Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-13

schools and the judge OF the juvenile
court The Massachusetts, Civic League
is organizing similar commissions all over
the state of Massachusetts.
Supplies an Inventory.
''Of even greater interest in idea is
the new recreation commission OF New
York city. though it Is still in the initial
stage. This is of interest because II
plans to inventory all the recreationai Ia
cilities of the city and to try to make
them adequate to actual needs.
But the playground extension has not
merely been extensive. but also intensive:
The real progress is not wholly expressed
by the increase in the number OF play
grounds. There has been a general in
crease in attendance in all the cities.
and there is general tendency to keep
the grounds open for longer time"
The movement began in 1907 and was
directed by an organization known as
the Playground Association of America,
with headquarters at No. l Madison
avenue, New York. where Mr. H. r.
Brancher. the secretary. Is In charge.
Lee F. Hammer, as field secretary. has
been constantly travelling through the
country interesting benevolent people
and assisting in the organization Of local
branches. Mrs. Russell Sage gave sub
stantial contribution toward the expenses,
| which have been paid entirely by private
persons. In June. 1907. national con-
gress was held in Chicago, which has
been foremost in the movement and
where the playground idea IS farther ad-
vanced than in any other part of the
country. Indeed, no city in the world
has such extensive or elaborate play
grounds for its children as Chicago, and
the South Park is the ideal of all.
Organized at Chicago Congress.
H. ,f1ne
Congress and was conducted through ex-
listing organizations such as the Young
Mems Christian Association, the Young
Women's Christian Association. various
athletic organizations, organizations for
physical culture, clubs for civic improve
| ment and various other agencies when
have shown great enthusiasm and eff
cheney in advancing the cause. Boards OF
education everywhere have recognized
the importance Of the movement, park
commissioners of nearly every city Of the
country have given 1t their official In
| dorsement and assistance. Before the
end Of the first year (19O7) sixty-six cit
| les had developed the idea to greater
| or less extent. During the second year
d9cS lit cities had public playgrounds.
of which sixty-nine were supported by
| private benevolence. seventy-six by mu-
nicipal appropriations and thirty-six by
| the boards of education.
At a congress held that year 1t was
demonstrated that the people of the
United states had finally discovered that
| the children had claims that could not
| be denied and that public officials were
waking up to the realization that the
development of boys and girls into men
and women of good character and good
physique was as important as the con-
struction of sewers and pavement6.
The demand for playground equipment
has become SO great that two new manu-
| featuring companies have been started
| for that purpose at Templeton, Mass, and
Philadelphia, and the existing dealers say
| that their business has been more than
| doubled
Cause Of Complaint.
| The only drawback has been the closing
| OF several Fairgrounds as nuisances or
| the complaint Of the neighbors, but this
has been due in every case to the lack OF
supervisors to take charge Of the children
and direct their sports and their failure
to protect the grounds against the In
vasion of roughs and hoOdlums-a class
| that can be easily controlled If proper
measures are adopted. Those who have
had the greatest experience In the play
ground movement are firmly convinced
| that a playground without suitable super
vision is worse than none at all, and
they advocate the training Of supervisors
| in the normal schools a distinct branch
| of the educational system. There is al
ready great demand for them, which Will
become greater as the Fairgrounds are
Increased.
The Playground Association Of Wash
ington. which was one of the earliest to
be organized and has already provided
an extensive system OF Fairgrounds for
children of the capital, asked Congress
| this year for an appropriation OF $45, $50
| for securing and equipping Fairgrounds
| in different parts of the District Of Co
| lumbia, but the House committee was
not willing to give more than 5000.
Grants $22, 900 ON Condition.
When the bill came up for action, how
| ever, this amount was raised to $4,000
| but on the condition that the entire
amount should be paid from the revenues
of the District instead of one-haH from
the national treasury, as is the custom
with ordinary appropriations. In othel
| words, the nation at large is not to be
| charged with any of the expense Of fur
| nishing Fairgrounds for the children OF
! the District. The earnest and enthusiast
| tic friends of the children have appealed
| to the Senate, however, and there is con-
| fidence that the full amount asked fol
| will be appropriated in the usual way.
| ODDITIES IN THE NEWS.