The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-01-16
FAIRGROUNDS FOR
CHILDREN HERE
Important Work Undertaken by
Civic Improvement League
Will Be Pushed.
LECTURE BY DR.. CURTIS
Distinguished Visitor Will Speak
Tonight on What Other
Cities Have Done.
LECTURE BY DR.. CURTIS

A movement Of great Importance to tho
| future welfare of Richmond will BIO dis
cussed tonight Mt the Young Mems
| Christian Association Han by Dr. Henry
| s. Curtis. secretary OF the Playground
| Association of America.
Under the auspices Of the Civic I'M
| provement League, DR.. Curtis will illus
| trate the movement being made In all
| great cities to establish public play
| grounds. The league has Just begun the
work OF establishing such grounds In
various parts Of Richmond. and as a good
start in this direction has secured DR..
Curtis to Indicate what has been done
elsewhere along similar lines. No ono Is
better qualified to speak on this subject
than Dr.. Curtis. who has wide ac-
duaintance with the needs and methods
of operation Of Fairgrounds all over
America The Civic Improvement League
OF this city started the first playground
In Richmond four years ago, Mt Nine
teenth and Main Streets. and has sue
cessfully administered It during that
time. Its success and its necessity were
proven the very first year. and IT IS to
stimulate wider interest on the part of
all citizens that tho league has brought
Or. Curtis to Richmond at this time.
The league promises a rnre treat to all
who shall hear the lecture tonight, and
a cordial invitation is extended to every
one 70 attend.
Importance of Work.
Mr.. Charles B. Cooke. president of the
CIVIC Improvement League OF Richmond.
said last night:
big movement has been started IN
richmond by the Civic Improvement
league to establish Fairgrounds in
various parts OF the city. and In SO
doing they are simply endeayordnR to
place Richmond along In the class of
other cities in this regard. The play
ground Is great educational PROPOSE
ton. The old saying that boys wifi be
poys' is just as true as 1t over was. Tho
Civic Improvement League believes that
the city boys like to go swimming tust
as much az they ever did. and they be-
lieve that places should be provided for
these boys to give them this healthtul
recreation. All the big cities arc taking
necessary steps to care for the youths
of the city who are growing into man
hood and will make future citizens.
The influence which has been e1erted |
over these children through Fairgrounds.
swimming pools. wading pools and
flower gardens has been demonstrated
beyond peradventure to be OF immense
value. AS a good, healthy starter in I
this movement the Civic Improvement i
League secured the services of DR.. Henry
S. Curtis. who was supervisor of the |
playground in Washington 9nd Is also
Of the Playground Association
Of America. DIR. Curtis will bring to
Richmond night pictures of play |
grounds throughout the United States,
and in giving his Illustrated lecture at
the Y. NJ. c. A. Hall will show exactly
what has been accomplished. Richmond |
Will no doubt turn out n large and fash
ionable audience to honor Dr. Curtis on
this occasion, and show her appreciation
Of this great educational movement. !
The lecture will begin promptly at 500
o clock. Seats are free and all those
Interested in children and the upbuilding
Of this city are invited to attend
A generation ago the conditions AMI !
of child life were not like
those prevailing in all large cities to-day
Now the city population isN crowded into
narrow streets lined with towering build
ings. where the dust-laden air snothers |
the play instinct that is the birthright OF
every child.
The city fathers would preserve the
beauty OF the city by some attempts at
open spaces here and there, but these are
dotted with warnings to keep off tn.
grass" until famous Eastern visitor
has inquired whether the people of Amer
lea worship grass.
The public playground Is an educational |
The Civic Improvement
League believes that the boys Of to-day
given half chance. will develop into as
fine men as any this country has pro-
duced. The report of the Commissioner
of immigration shows that over one mill
lion foreigners came to our shores last |
wear. One out of every hundred citizens
is foreigner of less than a year. and
nearly this entire body has congregated
in the most congested portion of the
cities. Richmond has her share
Not only are the Fairgrounds q present. |
day necessity for the lower part of the |
city. The statement was publicly made
a few days ago that In the section be-
tween Leigh Street and the river. from
this Capitol to Lee Monument, there is
not a vacant lot on which party Of boys
can have a game OF ball The city has |
grown. Two annexation ordinances have
pushed the boundaries westward until |
now the boys of even the west portion
Of the city have to go several miles for
an open space in which to get the exer-
else their growing bodies demand