The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-12-13


To the Editor OF The Times Dispstcs.
Sir.-In an editorial ia your paper
under date OF November - entitled
-Co-op-ratlon for Playground you
said in part There Is too much hop
ing and wishing and not enough OF the
dreary. commonplace grind which s"is
things done.
To begin with. let me say that tner-
is no sort OF competition. except That
there may be a HEALTHY rivalry. be-
tween the work being done o. ihe
Caurch civic Association. which re
present. and the larger work 30 De
done by the city under the proposed
plan OF the Committee Oh recreation
and Fairgrounds.
NJ object In writing this article is
20 make plea for recreation courts
Tor the boys. in every section of our
city VINO are Just developing into man
hood and who need a place for healthy
amusement mean The older boys ia
the grammar schools. the high schopl
boys and the boys who. from force OF
circumstance are obliged 10 seek en-
ployment The formation OF character
is al stake with these chaps. aud IL -
the "drearq. commonplace grind oh'|
can accomplish this.
II is very picturesque 70 see a group
vi small children playing IN SAND
piles sliding the chutes. swinging and
Going stunts on the seesaw. No oouo'
the children are having dr!ghtlu
time. and the days pass quickly '"r
them. Thee SANE children with the
same amount .: supervision would
nav, as good tim-. and believe
more heal;hfui. il they We're allowed
10 use the grass plots on the public
parks and were taught 20 play thv
group Games. without which child
does not Develop the proper spirit o.
play. which is the beginning OF 'hf
formation Of character.
The real problem s not that W.
furnish an ment places Tor boys
and young men and then work our
rerves TO a frazzie trying 20 Keep
them interested. but to And out what
athletic games and sports the boys
themselves like 10 play. and 10 Try anu
satisfy the demand.
This is the problem to be solved by
the CITY Supervisor OF Recreation and
Fairgrounds. but. from business
view point. perhaps the Finance Com
1fittee % the Council. before passinS
OIL the proposed appropriation or Va
500 would like TO know in general
way what might be done along the
lire OF permanent playground equip
ment.
plan which mas been worked out
successfully by the Church civic As
ISOLATION in the eastern section OF
our city and which has been favor
ably commented upon by the chairman
OF the Committee on Recreation @hc
Fairgrounds H. this
To erect a wire play court or cage
81 By S. feet. husit over . concrete
surface. iron pipe and wire used On
the construction The cage 20 be
eighteen feet high on the sides aud
twenty-four feet high in the centre
Two are lights over the top To hSnt
the court ~ night The cage 10 De
built in IN. school yards and I" D.
used during the day by the schooi
children aud a. night by the hiEh
school boys and working boys
The screened cour; would. . u~"o
for zsketbaE vOlieybaiI. hockey.
playground 5all. roller skating. and
" hen the weather was cold enough J,
could be- flooded with two Inches "i
water and used as an ice rink. In the
sumner. dur!ng vacation time. inc
surface could be covered with sand
and used a. recreation centre Tor
smaller children.
hav. not obtained figures ~ 20
he court described above. but De
Ii.ve u could he built ana furnished
with equipment for the sports - owe
mentioned for about $1,000. u not less.
and II kept painted !; should last ~
least twenty years. with slight TO
pair now and then n fogr screened
courts could be built each year ara
propcsi- supervised. and most OF the
courts could be supervised without
cost. the city would soon DC honey
cor,bed with athletic piay courts
where character would be formed Al
less ~xpense 20 the city. In the Ions
-In. than 70 nov costs 30 reform men
and women.
The court would br us,d BY inc
WORKING boys and older schooiboys ~
,ieht Every rcighborhood would
Rave 10 basketball team. Basketball
leagues would be formed all over the
eitv. The playcourt in the schooi
vra would be the centre OF attraction
IN every neishborhood. and instead OF