New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-09-09
Of Interest ~
~ TO 6Uomen.
POLITICIANS ANDPARKS
Seekers for Graft Chief Enemies OF
Fairgrounds.

Politicians looking for graft are the chief enc
mics of those who work to make municipal play
grounds succeed the charge made last night
by William ]. McKiernan Playground CohmiS-
sIoner Of Newark, n. J.. in a paper which nc
read al the thirty-second annual congress OF inc
playground Association OF America in the Ameri-
can Museum Of Natural History. MI Mchierhah
accused Newark politicians OF having grossly mis-
managed the outing camp In that ci'y'
The subject OF the paper which caused the sensa-
ton of the session was THE Intelligent Operation
of Municipal Fairgrounds" Mr. Mckiernan De-
gan at with a warning against inefncieht pay
supervisors and dishonest politicians He said:
The playground movement is an attractive ti
ing livelihood along the lines OF least resis..
It is alluring field for the paIas,es .i &c
failure IN their earlier professions ! nave dnst
and wherever you see a playground system
social settlement. boys club unsuccessful you
men or women in control. The faker and me
element when they Cabling sociology at PINK
teas They are very fond OF the wore 1ner h.
sure that the user has no real sympathy WI"
have not mentioned the politician and the
politicians friends among the undesirsbles IN
person T so non sraa that it would be unnesessary
70 refer him it not for the fact that the
than The paythng OF the politician
We have been able to eB she and have b1
cessful in understanding the onslaughts or those
putrid channels But haye an example of the
kind of graft ! mention in the gross mism1ansset
of the city camp. a summer outing place at
the shore which has been the plaything OF POL
gross mismana cement is yet 10 be told in full
Mr Mckiernan then described successful expert
ments IN making Fairgrounds self-governng and IN
getting the people themselves to clean them ana
keep them order. He objected to the presence of
policemen the Fairgrounds. and declared that the
worker who has a boy arrested for anything but
a unusual crime does not make success out OF
the work. He also urged newspapers to refrain
from printing the names OF children arrested for
crime.
Streets az set aside for hill climbing automobile
contests" said Joseph Lee, OF Boston Why
shouldn't they be set aside also for coasting? We
let grown people the streets to play in; why
shouldn't the children be allowed TO play in them
also? Riding is play and motoring is play and If
permit sport dangerous to life and limb an
motoring ought to be able 10 stand little NOR
tally in broken windows"
Charles Milford Robinson, landscape architect
OF Rochester expressed himself very strongly on
this subject in a paper read in his absence by
Howard Bradstreet.
ITO my mind the whole playground conception
has heretofore been wrong said Mr. Robinson.
we have tried TO bring the country to the city
child, but IN doing have forgotten the trees
and the flowers We have thought that any old
vacant lot would do The truer ideal would be q
place where the city child might know the delights
real outdoors, place where at night there might
be fairies there never would De IN the orolhary
city playground.
without trespassinx on the play space We can
have a hedge instead OF fence, and can screen
ugly boundaries, such as shed or rallfoao Win
vines and flowers. We can have llacs ana roses
and all flowers with gay foliage round the puiio-
inrs And il will not be trespassing upon the play
srace 70 have some trees upon it. They can be
used as goals and bases. and Coo VINO ioVes NIUE
children might make one of the trees grow IN such
form that there might be seats in it Under the
Of
NIGHT have a playhouse, and under another there
might he q cave for the boys. II Will ada 10 the
attractions of a wading pool TO have q 1oot Oh
water IN the centre; and 1 see no reason why
the pool might not sometimes DC =. &C
Around the edge of the playground might Dc
- ~ childrene gardens. There might De IN
organization of boys TO protect Them ana cnN al
-oDs knights would guard the garoehs oi ue'AO
less girls =, :: ob.-ss ~
- - -ro-oen was discussed at special confer
go presided over by Professor G. w. Hether-
ing+on athletic director OF the University Oh WIS
consn Mrs George Frame president OF efs In
sran,s playground Association Of Baltimore de-
dared in favor of women. -,
- 80 splendid woman director in Balu-
-,ore said Mrs Frame. she has the most won
derful influence over the boys
"a woman can't be a big brother" said Miss
Sadie American. president OF the Councli Oh 'e"
tsb Women "and a big brother whom they can
o-,,, can never be euualled by any woman
The consensus Of opinion was IN faVor OF INC
man director for boys over ten
One hundred and seventy-seven cities having
,onl,I.+ions of over 5000 are maintaining play
rro,nde thfs wear according to DR.. Henry g. Cur
tis secretary of the Playground Association OF
America The cost is over 100000 month one
third being met by voluntary contributions
The greatest need in the country, Dr. GURUS SAID
s. below Mason and Dixon's line
Nsayor Mcclellan is honorary president of tho
congress and the delegates came from as far away
as Seattle and Louisiana Chicago has sent
hatch Of aldermen and several city councils have
sent official representatives There rs an exhio'
az model Fairgrounds, showing the country, city
and backward varieties.