The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-04-10
Adjoining Property Owners h. cIined to Think In Would
 Encourage Rewdyism
ADVOCATES SAY OTHERS
 DO NOT UNDERSTAND PLAN
School Children Will Present Monster Petition Asking That the Use of the Park Be Allowed For
 Healthfu Recreation.

The discussion of whether Magnolia park shall be made d playground has become live issue with the property owners around the park on one side, and the school improvement and athletic leagues on the other.
 The property owners have sent in a petition asking that the plans be dropped TO conteract this every child in the two schools which would be benefited by the playgrounds will present to the Mayor a petition, signed by his parents and friends, during the next few days, and it is expected that 1900 names will thus be listed on the side of the playground.
 The opposition advances it's arguments against the playground system as strong as ever.
 Might Promote cursine and Swearing.
 Gen. Louis V. Clark, who lives nearby, said: "Yes, I read with interest what Dr. J. H. Phillips and MT. A. H. Ford had to say in today's Age-Herald, and I commend their public spirit, but dis agree with Dr. Phillips in the conclusion reached, for the citizens around the park are fully aware of the effect of such playground and have earnestly entered their protest against it's use for that purpose.
 Every one knows that boys will be boys and no legislation or rules can make them otherwise, and when they are provided with a place for gathering day and night without the governing in fiuence of older heads they will get into p1icohiof +l,a Of Iial Ia to be corrupted by one bad companion.
 'I believe home is the place for boys at night, and not the street corners. The legend Keep off the grass is simply a subterfuge, as no citizen around the park objects to the playground for that reason, but they do object to cursing and swearing in the presence of their families and their children, and they bought property at high prices around the park so that they would have purity of thought disseminated, as well as fresh ness of air and fragrance of flowers.
 q agree with MT. A. H. Ford president of the Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company, in that the improvement and development of children ought to be encouraged by every citizen of Birming- ham, but think the first step in the general movement he proposes is in the wrong direction
 Would Depreciate Value.
 H. M. Archibald, who has completed two handsome residences adjoining the park, says: ''I joined with about 30 other citizens whose property faces the park, or is near it, in a protest against making a playground of Magnolia park, because such gatherings create rowdyism and vul- garity rather than improve the minds and bodies of the young boys of our city. When the white boys leave the negroes gather there now, and it will be impossible to keep them out, and I feel such a movement would be hardship on prop erty owners, as it would deprecate the value of our property to great ex- tent"
 City Does Not Need Fairgrounds.
 J. B. Dryer, a prominent real estate dealer who has just finished handsome home facing the park, has this to say:
 Birmingham is one vast park with it's broad avenues and numbers of gar dens, consequently does not need the cen tral part of the residence portion of the city cut up into a playground like congested New York and Baltimore, as suggested by MT. A. H. Ford If I am not mistaken the playgrounds and parks around Baltimore are in the Suburbs and are required by law to be kept up by the street railroad company. Now there is a great deal of available vacant land around Birmingham on the lines of the street railway company that could be