Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-07-06
Fairgrounds for Children,

SrOunQS LUZ Tie poor CIlIufen IN the
| large cities of the land. According to
| figures just given out by L. r Han
mer the field representative of the
Playground Association of America, &C
of the largest cities of the country are
already conducting Fairgrounds for the
children in their population who would
otherwise be confined to the streets,
alleys and back yards, and 152 other
cities are taking steps which will be-
yond question lead to the establish
ment OF Fairgrounds in the near fu-
ture.
For the purchase and equipment of
those Fairgrounds millions and mil
lions of dollars are being spent by the
cities, and no doubt it is an investment
which will yield large returns in stur-
der and better manhood and woman
hood in the generations to come. A
congress of the clubs and organizations
which have been the leaders in this
playground movement will be held in
new York City September to II and it
is expected that fully 200 cities will be
represented at that gathering The
theory of those behind this movement
is that the child who does not have to
play in the streets has bet
ter chance to grow up into healthy,
law abiding citizen than one whose
only recreation ground is in the streets
and alleys, in danger from trollies,
teams and automobiles and from the
| corruption of the street. In speaking
Of recent trip across the country,
visiting many cities where this play
ground movement is now making head
way. Mr.. Hammer says:
1.-The playground idea certainly is
spreading Without exception, every
city l visited gave me not merely
thoughtful hearing, but entertained me
most royalty. Civic organizations, COM
mercial Clubs, women's organizations,
boards Of trade, mayors of cities, school
officers, church organizations, held
meetings and luncheons at which many
of the leading citizens were interested
listeners. La many cases there was no
need to inspire enthusiasm. They
either had already started Fairgrounds,
or were ready to start them, and simp-
ly wished to learn what was being done
in other cities to make the work most
effective. Others wished advice as to
laying out their grounds, or locating
them, and as to the apparatus neccs-
sary for their conduct.
"AS an indication of enthusiasm, ]
can cite the fact that California alone
has set aside, recently, $1,3S6,0oO for
Fairgrounds. OF this, San Francisco,
burdencd as she is with her problems
of rebuilding set aside $741,000 for play
ground sites and equipment, and gave
the now playground commission 100000
for maintenance this year. Oakland
has set aside 100000 for parks and
Fairgrounds, and Alameda has APP
propriatcd $125,00O for Fairgrounds.
The city officers of Palo Alto will ia
vor the lively playground movement
now active there, and in Berkeley there
is a campaign on for 100000 worth of
Fairgrounds.
Los Angeles, of course. has fine
playground system, as have other
cities.
"Thcy are learning in the West the
lesson which we in the East learned
too late. They have seen how New
York was forced to pay $1,O0o,oO0 an
acre for playground because the need
for Fairgrounds was not appreciated
until everything was built upon and
<.;f,
a taste of this. They had to pay
twice as much for q piece of ground
as had been asked the year before.
AS q consequence, many cities are be-
ginning to anticipate their growth into
crowded communities by setting aside
play space while the land is yet
cheap In the state of Washington
they passed a bill, afterward vetoed,
which required that every new city
laid out should set aside ten per cent.
of the Land for parks ana Fairgrounds.
This bill is to come up again. What
is most hopeful, however. is that the
playground movement is not limited
to those cities which are so crowded
that the municipality must condemn
ground to give its people air. Many
smaller cities are planning complete
playground systems, and some day
they will reap the full benefit of this
wise investment.
"Whilc the idea of the usefulness OF
Fairgrounds is fairly well established
everywhere, and in many places en-
Enthusiastically accepted, l found that
the fact that Fairgrounds, to be use
full, require supervision, was fairly
new proposition. one city in the
West had been of the opinOin that all
that was necessary was to get the
ground, equip it and turn it over to
the children.
"The experiment was not happy
one. The boys soon broke the APP
paratus and generally made such a
nuisance of themselves that people
around the Fairgrounds asked to have
them closed. This was done. | am
glad to say, however. that these places
are now open under the direction of
competent play supervisors. and are
meeting with unanimous Commenda-
ton.
"For long time, there was belief
that playground ministered only to
the physical welfare Of the child; that