The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1908-04-13
Facts About the Fairgrounds.

n
EDITOR The Washington Herald;
It has several times been suggested on
the floor of the House that Congress
should stay its hand. and allow the Dis
trict to carry on the Fairgrounds, but
Congress is the only means through which
the District may receive money for any
of its public purposes. The District has
already expressed through its legal rep
resentatives. the Commissioners, its de-
sire to bear its part Of this expense for the
good OF the children. and asks that Con-
gress shall join with it In this good
work.
Congress has already recognized this
as a department Of the city government
by the purchase Of sites for Fairgrounds
last year. by appropriations for mainte-
nance during the last three years. and by
the employees being appointed by the Com
missioners of the District Fairgrounds
are now being maintained at public ex-
pense probably in every city in the United
States OF the size of Washington, GER
tainly in nearly all. To cut of the ap
preparation this year viii not merely
leave the old Fairgrounds unused, but
will leave the new ones entirely IN
equipped and win not allow anything for
the improvement and identifying of sites
already purchased
The need of the city for Fairgrounds
Is proven by the attendance of the chill
dren, which amounted to 3200 900 during the
eleven weeks of last summer The ap-
probation of the parents is shown by
contributions of more than SS000 for the
work of the Washington Playground As
ISOLATION, more than any other city in
America has given The approval OF the
people and the Commissioners is shown
in the estimates for Fairgrounds for this
year The approval OF the whole country
has been shown by numerous articles
on the Fairgrounds of Washington, both
in the magazines and the daily papers
The press of Washington has been uni
formly favorable to the movement
The expense of supervision Of the public
Fairgrounds was also referred 10 on the
floor of the House, and Il was implied
that this money was quite neediessly eX-
pended. There are many cities IN this
country which began with this point of
view. but there is not a city which has
found il possible or desirable to main
tain Fairgrounds in this way. Such
grounds always fall into the hands Of
DULLES and young toughs, who monopo
lie the facilities offered and furnish the
worst possible model for the other chill
dren to follow.
A playground with a competent organ
izer offers high grade physical training
at the same time that 1t teaches through
imitation and example and Royalties in
spired by competition, all the social and
civic virtues. Washington is to-day pay
ing teachers in its Fairgrounds less than
any other city OF its size in America,
The play leaders in the municipal play
grounds of Chicago receive $1,000 a year.
those in the South Park system S1,l0O
year. Boston pays 1920 a year. The
women teachers in the municipal play
grounds of New York receive $50, and
the men teachers receive SO a month.
Directors in school Fairgrounds of New
York receive from $50 10 Sl20 a month.
Teachers in the Fairgrounds of Phila-
delphia receive from s45 TO $50 a month.
The Fairgrounds of Pittsburg are main
tanned for half day only and the teach
ers receive from $50 to Sl25 a month
The Fairgrounds of Baltimore are main
tanned for a half day only and the teach
ers receive from $45 TO So a month.
Directors in the Fairgrounds of Wash
ington receive from $S5 TO $50 a month for
a full days work, in a climate and under
conditions which are much more ex-
hausting than those existing in any Of
these cities. Pittsburg aims to sfurnish
a teacher for every fifty children. New
York furnishes a teacher for every sew
enty children, while in Washington the
teachers often have 200 children to lock
after. HENRY S. CURTIS.
Supervisor of Fairgrounds