The Washington herald., 1913-10-12

dozen years which have elapsed since
its inception.
In the summer of 1902, the first public
playground of Washington was estab-
lished in the back yard of Neighborhood
House, the social settlement of the
Southwest This demonstrated its value
and usefulness so quickly that another
and larger ground was established and
equipped as soon as funds would per-
nit The third ground was an outgrowth
OF the Colored Social Settlement, and
was located in the square at First and
NJ Street and Delaware Avenue South
west
The effect of the opening Of these cen
ters of recreation appears to have been
unusually great even at the outset. At
first the movement depended upon the
interest and enthusiasm OF two or three
strong believers in this phase of social
development. Next a committee OF rep
resentative men and women, and especi-
ally workers took the matter in hand.
Thus the system was built up. The
present stage of the work shows the
cooperation of hundreds of citizens in
every part OF the city, the awakening
interest of tht press. and the determi-
nation on the part of the city's executives
to make the happiness and physical and
moral welfare of the children a feature
in the enactments OF Congress
Following the establishment of two
permanent Fairgrounds there soon arose
the necessity for more. Two additional
were provided, then three more, and
finally the locations at New York Ave
nue. and First Street, Thirty-fourth and
. Streets. Georgetown Playground; Four
teenth Street and Park Road Northwest.
and Mount Pleasant were added in that
order until the list was brought up 10
date by the addition last summer. OF the
splendidly equipped playground at Second
and Bryant Streets Bloomingdale, one
of the largest. best equipped, and most
popular of the recreation Centers Of the
city.
The first activities in the playground
movement were educational. To COM
mend the playground movement to thou
sands who knew little or nothing OF the
work and to secure the 5000 indespen-
sible TO development. required extensive
and vigorous endeavor. The campaign
opened with a banquet, at which num-
ber of representative people were present.
Joseph Lee. of Boston; DR.. Henry S.
Curtis, of New York, and Commissioner
Macfarland were the principal speakers
Subsequently all OF the newspapers united
in a press campaign; a number of clergy
men consented to devote one Sunday serv-
ice 10 a consideration OF the subject;
members of the committee delivered lee
lures and talks in churches and parlor
meetings; representatives Of different or
Eanizations and institutions were enlisted
to serve on the committee and present
the different phases of the work to their
constituents.
So the work grew. During the sum-
mer of 1906, nineteen public playgr"un1s
were equipped and operated. Eleven of
these were in school yards, eight on pub
lie reservations and vacant lots. DR..
Henry s. Curtis, formerly playground
director in New York. was secured to
take full charge of the work. Each play
ground was under the direction of
trained and competent instructor. The
total attendance on all of the grounds
was 22g.62
List of Fairgrounds.
The list of Fairgrounds operated at this
time include the following: Twelve for
white children-North Capitol and l..
Streets, Henry School, Seventh and p
Streets: NeighborhOod House, 456
Street Southwest: Neighborhood Club. 46S
n Street Southwest; Arthur School, Ar
thur Place near New Jersey Avenue and
First Street Northwest; jefferson School,