Norwich bulletin., 1911-05-30

BOARD or trade, held Monday evening
in Town hall, the proposed new char
! ter of the city providing for a COM
mission form of government, upon
which the citizens will vote next
/ week, was the topic for consideration
The general subject of commission
| government of cities was ably pre-
scented by the speaker of the evening.
| Clinton X Woodruff of Philadelphia,
| secretary of the National Municipal
| leage, who treated in order the adj
vantages of this form, the safeguards
against concentration OF power in
| few hands. and the classes of people
who object to this form of govern
| ment.
/ Eleven Women Present.
| When President ]. d. Haviland call
cd the meeting to order few minutes
after s o'clock there were sixty Pres
| emit including eleven ladies. Late COM
ers among the members of the board
ran the attendance Up to about eighty
before the business Of the evening was
| Tar advanced.
The reading Of the minutes of the
| previous meeting was omitted. but
| Secretary Henry w. Tibbits had two
new names-George H. Chapman and
| Edward L. Root-to propose for mem
| bersip. They were duly voted in.
Report of Playground.
President Haviland called for q re-
port on Fairgrounds from the civic
lscornmittee TO which this matter had
been referred. Chairman A. A Brown
| ing read his report as follows:
The civic committee, to whom was
! referred the subject of playground sites
| for children-to inquire into the need
| of more ample accommodations in this
| resp ect-peg leave to report that they
/ have considered the matter referred to
| them and find
| That the subject is one that deeply
| interests many OF our citizens, eSpe-
cially parents, teachers and those VINO
/ take an interest in and concern them
| selves about the welfare of children
/ There is a call for more ample pro-
| vision for children-girls as well as
Doys-to play in the open air upon
| grounds within easy reach The OPP
| portunity afforded by Mohegan park
| for this purpose, though ample, is too
| remote for many Of the children in the
! city especially the younger children,
/ and it is not used and in fact will not
be used by them. Many of our school
! houses especially those in the central
| parts of the city. unfortunately have no
/ ample play grounds about them, al
! though some like those in West Chel-
sea. Laurel Hill and East Norwich, are
| better provided than others in this re-
| spect.
As is we'll known, there is wide
| spread movement in the cities to I'M
! for children to play especially in the
| open air during the summer season,
| and in some cities elaborate and ample
provision has been made for this pur-
| pose.
I If Norwich is not to be left behind
! in this movement. it is necessary that
] steps be taken to. satisfy the want No
one needs to be reminded that Play,
/ particularly in the open air, is h1gh1y
desirable to preserve the health OF
/ -.
| and entire bodies, to stimulate their
mental faculties and for their physical
mental and moral well being. Grounds
should be provided so that children
will not be left to the streets Tor
/ places of exercise and play. 1t is the
opinion of this committee that a move
| ment should be inaugurated to ade-
| quately provide for the needs of our
/ children in this respect
Using Cemstock Pond. =
Your committee called upon the pub
lie works department of the city re-
garding the use for such purposes of
| what was formerly the site OF Conn
| stocks pond. near Lake street. and
found them ready TO cooperate in the
plan of using this newly filled in
| ground for the purpose, and they pro-
| pose to level the section so filled n,
covering it with coating of earth
| where required and to fit it for usa as
June 1st next
1t is a source of qualification 70 know
/ that this is to be done. which will
serve as a beginning. OF course, this
| does not mean that the city will fur
| nish desirable apparatus for play
ground purposes or that oversight
| which is desirable for Accomplishing
the best results. This can be supplied.
however, for their own needs by the
schools or organizations using the
grounds. That children should be IN
! der oversight or supervision in their
play on such grounds is exceedingly
desira oie to avoid friction, assist in
the arrangements and prevent injury
! TO persons or property in the neigh
| borhood..
Locality Fairgrounds Needed.
The public should look forward 10
the establishment, in time. of play
grounds in different localities III the
city. perhaps at Greeneville, East Side
Il Laurel Hill and West Chelsea as well
as In the central or other parts of the
II city.
The interest which older persons take
in the game and pastimes OF the chill
/ dren found Illustration in The recent
i Naydav ceiebra ton attended by some
fifteen hundred persons young nd old
/ at the school grounds on Mt. Please n
Il street in the West Chelsea school dis
! trict-
i The Principals club has already tax
en- action looking to the formation of a
volunteer children's playground asso-
/ citation. and it is recommended tina.
/ this Board of Trade give its co-opera-
ton and encourag eflent to the pro-
1 posed ferrna ton of such an association
b. passing the accompanying reselu-
tons