Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-06-15
Observance of Fourth
Must Be Safe and Sane"
Appropriate Program Arranged for Salt Lake-Reform
Spreading Rapidly Throughout Nation - Awful
Death Roll of the Past-Teaching Children How to
Play

| cities, made house IL house canvass
to raise money The neighborhood Is
one of old small. wooden houses that
are eyesores and the people Italian and
irish. The barkeeper used the little
money collected for a parade ana some
music. The scheme proved great
success and this year the people intend
to have a stiil better celebration. Last
year In Brooklyn five we're killed and
over 10 injured Eben T.. Morfort the
president Of the Industrial Home for
the Blind, lost his eyoglght MIR Nor
Tort wrote very pathetic and forceful
letter To- the Brooklyn Eagle This add
ed to the Interest aroused by the bar
Keepers unalded effort led 10 the APP
pointment by the borough president Of
committee TO plan a comprehensive
celebration of the dag throughout
Kings county for i.250.000 people. This
shows how very promising develop
inent grew nom most humble begin
nings. with little effort successful
results may be obtained anywhere. For
several years in Fiatbush, Brooklyn,
miles and miles OF streets have been
decorated each Fourth Of July evening
with japanese and Chinese lanterns.
Those living on each block join to buy
fireworks and sometimes bands are
hired. The streets are all asphalted
and often the young people dance out
doors to the music. During the day
athletic games are held All this was
done to keep the young children at
home by making IL unnecessary TO go
downtown to have n good time.
The officers of the Playground Asso-
citation Of America interested the mayor
of New York, the school officials and
the press In an improved way OF cele-
blating Independence day. Mayor Gay
nor appointed large committee OF
prominent business men. social work.
ers and city officials To do for the whole
city what the earlier committee chosen
for Brooklyn did In that borough. III II
Is possible in the largest city of the
country to arouse public opinion suf-
ficcntly to produce concerted action to-
obtain a more significant and improved
celebration than has been the custom.
IN smaller communities the task should
be very much easier.
HOW To CELEBRATE.
Why was not the possibility OF a
more rational celebration discovered
sooner? II Is only recently that any
body realized that children needed to
be taught how to play The growth OF
the playground movement has been
simply phenomenal The extension OF
the work OF playground associations
to show children and communities
how to celebrate the Fourth of July
WIS uuiNt nc INGENIOUS IDl-
lowed In different places must vary but
the following Is a skeleton of the
scheme being tried in New York. Local
celebrations for each school district are
planned. In the morning parades will
be held At noon whistles are 10 be
blown and bells will ring for few
minutes. One suggestion is that at this
hour all the children should release toy
balloons with American flags attached.
In the afternoon athletic games. folk
dances. speeches. music, drills. flag sa-
lutes. and tableauN can be arranged.
Larger general pGrades are also
planned and i'm the evening there will
OF course be fireworks. In Brooklyn
special feature is to be made of NOV
ing pictures.
The featurg,s OF this program are ia
miliar. Children know the patriotic
songs. drills and salutes from their
school work. Folk dances and athletics
can he easily arranged. The almost
frenzied interest children take In cleo
tion parades and I'm those on Decora-
ton day is known to all 1nnumerable
special celebrations and annual Sunday
school parades all have furnished OBJ
vious hints that the reason the honor
ing Of Independence day has run to
such riotous extremes is because COM
have not provided for the chill
dren an organized and legitimate out
let for youthful spirits.