Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-30

Perhaps LOngfellOw would not have re-
ceived SO quiet and home-like an inspira-
tion for his ''Children's Hour had he
visited any one of the thirty Fairgrounds
that received the onrush of about 10000
youngsters at 5 o'clock yesterday after
noon. He would have seen a surging.
running. racing. playing, laughing, chat
ting army of happiness.
Although Washington's children's hour
did not in any respect resemble pause in
the days occupation or any other poetic
figure of speech, it was a grand time for
the kids"
They began to assemble long before D
o'clock. The coming army of the re-
public lined up on ali sides of the vacant
lots in which are firmly implanted the
swings and slides and basket ball posts.
and cast critical eyes upon the parapher-
MALTA which belongs to them.
Newcomers to the city who have not had
the privilege of using the Fairgrounds
heretofore stood by and listened to the
tales of prowess from athletic winners Of
last year. Little mothers" whose tiny
be carried pick back to the Fairgrounds.
held their baby brothers and sisters az
high as they could and implored them to
look at the swings"
Real Mothers at Hand.
now and then a tired look about the
eyes, who smiled and smiled with the
happy though that the little ones for
whom they slave and toll every day
would have place to play, and as many
games and balls. and undoubtedly as
many playmateS-there is no doubt about
that-as the favored rich.
The Washington Playground Associa-
ton the fountain head Of all this prac-
foir lon hod
cali the hour intervening between and
a social hour" so the boys and girls
could become acquainted. But the
youngsters had left their drawing room
If any one had been stationed to call
out the name of the children as they
tripped daintily forward to daily with
push bail or a swing, he was not called
wild shout the children piled forward.
One of them would throw ball to an
other. After that they were old friends.
They slid the slides. they swung in the
the balls. they chased the balls. they
ran away from the balls. they threw the
balls, they caught the balls, they batted
the balls-they did everything but try
to eat the balls.
king" Mickey's Ball Team.
One of the largest Fairgrounds is at
North Capitol and l. streets. where nearly
GOO children played yesterday afternoon.
The king of this playground is red
haired, freckled-faced little diplomat,
whom the gang calls Mickey. and who
is a much bigger parsonage than either of
the teachers assigned to duty at that
point
Mickey assembled his forces early in the
afternoon and chose a base ball team.
calling it The X Streets" and chal-
ienged another aggregation Of three-foot-
six ball tossers from l. street.
With a base ball bat they invaded the
playground. Mickey at the fore front. his
bright hair guiding the * Streets" like
a pillar of fire; but were forced to re-
linauish their game. The teachers said
there were too many children about and
that some of them would be hurt.
But today. Mickey said. the * Streets"
would play the Il Streets" After they
had finished with them they would play
any one else in the city.
The teachers and instructors for the
Fairgrounds met yesterday in the Frank
lin School and listened to final instruc-
tons from DR. Henry s. Curtis, director
of the association. He told them their
work would not be easy. and that to lead
children without bossing them. and to
keep a number of games going at once,
required a high order of ability
Open Twice Daily.
The grounds will be open from $50 to
IL 80 in the mornings, and from to in
the afternoons. 1t is planned to devote
the morning period to industrial work
and the afternoon to playing.
Following is list of the Fairgrounds
and the teachers In charge:
White teachers-Miss Olivia Baker and
Irving Bernstein. North Capitol: Miss
Mabel T. Benson. Edmonds: Miss Florence
Cook. Arthur; Miss Stella Cullen and Ed
ward F. Miller. Juvenile Court: Miss Jean
Crawford and Miss Frances Gardner. Gar
field Park; Miss Mary DALEY and Miss
Anita Morrison, Jefferson: F. 4. Faux
ner and Mrs. Jennie Fyles. Industrial
Home School; ]. A. Lewis and Mrs. Agnes
Stewart. Rosedale; Miss Bessie Lukens,
Ketchem: Mrs. X. w. Malcolm and Miss
Mary r. Morris, Dennison; Miss Cora Nc
earthly. Curtis: II. NJ. Nossek and Miss
Irma Brashears, Ross; Louis Gutenberg
and Miss Sarah a. Tichner. Towers; Miss
Mabel Towner. Virginia Avenue; Miss Elva
WhitcCnb Henry; r. p. Williams and
Clarence Wright. Fifth and !. streets
Miss Grace Marvin. Ludlow; DR.. William
Z. Hudson.
COlored teachers-Miss Arabella Beason
Philips: l.. b. Davis. Stevens: Miss Lucy
Hays and A. S. Shipper. 18th and c
streets: Thomas Johnson and Miss Minnie
I. Price. Howard: Miss Marietta Price
Birney; /. 1. Russell. Magruder; ]. E.
Walker and Miss Jennie Winfield. CArdo-
70: Miss Alice Williams Bell; Miss Eva
Wilson. Garrison; Richard Bum. Neigh
borhocd House; Mrs. a. f. Middleton