Evening journal., 1910-06-24
MAYOR RECOMMENDS
PUBLIC FAIRGROUNDS

The public school grounds could be 4
thrown open with but little expense. II
desire 10 extend to the delegates. who
so creditably represented this CITY at
the Playground Congress recently held |
at Rochester, my appreciation for the
commendable manner in which they
looked after our interests. and for the
untiring efforts made by them in Sc
curing data pertaining TO Fairgrounds
Il also desire TO extend to Jerome b.
Bell, Esquire, one Of the delegates from
this city, our thanks for the useful
and comprehensive report of the Play
ground Congress mentioned above
Respectfully.
y. Harvey Spruance,
Mayor
Mr.. Bells Report
The report of Mr. Bell Is as follows: |
Wilmington, Del. June Is, 1910.
ITO the Mayor and Council Of VIII
mington.
"Gentlemen: The undersigned sub |
mlts herein his report as a delegate |
70 the Fourth Annual Play Congress
Of America, held IN Rochester. New
York, from June 9TH to the 10th. in
elusive. The Congress was composed |
OF representatives from twenty-nine |
States and territories. among the lat
ter being Hawaii. There were dele |
gates also from Canada and Ireland. |
The cities represented numbered one
hundred and ten; accredited delegates
TO the convention. including those of
| Rochester. five hundred and fifteen
"The proceedings Of the Congress
were of a most enthusiastic and har-
monious character. and cannot but re-
aHft1N
the playground movement throughout
the civilized world There were
| great many interesting and valuable
papers read during the Congress. COW
ering a wide range Of juvenile recrea-
tive activity. but as they are TO be
published in the forthcoming report Of
the Playground Association Of Amer
lea. 1t is neither necessary nor desir-
able 10 burden this report with
further reference to them The Will
mington delegates. instead Of attempt
ing to digest these papers. regarded it
as more TO the point TO gather all the
data they could bearing upon our own
immediate needs. and their efforts were
| therefore directed to the securing Of
all Information possible relating to the
playground movement in those cities
Of about the same population as VIII
mington. or less. But other cities
we're not neglected as their experience
bears a proportional relation to our
own.
"The cities represented at the Play
ground Congress may be divided into
three classes: Those that are fairly
well provided with supervised play
grounds, either in connection with or
apart from their parks and public
schools; cities that have a system of
Fairgrounds only IN connection with
their schools, and cities that are al
most wholly lacking in supervised
playground facilities. Wilmington be-
ing in the latter class. the experience
of cities of like size or smaller. which
are in advance Of us in the play
ground movement. have a special in
terest for US
"Holyoke, Mass. furnishes a most
encouraging example OF what may be
done I'm a small town with entrrpris-
ing tendencies. II has q population Of
$4,000 Five years ago II had no play
} grounds at all. The need for play
grounds was felt. and a movement TO
secure them was started. II was up-
hill work at first. because about 20 per
( cent. of the population is foreign. But
under the stimulating efforts OF VIII
liam J. Howes. and Frank O'Connell.
the latter being the superintendent Of
parks beginning was made by the
purchase Of three small Fairgrounds
They were paid for and equipped by
an appropriation from the general city
funds The Fairgrounds were crowd
ed all the time. More room was needed.
and then the City Council appropriated
125,0O0 for the purchase of three ath-
ietic fields. the dimensions of which
are respectively. 500x2OO: 25Ox3O0. and
, 245xi50 feet. Two of those helds are
in the built-up portions of the city
and were very expensive, the other one
is further out and cost ST. 900. The
I small Fairgrounds are equipped with
. sand courts and swings, the gift of a
public spirited citizen. The athletic
{ fields are to be equipped when an ad-
h ditional appropriation. soon to be made
e by City Council. is available
s East Orange. N. j.. IS a town of
o only $4,000 inhabitants. II has five
Fairgrounds connected with its public
o schools. and one large athletic field of
n about six acres To purchase this
o field and equip the Fairgrounds. bonds
n TO the amount Of $4,000, at four Der
cent, were authorized and issued. This
q was two years ego Last year an
s. other large lot, known as the Cameron
Field. was bought for 100000 The
y playground development in East or
d ange is headed by Lincoln f. Rowley
and George T. Hepbron. the latter a
= former Wilmingtonian. and zest is
h given TO the situation by the vigoi
- with which they have entered into tn.
e movement.
) New Rochelle. New York. has a
. population Of $500. II has an athleti,
field OF eight acres, and twenty acre.
u Of park land. Under the direction OF
y Alderman Edward / Cordial a ,-io.nr