El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-08-09

for the public welfare and there are
many who believe that provision for
the recreation of its citizens has be-
come a pubic duty The first recogni-
ton of this duty was the assumption
of responsibility for the public play
ground which has now become so gen.
orally accepted in progressive cities.
This is now largely provided for by
public funds. although originally start
ed BY private philanthropy. The ad-
vantage Of the playground in promot-
ing the health and welfare of the chill
dren has become satisfactorily estab-
lished.
Will Extend Benefits.
The same influences that were re-
sponsible for the establishment OF the
playground are working towards the
extension of the benefits it initiates
The Fairgrounds are good as far as
they go, but they fall far short of the
need. In some cities they are open but
a few hours a day. Often they are too
small and too shut N by buildings 70
give the freedom and fresh air which
is so essential to healthful recreation
Consequently the establishment Of sum-
mer camps where the children could
go for whole days outing in the
country air, sprung into demand TO
supplement the work Of the playground
and there are few large cities Where
some such provision is not either al
ready in working order or at least un-
der consideration. The responsibility
for them is divided Sometimes they
are under the auspices of the associated
charities. but this is not wholly salts
factory because then they fail to bene-
fit the large class OF children which
really need them and are yet not IN
position to accept charity
Women Direct Work.
For these nOn-charity children,
camps have been opened often under
the auspices Of a Woman's club, within
reach of the city for a single car fare
The parents may furnish the car fare
and perhaps provide the lunch, secure
in the fact that the child viii enjoy
few hours in the oDen country under
proper protection. for, Of course, no
camp could be sustained without GER
tain supervision. For the children who
cannot provide either the carfare or
the lunch. excellent provision las been
made in the establishment of camps
where both are furnished. The days
outing may be extended to q week or
more and the benefit in health and
spirit accruing TO a child from week
in one of these camps will sometimes
90 far to compensate him for the com
forts he may lack during the rest OF
the year
Needs Of Parents.
The time has come TO consider the
needs OF the parents, VINO OFTEN are
quite as much in need Of a change OF
air as the children and the provision
for them is somewhat more difficult
1t must not be ali charity or some OF
them will not accept it and it must
lot cost more than Their Ordinary home
living or they cannot afford it. Yet to
the adults who live perhaps in a single
room in the cOngested section OF the
city, some RELIEF should be provided
and in no way can 1t be so vel. man
aged as by a summer camp. Various
experiments to this end have been
made, all Of them possessing some good
features, but the real solution Of the
problem can only be met by the COM
munity Itself assuming a certain re-
sponsibility.
a branch OF the Jewish Young Wom-
ems union recently undertook the re
spOnsibility Of a summer outing for
number Of families. with excellent re-
suits. An old farm at the end Of the
trolley line was secured for the pur-
pose It contained a good sized house,
Il barn and some other buildings. The
house contained sleeping rooms, which
were used by mothers with young child
rem. a large kitchen which was common
to ALL and the living rooms of a resi-
dent family who were responsible Tor
the management OF the place
Outdoor Nursery.
On the large porch was arranged an
outdoor nursery for young children
whose mothers went into the city to
work. The older children had the free
dom Of the large grounds Tents were
pitched iG the yard in which the men,
and also some of the women and older
children slept. The large barn served
as a recreation hall and gymnasium. It
had a floor which could be used for
dancing. A nearby dairy farm provided
milk for the needs Of all of the child
rem. There was a vegetable plot in
which some of the families raised part
OF the vegetables. There was plenty
of activity for the people who remained
there all day and il was a restful para
disc 10 the tired men and women who
grrnn on hn ne ,T--~r snE
the end of their days work. Between
80 and 40 people enjoyed this country
life one summer. and because their
city homes were often restricted to
one small room they had no fault to
find with the simplicity of the arrange
ments.
To certain extent each family pro-
vided its own food, usually eating it
out in the tents or under the trees
although in rainy weather a large room
in the house could be used as a din
ing room. While this enterprise was
Ia selt-suDortinS because of the mea-
gre incomes of the people it benefited.
it did not involve a heavy outlay in
comparison with the amount Of good
it did.
Rest On sunday.
Most of the campers were glad to
remain quietly at rest during the Sun
days. One old man who worked all
the week in a hot tailor shop used to
lie on the grass most Of the day in
absolute cOntenIment- An never again
did I hope for so long to see the beau
tiful blue sky. TO hear the birds and
breathe the good air" he said to a
visitor one Sunday afternoon. 1T has
made me young once more just to be
here" and his improved appearance evil
denced it.
The people in this camp were respec-
table families well known to the young
women who arranged for the camp.
They would have scOrned to accept
charity and each one paid for his &C
commodations the same sum it would
have cost him to remain at home, ex-
cept for the car fare. The balance
of the expense was born by the Young
Women's union which felt well salts
fled with its experiment.
Simple or Luxurious.
The pleasures of camp life, however,
are not to be confined to the children
or to the very poor. Each year there
are increasing numbers of people who
are discovering that the camp possesses |
many advantages over the crowded
summer resort and are making their
plans accordingly. The camp may be
as simple or as luxurious as its occu-
pants wish. There are high priced
tents with every convenience. from the
folding bath tub to the hardwood floor
which is shipped in sections and slip
ped under the tent after it is set up.