Perth Amboy evening news., 1911-07-18
NO MONEY NOW
SAY ALDERMEN
CONTINUED rom page ~

ment, c~aretaking, engaging instruc-
tors for playground in northern part
of the city, $685. total, $500.
Commissions Letter.
The letter to the Board of Alder
men on this subject follows:
Perth Amboy, N. j., July IL, 1911.
To the Honorable Mayor and Board
of Aldermen of the City of Perth
Amboy.
Gentlemen
Acting in accordance with the
popular demand for the establish
ment of a playground system in this
city, to serve for the protection and
general welfare of the children of
this city, Mayor Albert Bollschweiler
appointed the undersigned, who
were approved by the Honorable
Board of Aldermen, as a commission
to serve in the interests of the city
with a view towards securing the
establishment of such an institution.
The members of this commission at
the time of their appointment were
in no way acquainted with the needs
of such an institution, but having
the welfare of their city at heart and
being satisfied of the necessity of
such an institution, a campaign for
the purpose of securing information,
statistics and, in general, everything
essential to make the initial boom
of the playground system in this city
successful, was arranged at the or
g%anization meeting of the commits
sion, and a schedule of visits to
n%eighboring towns which possessed
Fairgrounds was carried out, there
by securing a great amount of valua-
BILE information.
Encouraged by the fundamental
knowledge thus obtained the COM
mission arranged plans for conduct
Ing an active public campaign, In
order to demonstrate to the public
at large the working methods used
by a playground commission and the
part that institution plays in the
moral uplifting of and the physical
benefit to It's future citizens.
In conjunction with this campaign
Mr.. Rowland Haynes, field secretary
of the Playground Association of
America and a recognized authority
on Fairgrounds, was secured. He
arrived in this city on May 31st last
and during his three days stay in
this city he addressed a public las
meeting In the high school auditori-
UNI, spoke twice before the students
of the high school and the public
schools, made an inspection trip &C
companied by the commission for
the purpose of selecting a site for
the playground and consulted with
the commissioners relative to their
general work. At the conclusion of
his stay he stated that, although
Perth Amboy was quite ahead of
other cities regarding area and popu-
~lation, in regard to appearance and
general conditions, it had yet to fol-
low in the footsteps of these cities
in satisfying the crying need of the
country, the playground. He stated
that the time for establishing this
playground was exceedingly rlyCt
present.
Following the conclX~on of tba
campaign the cC-->esion acting in
accordane~~fth the suggestion Of
IeIex) Mr.. Haynes, set about to Sc
.S a centralized location, convent
(HStly accessible to all children and
equally distant from %sectiOns of
Of city~A6 INSPECTION, however
convinceH the commission that such
a site was not available and that two
fields, both in the southern section
of the city, were practically the only
which could be secured.
After a careful consideration the
commission decided to secure the
plot bounded by Madison and Brigh-
ton and Lewis street. In
giving preference to this site, the
fact that it would require from three
to four thousand dollars to install
the necessary COnYenienCes and
consideration. The Lewis street
property is located within two hun
bred feet Of No. 7 school and the
conveniences and water there would
permit the saving of that amount.
Having decided upon the location
of the principal playground, dissatis-
faction appears to have arisen among
the residents of the northern section
Of the city because of the extreme
southern location selected. The
commission then concluded that in
order to conform with the original
idea. it would be necessary to install
a playground Of minor proportions
in the northern part of the city to
serve the children of that section.
1t is the commissions intentions
to have the Lewis street tract serve
as the principal or main playground,
where the older children from all
sections Of the city could convene.
A small portion of this field will be
set aside for the smaller children in
a manner that will insure their safe
ty from injury by reason of the more
vigorous sports of the elder children.
For the older children it is pro-
posed to install a basketball court, a