The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1911-06-23
LIFE ON CITY FAIRGROUNDS
THE KIDS UNDERSTAND AND APP.
PREcIATE THE BENEFITS.
Manly Boys and WomanIy Girls Made
From Untamed savases Of the =
City Streets.

Plenty OF room for dives and dens.
Colitter and glare ana SIND
Plenty OF room for prison pens.
(Gather the criminals inD
Plenty OF room for tails and courts.
(Willing enough TO pay).
But never a place for the lads TO race,
NO, never a place TO play,
Plenty OF room for shops and stores.
CMammon must have the bestD
Plenty OF room Tor the running sores
That rot in the city's breast
Plenty OF room for the lures that lead
The hearts Of our youth astray.
But never a cent on a playground spent,
No. never'a place TO play!
Plenty OF rooms for schools and halls.
Plenty OF room for art.
Plenty OF room for teas and balls,
Platform. stage and mart.
Proud Is the city-she finds place
For many FAD to-day,
place for the boys to play,
Give them a chance FOR innocent sport,
Give them chance for fun
Better a pla,yground lot than a court
Give them chance-if you stint them
Tomorrow you'll have 10 pay
A larger bill FOR darker III,
SO give them a place TO play .-,...
Journal ~ Education.
"
When the memories o. childhood
are beginning 10 grow dim and all
the softer feelings OF life have been
Gulled and scared by the daily strug-
gle with the cold. hard dictates OF ne
cessity. then take a trip 10 the play
grounds OF Wheeling Hard indeed
must be the heart that can remain
untouched by the spontaneous unrc-
strained JOYS and sorrows OF the hun
dreds OF little lassies and urchins who
congregate I'm those blessed breathing
spots which the big-hearted men and
women OF this city have provided for
them. No matter what objections or
discouragements may be offered by
skeptical persons. any one who works
for the welfare Of the boys and girls
will be amply rewarded by an hour at
the play grounds. Some splendid WORK
has been done for the kids OF the
Wheeling streets. and the finest part
is that the kids understand and appre-
ciate g.
At almost any hour OF the day some
OF them will be found on the grounds.
but II Is IN the evening that the big
crowds come Five O'Clock sees the
vanguard approaching. and from that
time until I O'Clock they come In a
never-ending stream Of juvenile hui
mainly. Many OF them live a mile or
more away. and have never seen
enough money 20 pay a street car
fare. but they all get there. just the
same.
All sizes There.
The number on one play ground
often exceeds five hundred All sizes
are there. from the little fodder who
has 20 be carried part Of the way in
the arms of the big sister or brother.
90 the boy or girl almost ready 70 on
ter High school And all types of
childhood are represented in that hap
py thrOng There are rho faf hoys
and girls. the tall thin ones. the strong
healthy ones. the little fraii ones. the
black-headed ones. tho tow headed
ones. tho red-hcaded ones. me neat
and clean ones. and rho dirty 40.
clothed ones. but a'l are imhued wiz
that perfect happiness that comes
only in childhood
The play ground is perhaps me most
perfect democracy ln fhe world $50
inquiry is ever made there as fo tho
rating In Bradstreefs OF Tommy
Smiths father. or the social standing
OF Mary Jones mother The children
Of the wealthy and fio children off
the very poor meet and play nn equal
terms. for no class distinctions arc
tolerated q child within those pro.
cincts is merely FOL human hn.re born
free and equal with an other. and bel
entitled % equal privileges and re
sponslbilifIcs
Last year whom fhe fret play Ground
was opened many of fhn children who
attended Vero tho unfamed you're Gov.
ages ~ rho streets. vh1 irfr r0 f..
clpIino and no code of action except
% keep away from fhc cope The dl