The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1907-03-01
THE NORFOLK NEws-JoJRNAL FRIDAY, MARCH 1907

md preparatory schools for man,
ears
"In the private schools Of this coun
ry similar to these English schools,
UGH as Lawrcncevllle, Groton, ST.
| raul's, and many others, play Is also
| provided for in the curriculum. hope
hat soon all of our public schools will
provide, i'm connection with the school
buildings and during school hours, the
place and time for the recreation as
well as study of the children.
play at present Is almost the only
method of physict development for
city children. We must provide facil
tiles for II II we would have the chill
dren strong and lawabiding.
1--WE have raised the age at which
the child may go to work and increased
the number OF school years. These
changes involve increased expense for
parents with decreased returns from
the child. If we do not allow the chill.
dren to work we must provide some
other place than the streets for their
leisure time.
"If we are to require the parents to
rear the children at increased expense
for the service of the state, practically
without return, the state should make
the care Of children as easy and pleas
ant as possible. II we would have our
citizens contented and law.abiding, we
must not SOW the seed Of discomfort In
hxy
birthright OF play.
"City streets are unsatisfactory play
grounds for children because of the
danger because most good games are
against the law, because they are too
hot in summer, and because in crowded
sections of city they are apt to be
schools Of crime.
| Neither do small back yards nor
ornamental grass plots meet the needs
of any but the small children. Older
children who would play vigorous
games must have places specially set
aside for them. And, since play Is n
fundamental need, Fairgrounds should
be provided for every child as much
as schools.
This means that they must be dis
tributed over cities in such way as
to be within walking distance of every
boy and girl, as most children cannot
afford to pay carfare. In view of these
facts cities. should secure available
spaces at once, SO that they may not
need to demolish blocks of buildings
in order to make Fairgrounds, as New
York has had to do at cost of nearly
81 100000 an acre.
Neither must any city believe that
simply to furnish open spaces will Sc
cure the best results There must be
supervision of these Fairgrounds, 9th
erwise the older and stronger children
occupy them to the exclusion of the
younger and weaker ones. They are
so noisy that persons living in the
nelghborhood are annoyed; they are
apt to get into the possession of gangs
and become the rendezvous of the most
undesirable elements of the popula-
ton; the exercise and play is less sys-
tematic and vigorous when without SUI
pervision; and, moreover, in all cities
where the experiment has been tried
1t has been found that such play
grounds are not well attended"
Other speakers at the banquet be-
sides Representative Boutell were e.
e. Brown, United States commissioner
of education, and Henry S. Curtis. SUI
perintendent of Washington play
grounds. Cuno H, Rudolph, president
of the association, acted as toastmas-
ter. One hundred and fifty guests were
present,