The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-10-21

recreation for about $1,000 people each
week. many being duplicates as In
the case of attendants on commercial
forms Of recreation.
.. Richmond has density conditions
of cities two and three times It's popu-
iation. It's most apparent recreation
needs are tl) more NItdoor play space
for both young children and the older
children and young people; (2) more
supervision in order TO use the pres
ent public play space TO the limit OF
its capacity and to get to playing
some OF the 81 per cent of the chill
dreu who are out-of-doors doing
nothing: 90 opportunities for indoor
play and wholesome recreation dur
ing the winter for the older children
and young pee lie in certain districts;
consider OF the inethoi ef
guaranteeing tbs wholesome quality Of
commercial recreation in Richmond
before that problem becomes moro
acute with the increase in the NUM-
Der OF theaters: f5t announcement to
ali private institutions furnishing
recreation.
Facilities and Supervision.
/ In the school plant Is outdoor
play space ranging FROM 80 t. SOD
saunre feet for each child enrolled in
havlng under 80 square feet per child.
the minimum set by the London school
board ON hundred and fifty feet per
chiIa il necessary Ior active games
( even when large space games, s1' n
as bn sebaii are omitted. BESIDES the
fine auditorium and the gymnasium IN
The. ish school there are IN --'-it''of
buildings at date : nuditofiunas with
seating CAPACITY ranging from 100 10
500. As many more have aadlto' anS
made by combining regular schooi
rooms. this tspe % assembly room
holding from 100 to 200 persons. The
auditofiums all have fixed seats pre-
venting their widest use for rscFea tio'l
purposes. The right arranse1nen. and
! location If new school buildings WA
{ increase their value fer recreation
Z purposes from 25 per cent TO 20 per
I cent With siight. If any, additional
cost.
/ . ON account Of historical tssocta %
I lions or grading conditions only three
: of the public parks or sqnd Hes are
available. for wide recreation use. -
! great asset for immediate use Is
found IA the fact that tho city con-
trolls from IL per cent To . per GEM
Of the total space In co1gestca ois-
Etrtcts In the form Of not srea'iF Us
streets.
a In addition tn supery is43ls of SUM
mer school Fairgrounds the city pos
sesses possibilities of tirth"t itaoeF
ship In supervisors Of physical trdin'
ing in the public schools WHO arr
equipped for recreation Vork as wei
as physical training.
4. The city already possesses SOM
facilities and supervisory force II
building the future development OF
what it already possesses the chiel
needs are t1) the extension of trained
supervision to ali of its playground
work; t2) the securing " adequat'
play space around the scho'1 build
ings for children under ten years 2
i1age and sufficient play fields in yari'
GUS parts of the city for older chill
dren and young people: ts) the wide
use OF the present school buildings
for winter recreation and the Prov
sios in Iiew school buildings u. suet
convertible open space rooms tiiat tn
development of indoor recrea tenai &C
i,.vities in these buildings after sshoo
huurs Ia nossfbie.