Milford chronicle., 1911-04-21
INSTRUCTIVE LECTURE
ABOUT FAIRGROUNDS
P. ]. Ford of Wilmington Gives
His Views On That Important
Subject.

neut manufacturer of Wilmington, and
man who is noted for his charitable works,
made a fine address before the persons
Dresent. Mr.. Ford gave instances of the
good derived from Fairgrounds in the
different cities of this country, and spoke
favorablv of the plan to give one to the
children of Milford. His speech is given
as follows:
I was pleased and gratiied to receive
from Mrs. Marshall an invitation to be
present at the meeting of your association
This evening and give expression to some
thoughts concerning the establishment
and maintenance of Fairgrounds for your
children.
The children always have been dear to
me and anv movement for their improve
rnent and betterment has ever interested
me and to such an extent that | am al
wavs willing to give of my time to help
such movements.
It is my opinion that the nationwide
movement for the establishment of play
grounds for the children of the cities, is
one of the best and most far reaching
movements for the permanent bettermeDt
OF mankind, in its ultimate results, that
has been inaugurated in our day and
generation.
This movement is of comparative re-
cent Inauguration. The work along this
line has been done, mostly, within the
last FIVE years. The beginnings were
small but led by those who had the well
fare of humanity as their incentive, and
it is an indisputable fact that practically
every movement for the benefit of man
kind has had small beginnings, but they
were founded on truth and right, as is
this movement, and truth and right must
prevail.
1 think Fairgrounds are of inestimable
good in every community where humanity
is settled thickly, in large cities and in
smaller communities as is YOUR most at
tractive town of Milford; but this is es-
pecially true of the larger communities
where people live in such places and in
such condition as would shock your sem
sibilities were you even to spend a few
minutes in those places. There they ex-
list l do not feel justified in saying live
without fresh air and without sunshine,
and unless something for their improve
ment is done, they will grow up as de-
generates morally as we'll as physically.
From a mere economical standpoint as
we'll as from good government point of
view, it is of great value to every city to
provide numerous and attractive outdoor
Fairgrounds for the children, and the
sooner this is done, the better. This will
not only make stronger men, both NOR
ally and physically, but it will tend to
improve the whole moral tone of the
community, teaching our youth to lead
cleaner and more healthful lives. 1t would |
reduce, immeasureably, i'll my opinion,
the expenses of the administration of
Justice in our cities and save many of our |
youth the disgrace of the first appearance |
in a court charged with the commission |
of crime. Consequently the whole tone |
of our boys and young men is raised |
they will naturally become better citizens
even in more material way, that IS, pro
duce more and do more for the benefit |
and welfare of the cities and their fellow |
citizens 1t will have the tendency to
get the young people out of the small
courts and alleys, and when they are once
out and know what blessings sunshine
and air are, they will stay out.
What is true of Wilmington is probably
true of every growing city, that IS, within
our immediate memory large portion of
the vacant lots were used by our youth
for their games and innocent sports, but
since the city has practically no vacant
lots except on the out edges, our youth
are compelled to 90 to the outskirts for
their amusements. Consequently those
who are too young to be permitted to
make such long journey are compelled
to amuse themselves upon the sidewalks
and in the streets. This results in acci-
dents. and from a need of more liberty
and fewer restrictisns, many of them
learn to break the laws and ordinances
The very nature of a child demands a
certain amount of outdoor exercise and a
certain amount of freedom, as well.
It was my great pleasure to attend the
sessions of the Fourth Annual Play Con
gress of America, which was held at
Rochester, New York, from June 9TH to
10th, last year. l feel it was a liberal
education to be at the congress. Cities
in all parts of the country were repre-
;ented, in fact, there were representatives
here from many of the European cities,
IS we'll. They were an enthusiastic body, :
aiken from among the very best of our
,itizens, and every one seemed to be in :
ipired with the righteousness of the cause
# Fairgrounds for children.
It is not my purpose this evening to go .
urther with my own thoughts or remarks,
,ut shall place before you many OF the y
acts in relation to the subject OF play
rounds, facts which were brought before !:
he Rochester Congress think, with /;
,ut doubt, this is the best manner in
which to place before you thoughts and
acts upon this subject that will be inter I
sting to YOU and such as may help you :
n the development of the movement IN =
iilford until it reaches practical and use ,
al results.
Holyoke, Mass. is among the smaller :
tiles which have taken up the matter OF !:
fairgrounds with a vigor and a sense of Il
he benefit to be derived. The facts are =
S follows: Holyoke has population OF -
bout so 900, most of its energies being II
evoted to manufacturing. A large per- :
eutage of the population is foreign = =
ractically all Of the work along this line >
as been done within the last six years. = J.
he citizens felt the need for Fairgrounds. !,
he first purchase consisted of three ~
mall tracts of land. These were pur- y
hased. paid for and equipped by the use =
8 ti,a erar, ara1 funds of the municipality. y