Perth Amboy evening news., 1910-04-29
NEED PUBLIC
PARKS AND
FAIRGROUNDS
Jos. f. Walker Tells Advan-
tagss in Address to Bap-
tist Brotherhood.
SAYS THAT FAIRGROUNDS
LESSEN CRIME

ShN . ~ - ~ ~ - ~
LESSEN CRIME
Advantages of public play grounds
and parks, more particularly for the
children, were explained by School
Principal Joseph F. Walker, at a
meeting of the Baptist Brotherhood
In the chapel Of the First Baptist
church last night. He lauded public
Fairgrounds in glowing terms and
gave proofs that the children of
America, as those of other coun-
tries, need public Fairgrounds. His
talk was interesting and instructive
in all its phases and was warmly ap-
Dlauded when he had concluded. A
resolution putting the Brotherhood
on record as endorsing the move
Lment, was passed. Besides Mr. Wal
ker, President Bacon, OF the Broth
erhood, and Principal Lefler, of
school No. 8, spoke on the subject
Mr.. Walkers address was started
about o'clock, after the usual bus
iness of the Brotherhood had been
transacted. He began by lauding
the work Of the Baptist Brotherhood,
praising the members for their excel
lent work in assisting to maintain
present contagious disease placard
system, etc. Upon reaching thesubject
OF his discourse, he referred to the
fact that there are between six and
seven thousand school children in
this city enrolled in the pablic and
parochial schools. "Of that number,
about LOO come under my super
vision in the public schools" he
said. These children need play
grounds or public park for their
recreation. The subject has been
brought up in the editorial columns
of the EVENING NEWS and it is a
movement that interest should be
taken in and 1t should receive the
hearty support of the public"
Conditions at Present.
The principal referred to former
and present conditions at public
school No. 1. I'VE are perhaps more
fortunate than most other public
schools in having large back yard
for the children to romp about and
play in" he said. He proceeded to
explain how the growing Of flowers
&-H vegetables excited the interest
of the No. + school students. "At
first the yard was snail" continued
the speaker, but l interested the
Board OF Education and after some
deliberation an old house was pur-
chased. Prior to this time our boys
had broken many windows in the
house; not wilfully, but because 1t
accidentally happened while they
were playing. A claim was made by
the owner and all damage was paid
for by the children. The neglect to
furnish proper recreation facilities to
the boy, makes him bad and many
times 1t has the same effect with the
girls.
Our school has large rear yard.
which every school should have. Be-
fore We secured this the children
were huddled up in close quarters at
recess and other times and many
fights occurred. In fact, matters be-
came so bad that / had to detail
some of the older boys as policemen
In the yard. If they discovered any
violations, the Eiolator was arrested
and brought before me. Now that
We have larger playground, the DO
lice have been dispensed with and
there Is hardly fight once a year.
Boys are not naturally bad, but they
acquire bad habits, when not active
ly engaged, either in work or play.
Some boys are naturally bad and no
amount of training and coaching will
make them otherwise They show
this when they grow up"
Advantages OF Play Grounds.
Mr.. Walker went on to further l.lx-
plain the numerous advantages of
play grounds. He mentioned the In
ter-School Baseball League as a good
means OF occupying the boys time
afternoons. He told how discipline
at the games taught manhood and
how the games otherwise assisted
the boy to make him better fit for
what is TO come. In connection
herewith he mentioned of the graci-
GUS Offering of a number of dia-
monds by the local factories.
Now If these factories put fence
around their property and close out
our boy" he said, where is he GO
Ing to playi what is he going to do?
Certainly the street is no place for
him.
The principal quoted from Judge
Benjamin B. Lindsay, as follows:
Our plea for public play grounds is |
plea for Justice to the boy. We
are literally crowding him off the
earth. We have no right to deny
him his heritage, but this is Just
what We are doing in nearly every
large city in the country, and he is |
hitting back and hitting hard when
he does not mean to, while we va
guely understand and stupidity pun
ish him for crime. Why shouldn't
he rebel? The amazing thing is
that he is not worse than he is"
In Other Cities.
Conditions about this city as COM |
pared with other cities about the
country were next touched upon. He /
referred to disgraceful conditions at
No. z, where there is muddy bank
and grassless spot to stand on. At
this school the children romp and |
play on neighboring lots.
Since the starting of the play |
ground movement, it has been
spreading throughout the country" " |
said Mr.. Walker. 1T began in I
few small cities. Soon 1t became a
state problem and now it is ma
tional affair. Such cities as Boston /
and Pittsburg have large and beauti-
full play grounds. Even Pittsburg,
that dirty and filthy city, has spent |
over $2.O00,000 for public play
grounds"
COmDared With Animate