Milford chronicle., 1911-04-21

mensions; 500 feet by 200 feet; $50 b.
800 feet and 24S BY 450 feet. Two o
these fields were in the more built uI
portions of the city and were expensive
the third was on the outskirts of the city
and cost S17 900 These athletic fields
were to be equipped shortly with the
proper equipment tor such places. This
to be done by approximation of the city
funds. The first and smaller three play
grounds were equipped with sand courts,
swings and such things, dear to the hearts
of children, by a generous citizen.
In East Orange, New Jersey, a small
city of about IS 900 inhabitants, there
are five smaller Fairgrounds and one
larger athletic field of about six acres.
These grounds were purchased and equip
ped by bond issue of the city. They were
started about three years ago and such
was the success of the movement that an
additional field has since been purchased.
The smaller Fairgrounds in East Orange
are run in connection with the public
school system.
New Rochelle, New York, is another
of the smaller cities that is in line in this
movement. The population is about As, :
900. They already have twenty acres of
park land in addition TO an athletic field
of about eight acres. It is their intention
to have a playground connected with
every public school in the city and also
to have additional grounds in every ward
or division
| Worcester, Mass, is larger city where
the need for Fairgrounds was felt and
where action has been taken to carry out
the need. Worcester has a population
of about l40 900. They now have about
twenty Fairgrounds, which are splend-
/ idly patronized and successful in every
way. Besides these numerous play
grounds, Rochester has a public park
system about equal i'll size to the public
park system of Wilmington
Newark, New Jersey, a large city of
400, 900 population, is making vigorous
preparation to join in this movement.
1t has procured a nine acre athletic field
at a cost of SIS, 900 and in addition
to this sum is expending 81 900 for grad
ing the field and putting it into shape.
This is only the beginning of the move
ment in Newark as the purpose is to have
Fairgrounds in every part of the city so
that all the children may be cared for.
In Harrisburg. Penna., although the
population is only $1,000, considerably
smaller than Wilmington they have eX
pended more than S2l7 900 for the pur-
chase of parks and Fairgrounds within
the last six years. To show the deter
mination of the Harrisburg people to
provide Fairgrounds for the children, in
some instances where the land could not
be obtained at a reasonable price by pur-
chase from the owners, condemnation
proceedings were taken to obtain possess
sion of it. In this way over S33, 600 was
expended.
Reading. Penna., a city about the size
of Wilmington, has within the last two
years appropriated $500 900 for the pur-
chase of parks and Fairgrounds.
Camden, New Jersey, another city about
the size of Wilmington, has already five
Fairgrounds and proposes establishing
several more in the near future. The re-
ports of the attendance of children at
these Camden Fairgrounds has been most
encouraging to those interested in this
great work. The interest may be esti-
mated by tine fact that during the season
from July 9th to September 4th, 1909,
the number of children who attended
these Fairgrounds was 81 400.
But this movement is not confined to
the Eastern cities. 1t has taken hold in
the West and South as we'll. Terre Haute, |
Indiana, is particularly enthused and in
earnest ON the subject of Fairgrounds. |
It is a city of some 1000 population. !
Until recently, it had FIVE parks, four of
which are small and one large. A part |
of the large park is devoted to the play |
ground idea. But most of the parks there |
are on the outskirts of the city and not |
in the congested portions. So recently, |
the authorities purchased a whole block |
in the built up portion of the city so that |
the children of that neighborhood might |
have a breathing space. S35 900 was
paid for this latter tract, the money hav-
ing been raised by the issue and sale of
bonds.
And then, away down in the southland,
Mobile, Alabama, has fallen in line. The
people there expect to have, within the
next year, complete system of play
grounds, properly supervised. This is
entirely outside of the parks. The amount
Of money to be expended for these play
grounds will aggregate about S25O.OOO
New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore.
Boston, Chicago and st. Louis are all
such large cities that they might be placed
N a class by themselves. 1t would
scarcely be fair to compare them with the
1LnGT ana Smaller NlLAEo- al AAAS'S NANAN't
however, are in line in the playground
sentiment and are making proPortionate
progress along this line. They are all
making large annual expenditures for
Iwould especially mention
chicago and ST. Louis. Chicago is max
ng the greatest progress. Out there they
ire simply pouring money into play
grounds. They already have nearly a
hundred, some large and some small.
n one ward alone, the Legislature of the
tate authorized an expenditure ofS250, 600
or parks and Fairgrounds. In addition, Z
t authorized the expenditure of 81 900, ,
400 for a like purchase, i'll different parts
# the CITY, by the West Chicago Park
commission.
St. Louis is also making great progress
long the right line. St. Louis has a S
ong river front along the Mississippi, I
which portion is very thickly built up. 4;
he people are packed in there as thick =
$ bees in a hive They have no breath
1g spaces. However, the city is remedy f
no this condition Within the last year I
r so the sum Of $3.50 600 has been ap- :
1 1 ~