Los Angeles herald., 1908-10-04
DO GREAT WORK
FOR CHILDREN
RECREATION CENTER READY
FOR DEDICATION
LEADERS IN MOVEMENT REALIZE
ACCOMPLISHMENT
Son of q. Fay Mills to Conduct Big
Indoor Playground and In
struction Place for
Youth

| The first indoor recreation center
! erected west of the Rockies. excelling
in almost every feature the New York
building devoted to a similar purpose
! and from which the idea was originally
drafted will be dedicated with appro-
pirate ceremonies in Los Angeles Oc-
| tober 10.
The building, which now stands
nearly completed at Holly and st,
Johns streets in the Eighth ward, was
erected with city funds expended un-
der the direction of the playground
commission
In the development of the municipal
playground idea, which is but a few
years old and has gradually spread
over the larger cities of the country,
this building is the final step. 1t
would be difficult to plan a building
which could offer more varied and bet
ter amusement to young men and wo-
men, boys and girls, than the one on
Holly street.
Free to All
And the beauty of it all is that 1t is
absolutely free. The city of Los An
geles erected the building and will
maintain it and no dues will be
charged those who wish to enjoy its
privileges.
An unusual feature of the building
is a twenty-foot stage raised above the
gymnasium floor. 1t has q proscenium
arch and drop curtain, and with the
gymnasium, which can be cleared of
apparatus, as an auditorium many
dramatic performances will be given
by the young men and women who
make use of the recreation center.
These dramatic productions will be I'M
der the charge of Charles Howard
Mills, who has had good deal of ex-
perience in dramatic art. Besides the
production of plays especially adapted
to amateur talent, Mr.. Mills has in
mind several operettas in which per-
haps seventy-five children can have
parts. These operettas can be made
very beautiful, and the children of the
neighborhood are alreadys eager for
October 10, when the doors of the
building will swing open for the first
time.
The building is four stories and is
crowned with a pergola and Japanese
roof garden. On the ground floor is
the library. This library will probably
be a branch of the city library when
arrangements to that end can be
made. In connection with the library
is reading room and another where
indoor games will be played. Four
feet below the floor are two bowling
allays. On this floor are a large num-
Der of metal lockers and ten shower
baths, some of which are individual
anu SOME are SeHeTdl IOOlilS. 1HSy are
all of the finest marble.
On this floor also is d little office
equipped like a hospital, which will be
the headquarters of the city district
nurse. who will visit it every day and
give medical aid to the sick of the
district.
Much of the interior of the building
| is occupied by the gymnasium, which
will be used also as an auditorium. 1t
| is simply filed with devices for health
| full exercise and recreation. At either
! end are the goals for basketball and
around the walls are arranged the
racks for dumbellS and Indian clubs.
Then there are walking ladders, tee
ter" ladders, a vaulting buck and
horse, horizontal and parallel bars and
all the rest of it.
Some of the other rooms are for club
purposes. Then there is a kitchen and
room with work benches for manual
training In one corner of the Jap
anese garden on the roof is a big sand
box for the little ones.
On the top floor is a five-room fat
where the manager, Charles Howard
Mills, will make his home Incidentally,
Mr. Mills, who is a son of Rev. B. Fay
Mills, will be married November to
Miss Bertha Knight of 621 Wilmer
street, and after a short wedding trip
will return with her to the recreation
center. where she will take part in the
kindergarten work, of which she is
fond.
As far as possible the work will be
divided into classes. Wesley Beach
will be physical instructor and Miss
Hards will have charge of the girls
dancing classes. Glasses will be formed
Immediately after the opening.
The building will be formally opened
October 10 with an automobile parade
starting from city hall led by Mayor
Harper They will arrive at the build
ing at p. m, when it will be open for
inspection by the public. In the even
ing there will be a gathering for the
neighborhoOd.
The building was originally the idea
of Mrs. WillOughby Rodman. president
of the board of playground commits
sioners, Miss Bessie Stoddart the sec
rotary. and c. B. Raitt, superintendent
Each made a trip throughout the
country gathering data which have
helped to make the recreation center
what It is today.