The Baltimore County union, the Towson news., 1909-09-25
TIE PUBLIC ATHLETIC LEAGUE.

The first annual report of the Public Ath-
letic League has just been issued. 1t is more
elaborate in form than are the customary re-
ports Of private societies, but this is altogether
fitting in view Of the character and scope Of
the Leagues work. The report covers the
activities of the summer of 1908 and the winter
of 19O8-1909 and includes the proceedings Of
the annual meeting held in February. The
illustrations are instructive and the text makes
interesting reading, especially the report of the
secretary, George w. Ehler, which gives a
clear and thorough description of the condi
tions that the League aims to improve and Of
the problems it expects in part to solve.
The meaning and purpose of the League are
concisely given in the articles of Incorporation:
1.-THE improvement of the physical and moral
welfare of the people Of Baltimore city and its
vicinity, and to this end the establishment and
conduct of Fairgrounds and other suitable
places for exercise" This is frank recogni-
tion of the fact that the physical and moral
condition of the great mass of the people is
not what it might be, and the League proposes
by giving the growing boys and girls oppor-
tunities for play and wholesome surroundings
and under helpful control. In the past. civil
lied communities and especially congested ones
have tended to drive the children too much. to
hammer mental and moral instruction into
them, and to neglect the physical side Of their
natures, forgetting or not realizing that to
make the best use of the brain and, in the long
run and in the mass, to develop character, our
\ ho<1s sn fho
thing of first and most fundamental import
ance. The rest comes partly while the bodily
health is being established and partly after
ward. Thus the League aims to supplement
the work done in the schools, to support it by
bettering the foundation upon which the edu-
cational framework is erected. At the same
time the League proposes to counteract to some
extent-perhaps in time even in large meas
ure-the evil influences so prevalent in con-
gested centers where wholesome home life is
the exception and the street is the children's
playground.
Important and permanent results of the
Leagues efforts are not to be expected at once,
for to work such changes the element of time
is necessary, and even after few years have
passed a careful study of court and prison
records, of hospital and health board records,
and of even less tangible sources of informa-
ton will have to be made in order to deter
mine how much benefit has been procured.
The tools with which this great task is to be
accomplished are to be found in the public
parks, in settlements and in institutional rooms
of churches of various denominations, and
they consist of open-air gymnastc frames.
outdoor and indoor gymnastic apparatus,
running tracks, jumping pits. nets. balls, and
many other devices. Every day in six or eight
parks and other places hundreds Of boys (and
last year there were girls, too,) are to be seen
revelling in the facilities that have been pro-
vided for them by the Park Board and the
League and other bodies. During the year
covered by the report some $500 different in
dividuals made use of these facilities. In the
summer just ending about the same number Of
boys alone have been in regular attendance
And this is only the beginning of the work.
The girls and the small boys under twelve
years of age are in charge of the Children's
Playground Association, kindred organiza-
ton that is cooperating closely with the Ath-
letic League and is also doing work of enor
nous value.
The boys are under the care of trained
leaders and are taught various games and other
athletic exercises which develop the body and
also have a direct influence for good on the
mind and the character. At intervals contests
are held between two or more of the parks or
institutions which interest the boys and show
how much progress each group is making.
As far as is possible each boy is watched and
cared for SO that he will not overstrain him
self and so that be will get the greatest ad-
vantage out Of his exercise.
Baltimore countians will notice that the
League when organized expected to work
among the "people of Baltimore city and its
vicinity" As yet only preliminary steps have
been taken to extend the work into the county,
but it is hoped that thoroughgoing plans will
be inaugurated soon SO that at least the more
thickly settled portions will be covered. How
soon this will be done depends upon the in
terest shown by the residents of the county
and upon the resources that the League is able
to command.