The sun., 1908-05-10
MILLIONS FOR FAIRGROUNDS
CHICAGO ALONE HAS EXPENDED
S6,OOO,O 900 ~ THREE YEARS,
Tue Playground Association Of America
Findlng support IN Many Quarters
-saEe Foundation Has q Missionary
on the ROad-A Los Angeles Experiment

on the ROad-A Los Angeles Experiment
A million a month for ohidren's play.
grounds has been the record Of American
cities for the last siH months. Most Of
this sum will be put into use this summer
In opening new Fairgrounds or extending
old ones.
The playground movement is advancing
by leaps and bounds Not lees than $50,
10000 has been used for this purpose by
American municipalities In the last ten
years. Within three years Chicago has
spent ts,0OO,OOO 10 fitting up fourteen play
Erounds, ranging from six TO seventy
acres In extent. On these Fairgrounds
have been built lagoons for rowing and
ekating swimming and wading pools,
bAndstands baseball fields, tennis courts,
toboEgan slides, outdoor and indoor gym
nasiuns and baths for men, women. girls
and boys swings, seesaws, teeters and
sand courts for little children, lockers.
lunch rooms, club rooms, assembly halls
for musicales. lectures and dances all
with attendants and instructors and all
excepting the food in the restaurants, alb
solutely free
Chicago will use $4,000 simply for the
maintenance Of her Fairgrounds this year
and will open five new ones in addition. San
Francisco appropriated a million for play
centres on the very heels Of her disaster.
Cleveland had nine Fairgrounds last sum
mer This summer II will have twenty
two. The board Of education Of Detroit
will open nine school Fairgrounds this
summer, and the Mayor Of that city, in
addition, has found between sixty and
seventy real estate owners who will turn
over a. many vacant lots for the use Of
children as Fairgrounds through the sum-
mer. the city TO clean them up and pre-
pare them for baseball and other games
Berkeley, CAL has issued bonds for SlSO. 900
for Fairgrounds, Richmond will open
twelve school Fairgrounds this summer.
Portland. Ore. has employed one Of the
most celebrated firms OF landscape archi-
'ects In the country TO transform a great
tract OF undeveloped land into a play
ground and athletic field
Interest manfests itself In other direc-
lions The University Of Missouri has
created a new chair, OF which the first in
cumbent took his seat in January. His
work will he university extension Of the
physical training department, and to that
end he will spend his time travelling over
the State. and assisting in the organization
n Fairgrounds, Five cities OF the State
have organized playground associations
since his appointment.
In Baltimore an organization was effected
in February by some Of the most repre-
sentative people Of the city which was the
first Of its kind in the country. Its object
is TO bring into harmonious cooperation
organised athletics for school children,
athletics for the working boys Of the city,
the playground association and the work
Of the public gymnasia.
The city Of Los Angeles has erected this
winter, the first municipal recreation centre
distinct from any park, large and beautiful
building In the Eighth ward, a dreary dis
trict considered the toughest OF the city.
This building with patio and roof garden
preserves a flavor Of characteristic Cali
fornian architecture and contains bowling
alleys, running track, public baths, large
gymnasium, clubroom. stage with dressing
rooms, kitchen and 80 on. II cost $50 OOO
Mrs. Willoughby Rodman Is the chairman
Of the playground commission Of Los An
geles, and the erection Of this building is
due to her and other women Of the city.
Before the Massachusetts Legislature
there is a bill which provides that every |
city in the State Of 10000 inhabitants or
more shall provide at least one centrally |
located playground for it's children, and an
additional playground for each additional |
20 900 inhabitants. This bill was framed by |
Joseph Lee Of Boston, one Of the vice.
presidents Of the Playground Association
Of America, which has its headquarters at |
street and Madison avenue.
1T marks said one Of the officers at that
headquarters. "a new era in constructive
social work an effort to force cities to build
4 long preventive lines. Cities and States
have long been required by law to establish
and maintain jails, warehouses and 80 on
In the future they will be required to estab-
ish and maintain institutions to help keep
he people out OF such places.
New Jersey passed an advanced and
rogressve playground law last year,
which was improved and strengthened this
winter, and under il Mayors have recently
appointed playground commissions in Tren-
on, East Orange, Hoboken Newark, Jersey
'ity and Burlington. A bill was introduced
n the Ohio Legislature during the present
session TO authorize cities TO issue bonds,
,ot to be counted under the debt limit Of
he Longworth law, for the purpose Of
civic centres equipped with
laygrounds, gymnasiums, plunges, music
md entertainments.
Thus far this work, with the exception
4 trihing gifts here and there, has been
one by municipalities and school boards
howiug TO what an extent it has taken
old Of the mind OF the general public,
'ut John d. Rockefeller and his son-in-law.
iarold Mccormick will this summer finance
that is 80 far as known a perfectly new
hing In the world. This will be play
round in the wilds for boys, in charge
I Capt. Jack Crawford, sometimes called
he poet scout A tract Of wilderness
l.2O0 acres will be opened on
'ortage Lake near Manistee, Mich, and
here boys can camp cut and learn wood
raft. II the plan proves successful a
luch larger tract may be opened later
4 New Mexico.
Perhaps the most remarkable proof Of
he interest Of the whole nation in this
iovennent Is the curious expedition Of
20 +. Hammer sent out by the Playground
sso0iation of America iaie in April. Some
eople might call Mr.. Hammer an Adnnn.