The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1907-03-01
TO LET CHILDREN PLAY.
Roosevelt Urges Every City to Provide
Recreation for Them.


Washington, ID. c., Feb. 23.-Munic-
ipal Fairgrounds were given big
boost by President Roosevelt and Rep
resentative Boutell of Chicago at a
banquet given by the Washington
Fairgrounds association The presi-
dent wrote letter In which he asked
that the boys or girls inalienable
right to frolic be not denied them
Representative Boutell explained his
bill In congress for the establishment
of more Fairgrounds in Washington.
President Roosevelts letter laid
stress on the annual meeting of the
Playground association of America in
Chicago in June. He praised the South
Park system of that city Us one of the
most notable civic achievements in the
United States.
The president advised all cities to
grounds. lest suitable sites be obtained
only at immense cost. AS an example
of hindsight he pointed to New York,
where Fairgrounds recently cost ST.
100000 an acre.
Close supervision of Fairgrounds
was urged by the president. for, he
said, otherwise they fell into disfavor
and the hands of rowdies. President
Roosevelt's letter follows:
IL have noted with pleasure the good
work which your association has done
in promoting Fairgrounds for the ma
tional capital. am specially pleased
with the prospect of congress grant
ing this year an appropriation for the
purchase of playground sites. | trust
that the bill of Representative Boutell
will also go through. so that you may
be able to secure sites in the various
quarters of the city now while open
space still exists and before the price
upon them becomes prohibtive.
The plan of playground develop.
ment for the district has been so care
fully drawn that | hope it may be
carried out substantially as outlined
l regard this as one of the most i'm.
portant steps toward making Washing
ton the model city which we all feel
that the capital of this nation should
be.
Il have been pleased to see also that
there is a new interest in play and
Fairgrounds all over the country, and
that many cities that have not pre-
viously taken up the movement in a
systematic way have made a begin
ming this year
The annual meeting of the Play
ground Association of America in Chi
cago in June, with its attractive play
festival and comprehensive study OF
play problems, is sure to increase this
interest, trust that all of our larger
municipalities will send representa-
tives to this exhibition to gain inspi
ration from this meeting and to see
the magnificent system that Chicago
has erected in its south park section
one of the most notable civic achieve
ments of any American city.
The new appreciation of the yalu,
of play in the development of children
is shown in many ways. The physica
trainers in all of their recent meeting,
have put new emphasis on the i'm
portance of play and are giving a larg
er place to II in their work.
The Public School Athletic leagu,
of New York has organized athletics
along sane and helpful lines for thou
sands of school children. A humble
of other cities seem about to take III
this movement, There is a genera
feeling in our schools and colleges alst
for larger athletic fields and the par
ticipation of a larger proportion of tn,
students in athletic events.
in Germany a large number o
games have been put into the schoo
course as a part of the system, thu
extending the kindergarten methot
through the elementary school. Ii
England football and cricket have beer
a part of the school course at Elton
Rugby, and most of the other publ,