The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-02-05

with spacious grounds and would rath-
er live away from the noise and clatler
of the city streets and yet have all the
advantages city offers.
"a boulevard in the accepted sense
of the present time is a strip of lana
from $50 feet to 800 feet wide, dlvid-
ed into drives paths and auto courses
separated from each other by park
| ings, planted to grass, shrubs and
trees; here and there widening out to
larger or smaller park with shelter
and other architectural structures for
| beauty, convenience and comfort of the
people,"
Mrs. Monroe's ADD ess.
In introducing her remarks on
''What the Clubs Can Do to Aid the
Playground Movement" Mrs. Lee
Monroe said:
more from the standpoint of a mother
than a club woman. The best thing in
the world for a woman is association
with her child I am in favor of the
playground but unless we have ade-
quate supervision we want to go very
slow.
"The clubs have demonstrated in
many cities what they can do for this
movement, because they have built
tanning them. We have an association
as we have heard which is affiliated
with the national association. We
know about the Kansas City clubs that
nave lildL play e1AA0
we believe that anything that has
been done by club women can with
persistent effort be accomplished here
in Topeka. Rut before the clubs take
this up we will want to know many
things as to working plans.
"Along all reform lines we must
consider that while some things are
eminently fit and proper for some peo-
pie they are not at all suited for 9TH
ers. I am in favor of the kindergarten
and day nurseries for some children
but not for my own. I did not send
my children to school until they were
long past school age and was forced to
give my reason why they were kept
out. The superintendent assured me
that he had a kindergarten teacher
that 1t would be a great privilege for
my children to go to school to. told
him that 1t was even q greater prlvi-
lege for them to go to school to their
mother.
"If we club women take this up we
must explain many things to the moth
ers. Do they want Fairgrounds
They will ask many questions. They
will put forward some arguments. The
mother is get ing a little Jealous of the
many things that takes her child from
her. She has {. right to be, as for the
good of the mother ane the child they
should see much of each other. Some
thing is due in services to the mother.
Points Out Dangers.
ST would not for one minute believe
in public playground for my chill
dren," continued Mrs. Monroe, II
prefer to maintain a house as I now
do and always have that has public
playground for my neighbors chill
dren. We must be careful, my broth
er, how we establish any more bar
riers between mother and child. We
ought to have telephone service and
plenty of it at the playground. Our
supervision should be the most COM
plete and thorough of all institutions.
why do teachers object to recess?
1t is because they have found that
the promiscuous association of chill
dren on the playground breeds insub-
ordination, is productive of disorgan-
ization. Discords arise from the asso-
citation of different classes which the
teacher finds it hard to prevent. Sup
pose this playground was to be in con-
nection with the schools? Disputes
would be carried through entire
school years. If this playground was
| to be as democratic then we would
have all sorts and conditions of chill
dren thrown together. Could we if it
became a part of our system as some
one proposed make any distinction in
color? This the mothers will ask and
insist on.
1--WE must not start out with the
slogan that we are going to work for
the poor For the children of the
poor working man. That phrase is an
insult to our commonwealth, to our
institutions, to the intelligence of the
American people.
class and we are so apt in our zeal
to degrade with our socalled charities
than we are to elevate by making our
beneficiary Independent and self
| supporting and leave to him the rem
nant of his self-respect. Our working
people are not a cheap class.
IF we can evolve some plan where
these Fairgrounds may be in man
ner semi-private, where the mother
can recall those children at any time
| her work demands it, where we can
have a supervision that will be in all
senses a supervision with power to
make commands and enforce them,
where there will be no mixture of
races, where the little children may
| be protected, where the mothers will
also be provided for, then the clubs
will go in heart and soul and help.
| The clubs could do much towards
| planning games, providing entertain
ments, encouraging the spirit of help
fulness, and making a community of
. interests. We will be delighted to be
asked to help, If we can go into the
scheme as mothers, all we want is
to be not asked to in any manner stul-
tify our mother intellect, nothing for
or towards others that our mother
hearts would not welcome when done
to u.s."
Supt Whittemore Speaks.
| I'VE want the whole child In tn
school and wholesome child" was
the keynote of what Superintendent
L. D. Whittemore said in regard to
the playground question He was OF
the opinion that the playground is an
essential feature of a we'll organized
school system. E. F. Stanley, princi-
pal of the Quincy school also is in
favor of the movement.
w. J. Rickenbacher. who announc-
ed his intention some months ago OF
giving the city tract of ground Join
ing the south limit of the city stated
that he would deed the property over
to the city within the next so days
and that he hoped it would be used
for playground purposes.