Los Angeles herald., 1910-09-21
Club News

Mrs. Willoughby Rodman, chairman
of the Playground commission of Los
Angeles, spoke at the meeting of the
charity conference committee in the di-
rectors' room OF the Chamber of Com
merce building yesterday morning. She
said that the spiritual and moral ma
ture of the child is developed, as we'll
as the physical life. on the city play
grounds, of which there are now four
teen in the city. She thinks that as
the hours of labor are becoming short
er the leisure of working persons as
well as children should be controlled,
and it is for this purpose that the
movement was started fifteen years
ago in New York by Jacob Riis. Since
then New York has spent $4,000, 900
on Fairgrounds and apparatus and in
the past month 100000 has been spent
for one plot OF ground alone.
Swimming pools and baths in the
playground clubhouses have been one
Of the most important additions to the
work, for 45OO baths have been taken
in the city pools since they were in
stalled here recently.
In many of the eastern cities theaters
have been built on the Fairgrounds and
good dramas and musicals are pre-
sented. Often amateur theatricals are
given by members of the community.
In this way the Fairgrounds and club
house are fast becoming the social GEN.
ter OF each neighborhood.
On the Los Angeles Fairgrounds sew
ing classes, cooking classes, manual
training and classes in ciVics and in
dustries have been started, giving the
working boys and girls chance to i'm
prove their evening hours of leisure.
(NhiI1rap a "a
and classes of mothers have been start
ed in physical culture and folk dances
At the Slauson playground a military
band has been started, and Mrs. Rod
man reported that $1,000 had been given
her to buy instruments for 1t. The
great ambition Of playground workers
is to bring families together in this
pleasant way, creating a universal
brotherhood. They wish to have more
children take advantage of the priVl-
.leges offered, for there will be plenty
of room for them all. The corps of
workers is steadily increasing in num-
bers, and as the demand for more play
grounds increases they will be added
Every Saturday evening during the
winter some sort of entertainment Is
provided in the clubhouses. Sometimes
there are lectures by professors from
the colleges in the city; often musicals
and athletic displays, but the last Sat
urday of each month they are allowed
to provide their own kind of amuse-
ment.
Members of the commission have
been criticized severely for allowing
baseball to be played on Sunday at
the Slauson playground, but they have
been authorized to do so by playground
and educational authorities, as the
young men of that neighborhood. who
have need OF some form of exercise
and can only get 1t on Sunday, haye
been frequenting ball parks adjoining
saloons, thus imperiling their morals.
The larger field on the playground IS
an attraction to them as well as an i'm
provement Of their surroundings.
Outside assistance and cooperation is
solicited. At present a sewing machine
is needed for a sewing class at Recrea-
ton center, and beside material assist
ance it is especially desired that each
child be told of the advantages offered
him.
Mrs. w. H. Baurhyte told of the need
of q playground near the Utah street
school and urged the immediate action
of the conference in procuring larger
and better equipped playground in that
vicinity. A committee of three will be
appointed Immediately to bring the
matter before the city council. Mrs.
Chalmers Smith was present and told
which she is president is accomplishing
in that vicinity, and she was requested
to lend her assistance in gaining the
much needed recreation ground.
Merle Mervin. months old. son Of
Mr. and Mrs. Merle Mervin of East
Avenue 21, was entered yesterday for
the baby show to be held at the Har-
vest festival, under the auspices of the
Los Angeles Federation of Parent
Teachers associations in Huntington
hall grounds, October l. He is the first
baby entered for the show. He is pos
sessed of sparkling brown eyes and his
hair is dark brown.
Members of the Hooper Avenue Pa
rent Teacher association will hold q
special meeting in the schoolhouse Fri
day afternoon to arrange for their work
in the Harvest festival, October /. The
regular meeting of the association will
be held in the schoolhouse the first
Wednesday in october.