The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1909-05-06
FAIRGROUNDS FOR
MISSOURI. CHILDREN
Many Cities in the State Now
Have Them, and the Idea Is
Constantly Growing.
From the New York Evening Post.

From the New York Evening Post.
Missouri leads the federal union in
the statewide playground movement.
The boy without II playground" said
Jacob A. Riis. lis father to the maj
without a job" The Missouri play
ground movement, under the direction
of DIR. c. w. Hetherington professor
of physical training in the University
of Missouri, plans TO provide play
grounds so THAI no man of the next
generation need be without q jnb.
The playground movement in tho
United States has been chiefly in the
northern and eastern parts of the
country. In Missouri, ST. Louis and
Kansas City nave had Fairgrounds
with more or less success. Only during
the summer just closed. however. ha.
there been a statewide playground
movement. All Fairgrounds are divia-
be called athletic fields, another inter-
mediate Fairgrounds. and tho third
those which in the language of the
children are called kid corners"
throughout Missouri, st. Louis and
Kansas City We're not included because
they already had playground associa-
tons. Last spring several men and
women assembled at Rothwcll gym
nasium at the University of Missour!
and discussed plans for tho new move-
ment. To present the matter In the
various towns, DR.. Royal Melendy, of
Newark, n. j.. a graduate of the UNI
versity of Michigan, who had done set
Element work in Cincinnati and Chi
cago, had been appointed by the board
of curators. He said that he hoped
to train some of the directors i'm the
class just Every Saturday
morning, under the direction of Miss
Florence Alden and II. w. Burcllhaler.
instructors in the gymnasium, the class
met.
Fairgrounds directors were hard to
get, the supply of ain leaders was
small. 1t was to supply this need that
the class found its largest work. Final
reports on 13 Fairgrounds instituted
during the summer in 10 Missouri
towns showed surprisingly gratifying
results. Nearly 1000 Missouri children
who wove baskets, played basketball.
and enjoyed the swings in the play
the play thus afforded them was ac-
cording to scientific standards. They
did not realize that study of the psy-
chology Of play lay back of their en-
1oylment, But in. the establishment of
these grounds DIR. Hetherington's big
ideal Of physical education took a long
stride toward fulfllment. He success
fully blazed a new path In The physical
and moral education of children.
Fairgrounds We're established in st.
Joseph, and one each in the following
towns: Charleston. Shelbina. Poplar
Bluff, Columbia, Lexington, Butler, La
mar, Fla River, Mexico, Unionvile and
Joplin.
The cost of a Missouri playground
In these towns was: Apparatus, $95;
salary of director at $75 a month, 1925:
salary of an assistant, If there was one,
at $50 a month, $3.50. This made a total
Of $500 for the first year.
The child is primarily n social ami
NAL. DIR. Hetherington and his asso-
ciates believe. This expresses itself in
a craving for play. During the long
period Of infancy before it reaches ma
turity the child is physically untitled
for hard work. Its brain must ba
trainad-but perhaps that has been
overdone. The remaining time is al
lowed for physical and moral develop
ment.
child develops more on the playground
than in the school room.