ground for the youngsters.
and even the stony hearted city Off
Gals We're forced in lthe end to give
IN to the champion of children and
@srant @ additional room 'on which to
build Fairgrounds
The little breathing spot which was
opened yesterday was turned over to
the playground commission by the park
commissioners and was formerly in
cluded in the domain known as Echo
park. 1t TOOK a great deal of coax
ing to get the park magnates to re-
ilhqIlsh their hold on the property, but
IN the end those who have the inter-
ests of the children at heart won and
the place was transformed into the
present joyous romping space.
AS soon as the park commission de-
clded to allow the playground boosters
TO nave it the chain gang was placed
on the work of grading and leveling
the three acres, and all winter long
Mayor Harper repeated orders for the
city Jail inmates to keep on the Job
and complete it.
ABOUT ten days ago workmen began
the Iabors ATTACHED to putting the ex-
tensive apparatus in place, and yes
terday S brilliant opening marked the
completion of the work of months.
help inaugurate the new playground in
hitting style. and they stayed to watch
the Polytechnic and Los Angeles high
school gymnasium teams go through
their wonderful performance on the
mat A game of basketball between
the girls teams from Jefferson and
Fremont schools followed and an ex-
hibition on the courts between four
players from the University of South
ern California brought the formal part
of the day to close.
Then the youngsters broke loose In
their full spirits and until long after
unkind darkness had drawn her shade
the sound of bat meeting ball mingled
with the merry shouts of the happv
children at their work of building brain
and muscle into a fitting structure to
meet the needs of the coming hour
Athlete in Charge
OllVer Best one of the best known
athletes who ever attended U. S. c.,
will be in charge of playground No. 2,
and on his shoulders will devolve the
work of keeping the youngsters at
their play. Stub" Raitt will continue
to be superintendent of both the new
playground and the one on Violet
street. of which he is at present mas
ter of ceremonies. but when the pro-
jected playground on the east side is
nnr OF tn1 Lo will 81; ,;sl.4
which keep him at Violet street at
present and devote all his time to the
city's extensive system of providing joy
for the coming generation.
RlI RnARn MEM cERME