The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-12-13
PLAYGROUND MOVEMENT
Report Of Committee Of Village I'm.
provement Society

EiSNNF'NNN NNN'NNy
The Village Improvement society
held a special meeting week ago to
hear the result Of the new civic en-
terprise-the opening of public
playground. The report OF the Miss
es Pratt was so enlightening to many
Of the ladies present that it is
thought the Banner readers will be
glad to read it.
This movement is only in its in
fancy, and It's needs are SO great and
so many that its success and enlarge
ment depends on the support given
by the public Offers OF cuntribu-
tons are hoped for-the earlier made
the more assured Is next years ven
ture-and how many OF the needs
confronting the workers can be met
depends on the attitude Of the pubic
towards this fine undertaking.
The report of the Playground Com
mittee is as follows:
The Village Playground was open
ed August fifth on the plot OF ground
known as THE Flatiron.' which was
generously loaned by the Holden Es-
tate The opening wac semiformal.
a talk by Mr.. Howe and flag raising
by the vice regent of the Daughters
Of the American Revolution.
The grounds We're open daily ex-
cept Sundays from August fifth to
September fifth. the opening OF the
schools. Fol owing that day they
were opened a few Saturdays but the
attendance was so small as not to
warrant the effort The apparatus
| Is now stored The average aiten-
/ dance during the season was one
hundred The play was supervised
by committee OF fourteen girls sup
plemented occasionally by young
men.
The committee had gifts In money
/ including the $40 donated by the VIII
lago Improvement society. amounting
10 $3.50 and gifts of different pieces
OF apparatus so that at the end of
the summer our playground was fair
~ well equipped. our equipment
now consists of a sand box, teter,
three swings. horizontal bar. rings,
trapeze, jumping standards, slide
flag and flag pole. Value OF the
whole estimated at 800.
In addition TO the apparatus work
there were special features each
I week. Folk Dancing and Story Tell
ing Story telling was very Popular
and we are studying now to develop
II into a real educational and moral
force. Folk dancing as something
entirely new. did not get such q good
start but has splendid possibilities.
The general interest aroused by
tho playground movement In our vii
lage seems quite remarkable. All
the money and practically all the ap
paratus was given us voluntarily, nc
soliciting having been done. There
was also splendid cooperation on m,
part OF our merchants and artisans In
giving us everything at cost The
breadth OF this interest may be not
ed by gancing at the list OF donors
in the appended financial report This
Is one OF the facts perhaps must tC
be reioiced In because the play
ground Is thus owned by the peopl,
themselves with true democratic splr
il and not a gift with the stamp o.
charity. We wish this might be car
rled even further by having the VII
lage support the playground as d
does the schools. The girls wh'
helped with the playground have als'
shown much interest and have organ
lied a Girls Civic League for prao
teal work and study OF problems. TIT
league hopes that Il may be formally
associated with the Village Improve
ment society
As to next year. We hope that w
may have a trained supervisor Wit
with ability to teach manual worl
and use the influence Of her person
ality constantly can do constructive
work which Is impossible with
large body OF volunteer workers. w
hope also that our playground ma
become an established institution
that We may fix permanent apparaiu
and erect a building for storing az
paratus and perhaps a circulating !
brnry. We hope aso IN time to civ
opportunities for more general rccr'
! alton for we believe proper rocrei
live facilities are of The creates
needs OF Bennington.
Respectfully submitted.
Meth. ..H ffilda nrnff