The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1912-09-12
Fairgrounds for Grown-ups.
BY ALICE A. HILLS.


Association of America about four hum
dred cities and towns have acquired
supervised Fairgrounds. Their value is
self evident; as medium for doing phil
anthroplc work they are especially USE
full. Parents hearts are Immediately
wen it special attention is shown in
teaching Leah to dance or Jacob to jump,
and bananas and soda-water are lavished
upon the instructor. Extreme poverty
is sometimes brought to light through
Fairgrounds, and occasionally young
Jesse James is discovered, who quite
often proves to be mentally defective.
But what is being done for the child s
parents and elder brothers and sisters?
There are rich people who lead such lives
OF luxury that their condition Is almost
as lamentable as that of the poor. but
they have the means, if not always the
energy, to better themselves. The poor
persons strongest instinct is to play,
but having no facilities for wholesome
recreation, most of his leisure and money
are expended at the saloon. The middle
class men and women are confined to
lives OF constant economy-in money,
time and pleasure and not having the
independence of the very rich or the very
poor, their lives are greatly CONSTRUCTED.
lhey work conscientiously during the
day and on holidays indulge in the doubt
full recreation of theaters and amuse-
ment parks.
AS result we have worn-out nerves
and misery and drunkenness, conditions
which are due largely to lack of proper
recreation by means of which to counter
act the monotony of the days work.
In Germany and Russia gymnastics is
an important part of the training in the
standing army, in which every man in
the country is compelled to selve Pc
Rod two years. In Sweden the govern
ment requires that certain part of the
day be devoted to gymnastics in the
public schools. In England out-of door
sports and exercises are the common
rule; While i'll our own country public
gymnaslums and recreation centers are
almost unheard of except in very large
cities.
You say it would be absurd for grown
people to play like children. Then hear
where 1t is actually done.
In England every year at Stratford-on-
Avon there is pageant gwen in honor
OF ohakspeare; hundreds of the towns
people take part-men, women and
children, who dance and give scenes from
the lie of Shakespeare and his great
plays. In our own country we have the
festival of the Mardi Gras in New Or
leans, and during the past summer a
pageant was given in the town of Thet-
ford, Vermont, in which men and women
OF the community as we'll as children
participated. This plan of recreation
for grown people was tried by the De-
partment of Docks and Ferries in New
York In the early eighties, but a rough
element proved too much for inadequate
supervision and the attempt was not
repeated. AT Rutherford, N. j., the
past year Fairgrounds We're used con-
stantly IN the evening by grown people
who lacked courage to attend during the
day. AS consequence of this interest
1t was decided to open the grounds to
older persons two nights week. A
few weeks ago the writer attended a
club meeting under the auspices of the
Children's Aid Society in New Yotk, and
instead of mothers sitting by talking
over their daily cares, they danced folk
dances and played basketball Did they
look absurd and undignifed? Not in the
least. Trey danced gracefully and
learn quickly, but the important thing
about 1t was that they were enjoying it
and forgetting their cares.
Some people say. "grown people don t
need recreation-they stay at home.
But where do the people come from who
parade the streets at night? They are
merely looking for amusement, recrea-
tion-but what they find is not elevating
to themselves or of especial credit to an
American city. AS result, polce-sta-
tons and aims houses are filled. If the
roughs who "hang around" street-cor-
ners could work off their energy in play
or legitimate sport, they would not be SC
ready to assault and rob; if they were
physically well, they would not be so will
ling to drink.
There are gymnasiums for them to at
tend, you say There are approximately
3,476, 476 adult inhabitants in New York;
there are about $50 public gymnasiums
and recreation centers, including settle
ments, Y. NJ. c. AS, etc. This would
make 1t necessary for about 5000 peo-
pie to attend one gymnasium. But even
If there were enough to accommodate
this number, they would not be filed;
one of the essentials of play is the open
air.
Of course, on grown peoples play
grounds" the sand-box and Sliding chute
would be superfuous, but these could be
substituted by gymnastic apparatus,
baseball, basketball and tennis courts.
There are several games for adults which
have become almost obsolete in this
country; archery is sport much used in
past years, requiring skill and practice;
bowling on the green is another game
almost forgotten; moving pictures are
given on some grounds; pageants, dra-
mates and folk dancing could be made
especially interesting.
1t would be comparatively simple
matter to open the day Fairgrounds at
night for grown people, and though there
would no doubt be difficulties to over
come, the results would be gratifying in
the end; for fresh air and physical exer-
else performed in a spirit of play is a
sure recipe for normal state of mind.
This course would be but following out
the natural development Of the child s
playground movement. Well supervised
recreation grounds for grown people
should become part of every city sys-
tem.-The Survey, Aug. 24th.
DR.. Humphreys Manual Revised Edition.