New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-05-28
SPEAK FOR Fairgrounds
Ra|Iy at Cooper Union to Give
Children More Freedom.
FIGURES BY DR.. GULICK
Three Square Feet for z Per
Cent of Children Below
18th Street.

DR. Luther II. Gulicl1 OF the Playground
Association of America, gave some start
ling figures showing the necessity for play
grounds at meeting in Cooper Union last
night The Fairgrounds at present pro-
vided below 14th street, he said. would
give three square feet of ground for play
to per cent OF the children in that sec
ton.
ITO provide three square feet for each
boy and CIR! in that section to play IN"
said DIR. Gulick, I'VE should have to raze
every fifth building. The trouble is the
streets were made for two story houses
and are used for twenty to thirty story
buildings
DR. GuIick dwelt on the need for stu
dents, promoters and advertisers to show
how the Fairgrounds could be utilized to
the greatest advantage. 1.-THE supervisor
of a playground should be to it what a
librarian is to the library, not person
to save the ground. but one to direct the
children to get as much good as possible
out of their play" he said Use the same
kind Of brains to promote the public parks
as Fairgrounds are used to promote
Coney Island. The new Coney Island is
immeasurably cleaner than the old and it
pays better. The moving pictures to-day
are cleaner than they were two years ago,
and they pay better. Let the municipality
make the Fairgrounds wholesome and they
will be the more attractive"
Ernest K. Coulter, clerk Of the Children's
Court. said half of the twelve thousand
cases before that court last year were the
result of the need for places where chill
dren could play. He illustrated the con-
dition by the story of little red headed
Dat for a in
ball on the street was asked by the Judge,
What are the streets for, 'Patsy'?" and
answered, For automobiles, sir"
If more and better Fairgrounds were
provided said Mr.. Coulter. the number Of
children in the court would be greatly
diminished
Mrs. Charles H. Israels of the committee
on amusements and vacation resources, told
of the success of the committee in provid-
ing model dance halls. The institutions pro-
vided by the committee were not known,
even to those who freduented them, as be-
Ing provided by philanthropy and there was
no need for philanthropy about them, for
they paid we'll, and the proprietors OF other
dance halls in the neigh borhood had taken
the lesson and improved conditions in their
places, for the better class of those who
had to depend on dance halls went to the
model institutions.
Dancing masters have told u.s." said
Mrs. Israels, that some of what we consid-
cred tough dances were inspired by the acts
on the vaudeville stage, and that there was
a demand for the teaching OF such dances.
If this Is true, there is a reason for sup
pressing such exhibitions on the stage"
Mrs. Israels quoted the statement of the
superintendent of the Bedford reformatory
for female delinauents that the majority
Of the inmates of that institution traced
their downfall to dance halls and the liquor
selling attachments. She commended the
dance hall regulation bill adopted at Al
bany. and a resolution was unanimously
adopted thanking Senator Brough for his
work in passing the bill.
Henry Moskowitz, the chairman. also
commended the bill passed this week at Al
bany to provide for the appointment of a
commission, without pay, to care for recre-
alton matters. while this bill is per-
missive,'' said the chairman, I'VE know
that our Mayor is brilliant, wholesome
man who will take action at once to i'm
prove conditions" vote Of thanks to AS
semblyman Frederick R. Toombs, who Of
fered the bill referred TO, was passed.
Messages supporting the objects of the
meeting were read from Park Commission
er Slower, Dock Commissioner Calvin
Tomkins and James Z. Sullivan. OF the
Amateur Athletic Union. Alderman Dresch-
er who introduced the resolution for free
baths at Coney Island, told of some of the
troubles he had encountered. and commend
ed Controller Prendergast, who, though he
differed in politics from the speaker, had
taken I'D this question in favor of the peO-
ple with commendab BILE vigor and prompt
ness, as had the other members of the
Board Of Estimate.
Send young men TO the Board of AL
dermen," said Mr.. Drescher; send your old
men to the homes. if you must get rid of
them The whole beach must be secured
for all the people, ard Controller Prender-
CAST may be depended on to help us have
the rookeries along the Coney Island beach
pulled down and replaced by board
walk as Alderman Campbell has proposed,
so that all the people may have enjoyment
without feeling pauperized or being held
UP, and the city will lose not one dollar"