The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-07-07
PREPARING
Fairgrounds
FOR PUBLIC
NATIONAL MOVEMENT is REcElv-
ING GREAT IMPETUS.
More Than a Hundred and Fifty 8hou-
sand Voters in Massachusetts In

Significant enough to warrant the
general attention that is being given
to it, is the fact that the state in
which was started the first American
public outdoor gymnasium and recrea-
ton center is the state first to give
the playground movement in this
country official general endorsement.
That state is Massachusetts.
The general endorsement came by
the action of 40 cities and towns whose
voters accepted the act of the 1908 |
legislature officially known as chap
ter 513 of the acts of that year. This |
act requires that every community |
that adopts it must provide a con-
veniently located and properly equip
ped play ground ''for the recreation
and physical education of the minors
of said city or town."
Fairgrounds are thereby incorporat-
ed into the educational and social sys-
TENS of the municipalities much the
same as schools are included.
OF twent-six cities that voted on
the question twenty-four adopted the
law. OF the sixteen towns that vot-
ed all odopted it. These forty COM
munities have until July, 1910. to COM
plv with the law, but in most cases
immediate action will be taken for the
coming summer. The total vote was
approximately 154500 in favor to 49,
80 against.
The remarkable general endorse
ment of the playground movement and
what it involves by the voters OF Mas
sachusetts is attracting attention ma
tionally. DR.. Luther H. Gulick,
president of the Playground associa
ton of America and chairman of the
Playground Extension committee oil
the Russell Sage Foundation, says:
THE general sentiment of the vot
ers of a state has been tested for th'
first time in America with reference
to their estimation of Fairgrounds.
is fortunate that this test occurred il
Massachusetts, because Massachu
sets has had longer playground eS
perience than any other state Il
America. The overwhelming vote il
favor of Fairgrounds is additional evi
dence that the American people pre-
nose. first of all, to take care OF thel
children"
As an outgrowth of the playground
agitation, if indeed it is not tn
foundation on which Fairgrounds resi-
&c the movement for definite attentio
IN the welfare of childhood by sue
/ methods as that in Hartford, Conn
Through an amendment to the cit
{ charter it has become possible to e.
tablish a comission on juneville
fairs. said confession shall hav
/. mower to investigate into all question
/. relating to the welfare of the childre
of the city" An annual report woul
/. be required to the city council.
One of the first questions to be CO.
. sidered by the new commission whe
legally established is likely to be thi
of compulsory attendance at pla
grounds. for the reason that motor
nhvsical education to be secured Of
of doors is equally important wi
mental education usuelly secured
school houses. Merely providing pla
grounds is but one step in the rig
direction. The matter of industri
training with the rational disciplh
that accompanies useful occupaut
will likewise be taken up.
The Massachusetts Civic League h
a plan started that tends in the san
direction-to look after the interes
of iuneville citizens. The league air
to have formed in each city and tov
in its state a local group of peoT
TO look out for all the interests
children. A new type of organizati
is in mind for which sufficiently
= pressive name has not yet been font
Fairgrounds offer the first tagit
word for these local groups. becau
here is the particular thing that nee
first mention and is ready. An exec
= tive committee of some thirty men a
women from various towns and cit
of the state has been formed. unt
'o the general direction of Joseph L
II Secretary L. r. Hartman and Thon
. Curley of the Civic League, The S
rotary expresses the idea in mind
these words:
THE eh..S is the physiological
and everything affecting the intere
of childhood should come into the Il
of activity II such local organizati'
There are Juvenile courts, probat