Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1907-02-22
HE URGES THAT CITIES PRO-
VIDE GROUNDS FOR
THEM

Washington, Feb. 2O.-Municipal
Fairgrounds within easy walking
distance of every hoy and girls in
the large cities was advocated to-
night by President Roosevelt in a
letter and by Representative Henry
Boutell, of Chicago; e. T. Brown,
United states Commissioner OF Ed
ucation Henry s Curtis, superin-
tendent of Washington Fairgrounds,
and other speakers at playground
banquet given under the auspices
of the Washington Fairgrounds AS.
ISOLATION. Cuno II. Rudolph. presi-
dent of the association, was taost.
master, and $50 guests were present
Mr.. Roosevelt advocates municipal
provision for Fairgrounds "for every
child as much as schools" these
to be within easy walking distance
or every boy and girl and properly
supervised by the cities. He urges
cities to secure the available grounds
at once, in order to avoid the ne
cessity OF later demolishing blocks
of buildings to secure space, and he
particularly commends the plan OF
playground development in this city
as tending toward making the ma
tons capital n model city. He praises
the system that Chicago has erected
in it's South Park section as "one
of the most notable civic achieve
ments of any American city"
Mr. Roosevelt in his letter says
The new appreciation of the
value of play in the development OF
children is shown in many WAYS.
The physical trainers in all of their
recent meetings have put new
emphasis on the Importance of play.
and are giving larger place to
IN their work. hope that soon.
All OF our public schools will pro-
vide in connection with the schoor
buildings and during school hours.
the place and time for the recrea-
ton, as well as study OF the child
rem.
Play is at present almost the
only method OF physical development
for city children, and we must pro
vide facilities for it, if we would
have the children strong and law
abiding. We have raised the age
In which the child may go to work
and increased the number of school,
years. These changes invlove in
creased expense for parents with de
creased returns from the child. Ii
we do not allow the children H.
work, we must provide some Other.
place than the streets for their leis-
ure time. If We are TO require the
parents to rear the children at in
creased expense for the service Of
the state, practically without re
turn the state should make the care
OF children as easy and pleasant a.
possible. If we would have our
citizens contented and law-abiding
we must not SOW the seed OF dis
content in childhood by denyin
children their birthright OF play.
City streets are unsatisfactor
Fairgrounds for children because oil
the danger. because most good games
are against the law, because they
are too hot in summer. and because
in crowded sections OF the city they
are apt to be schools of crime.
Neither do small back yards nor or
namental grass plots meet the need
OF any but the very small children.
Older children who play Vigorous
games must have places especially
set aside for them. and, since play
Us fundamental need. playgroundsI
should be provided for every child
as much as schools This means
that they must be distributed over
the city in such a way as to be with
in walking distance Of every boy ami
girl as most children cannot afford
TO pay carfare. In view Of these fac s.
cities should secure available spaces
"a. once SO that they may not need
TO demoIish blocks OF Buildings in.
order TO make playground AS Naw
York has had to- do at cost OF ncar-
ly q 100000 an acre