The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-03-18

again to the Fairgrounds, sweeps his
harp strings once more for the chill
dren's sakea, and sings to them OF
high deeds, and the birthdays OF nat
ional heroes. and tells the meaning
OF the great holidays, the mighty de-
signs Of God back Of the changing
seasons, the mysteries to be found in
the planting Of the trees and in the
seeding and the harvesting Of the
fields, and thus are being opened once
more all the powers of the child's
soul, and he is helped back to the
birthright which, in a narrow age, a
shortsighted spirit had stolen from
him. Anyone visiting our play
grounds last summer could have seen
the effect of all this. The children
were taught to sing in choral and
their throats we're full of music the
summer long, and every day they lis
tened with wide wondering eyes to
the two story tellers, who came to
lead them over mountains and seas,
and showed them castle and fields
and woods and wonderful caves there
in, and princes and ladies' fair, and
armed men following the king. Then
slowly, slowly, but nevertheless sure
ly, the children themselves began to
tell stories and make up little natural
ceremonials expressive OF their
thoughts and feelings; into them they
wove the folk dances, the national
songs or the game rhymes and other
music; they took to dramatizing, too,
some more than others. showed inner.
itance by quick and intuitive express
sion, but the whole mass was leayen.
ed, and when the great day of the
Tailltenn Games on Fitton Field came
more than six thousand children
swung down over the green side OF
Mount St James in cadenced might
with the glad voices shaking heaven
in song, and. made so sweet a picture
that the thousands gathered at the
mountains foot wondered, and the
hearts within them stirred as per
haps they had never stirred before
And when the singing children spread
out over the field like a breaking and
far-sounding sea, yet rolling in con
trolled bounds, the waving arms, the
graceful movements of body resultant
of their summers training, the fash
ing eyes, the variegated dresses, the
life, the movement, the vibrant voices,
were things that men and women
there that day will not soon forget
There was real beauty and signif-
canoe in the pageantry. Here was
union Of heart and soul at last. All
the races for the hour were one. 1t
was the day of the American child,
and in the making of the American
child. went the best of the Celt, and
the best Of the Jew, and the best of
the Swede. and the best of the Latin
and the Briton and the Syrian and
the Pole, the black boy and the In.
dian. Here was symbol indeed OF
greater things to come, and here the
children learned that there were
things better than dollars, better than
clothes. better than pride of family.
better than the school books even and
these things were the things that
came up from the soul. That hour
paid for all the gold. all the labor,
all the time that went to make IL pos
sible. and every one of us was richer
then than he had ever been before.
The Worcester Fairgrounds go back
for initiative to the action of the
Worcester Woman's club, which of
its own accord and through its own
generosity instituted vacation schools
with the play feature and manual
training attached, and sustained them
for six years. All credit then to
whom credit is due. About the
brows of this body of bright and pub
lie spirited women the first glory OF
the Worcester Playground Movement
must be wreathed.
On the 22nd OF October 1909. DR.. G..
Stanley Hall asked some representa-
tive citizens of Worcester to meet
him at his home ITO consider the fea-
sibility OF survey of the needs OF
childhood in the city as met by the
various welfare agencies, and possib-
ly some steps toward correlating the
work of existing institutions" Out
Of this meeting grew the Worcester
Conference for Child Welfare" which
was organized December 10Th, follow.
ing. One of the six subcommittee
then appointed to have charge OF
different phases OF the work was one
on Fairgrounds and Play This was
given shape and life under the aus.
pieces of the Worcester Board OF
Trade, though subject to the Confer
ence of Child Welfare. when at a pub.
lie meeting called by the board. ad-
dresses were made by DR.. Henry S.
Curtis. DR. G.. Stanley Hall, Mayor
Logan and Rufus b. Fowler. Esq,
showing the need OF some such work
in our city. Then and there the Wor.
cester Playground association began
its work. Beyond all else the asso.
citation was fortunate in its choice OF
members OF the Executive committee
for inasmuch as the whole work OF
planning. instituting. financing and
controlling would come upon their
shoulders, capable and active men
were needed. We were doubly bless
ed in the choice OF chairman, when
Editor George +. Booth. and In choice
OF secretary, when Attorney John f.
McGrath, were induced TO serve. Mr.
Booth is man OF Astounding energy
quick and clear visioned, enthusiastic
full OF fight, yet always knowing why
he fights, generous. with Imagination
and big enough always to be fair
To him beyond any other is due the
success OF the playground work in
Worcester. Mr. McGrath has head
and heart and courage, Is hopeful
palnstaking and true. Both were
great friends and worked together
pleasantly and most efficiently The
rest OF the committee were in many
ways like these two. and did their
work with as little friction and as
great mutual trust as few committees
representing SO many different elem.
ents could be expected TO do The
result was the largest. the best
equipped, the most comprehensive
and successful playground system
pypr etnripd In my Ap,,.t,... Ia.