The Washington herald., 1913-10-12
By }. CLINTON HIATT.


Secretary pf the Committee ON Recreation Of Coum-
bia Heights Citizens Association.
With a total daily average attendance
Of more than 1000 children, the play
grounds of Washington are enjoying
their eleventh year of work. On ac-
count of the results achieved in reCre-
alton work as well as on account of the
splendid equipment provided. the play
grounds of the Capital City have become
Justly celebrated all over tine country.
The work being entered upon this fall
is markedly different from that carried
out even A few years ago, and in COM
parison with the first beginnings in lSU2,
presents notable example of progress.
The undertaking conceived and put into
operation by Senator Mcmillan, chair
man Of the Senate Committee on the
District of Columbia eleven yeaIs ago,
has borne fruit. and under efficient
management has become second to none
in the country.
This is the claim made by officials of
the playground movement here in Wash
ington, and they point to the results
achieved since the work was started am
call attention to the plans made toT
even larger operations along the line Of
playground work to substantiate the
allegation that the work in Washington
NAV we'll be model of that being done
in other places.
If those who started the movement
here could visit the city they would nnd
eleven large Fairgrounds in dlnerent
parts of the city These places are well
equipped, provided with proper apparatus.
supervised by competent instructors, and
furnishing opportunity for recreation for
thousands Of small children.
Attendance Is Large.
Attendance at these places seldom falls
below 200 and often reaches total of
5000 This represents the number for
a single day only. however. The total
attendance during the year, or rather
during the period of about 22S days.
when most of the work is done would
reach closely to the million mark.
In order to provide best for the wants
Of children it has been thought best TO
locate the Fairgrounds, as far as pos
sible. near the schools, or at least where
they will fulhll the position Of recrea-
ton Centers and be accessible TO children
IF some locality to whom the Fairgrounds
will represent the general gathering place
before school, after school, and even
during recess.
II is NOT always possible, according TO
plaveround officials To place them where
they will provide the best results, but
with the exercise OF care, patience. ana
by constantly working fOr the best in
terests of each community II has been
possible to provide for the needs OF
eleven communities in a manner that
l. pretty satisfactory.
The total list of Fairgrounds includes
tha following: Rosedale. devoted TO the
recreation Of the children OF the extreme
Northeast located 1T Seventeenth street
and Kramer Street Northeast; Garfield
Park at Third Street and South Caro-
lima Avenue southeast Virginia Avenue
Playground located at Eleventh street
and Virginia Avenue southeast; Neigh
horhood House. located at 46S \ Street
Southwest. New York Avenue Play
ground. First street and New York Ave
nue. Northwest: GallinSer Playground,
Nineteenth and r Streets Northwest,
GEORGETOWN Playground. Thirty-fourth
and . Streets Northwest: Mount Pleas
ant Playground. Fourteenth Street and
Park Road Northwest. and Blooming
IaIe Playground. located at Second and
6ryaut Streets Northwest.
In addition 10 this thSre are two finely
.uuipped Fairgrounds provided for the
uSe Of the CoIOred children of the city.
The first Of these located at First and
/ Streets Southwest known as Cardozo
Playground provides recreation for near
4, 500 children during the course Of a
year. and the other. HUrward Play
GROUND. located at Fifth and W Stfeets
Northwest provides accommodations for
more than luG.1o0 children during the
course. Of the wear. The daily average
attendance at Cardozo Playground Is
about - The place is open about .2cp
DAYS during the year. and provides work
for four instructors.
ANcrngr Runs High.
Howard Playground has an average
daily attendance OF 5J4 "hidren. and al
times the attendance here has reached
.s high as 7Uu or even more. The period
during which their playground is Oren f"r
Use is also about 2U days.
An interesting Indication OF the pOpu-
IaGitv OF these Fairgrounds is given IN
the daily average attendance. Neigh
horhuod House. which has the smallest
attendance. has an average Of lB &C
rurding to the report Of last year issued
by th.- Commissioners of the District of
Columbia on the playground movement
here During the present season this at
trndenc- should he largely increased, It
is declared. often the attendance was
larger than this figure. although the
number of children who oame was pretty
regular.