The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-01-27
EXPENDITURE IS
fine INSURANCE
ON OTHER THINGS
Appropriation for Recreation
Centers and Fairgrounds
Urged
PROPOSITION NOW
UP TO COMMITTEE
Only $500 Is Asked for by
Promoters of Scheme, Who
Expect This to be
Good Starter

The committee on Fairgrounds.
which is urging the adjustment Of
recreation centers throughout the city,
is confident that its plan will be &C
cepted by the city council and that an
appropriation 10 this end viii be made
when the annual budget is made up
and decided on
The matter is now before the sub
committee on finance, it having re-
ceivHd favorable recommendations
Gn to this time from other commit
|teEs The committee on Fairgrounds
last night isa@d the following state
ment:
The proposal to include $500 for
maintenance of playground and rec
reation centers this year on ground
already owned by the city, is now ii.
the hands of budget subcommittee o.
the finance committee Of the city
government. lit has received the unan-
imous endorsement of the grounds
and buildings committee OF the city
council.
AT a hearing before the entire fl
nance committee there were repre-
sentatives Of nearly fifty organizations.
with a membership of over 1900
Richmond people, fayoring the APP
preparation.
Realizing that the budget commit
zee has many requests made to IT, the
committee on recreation and play
grounds has made a study Of the en-
tire city expenditures in order to show
that the appropriation sought for tbs
extension of the playground work Is
not too large They look upon this
appropriation in the way Of insur-
ance to save some of the large invest
ments which the city has already
found 1t necessary TO make.
Recreation We. Crime.
The last printed report of the city
treasure now available Is that fer the
year ending January 81, 1912. In
that year the city OF Richmond spent
$22A,00399 on the care OF crime and
delinauency This involved the pay
OF the city police, courts. juries
judges
Those in favor Of the extension of
the recreation system are not arguing
this expenditure for the police depart
uent and courts should he reduced
They only urge that the city shall
spend enough for recreation in order
10 prevent crime and delinquency. 1t
has been demonstrated that rightly
supervised play and recreation builds
character. II "a city the size Of Rich
mond needs 20 spend quarter mill
lion dollars in a year to care for
crime. Ii surely needs to suend an
adequate amount to prevent crime.
Exercise and Health.
In the same tTeasurer's report is
shown that s3a.307.21 was spent on
the health department. Friends of the
playground movement do not wish
this appropriation cut They believe
that the work for public health in n
r-frv trlc SIR Of Richmond rs nhso-
lutely essential It has been demon
strated however. that exercise and
play bring health.
II has also been shown by actual
investigation that over so per cent of
Richmond children, even those out Of
doors. are sitting around doing moth
ing because there is nothing for them
10 do and no place for them 10 play
The city which needs 10 appropriate
s39. 900 for its health department. and
which win have to appropriate more
10 this department as the years go on
needs an appropriation for play
grounds in order TO insure the invest
ment made on public health.
An Aid To Schools.
In the same treasurers report II is
shown that s4o6, 256.60 was spent on
the schols OF Richmond The friends
of recreation do not wish to cut this
appropriation. They feel that the
children and young people OF Rich
mond are It's biggest asset and that
education is ESSENTIAL Iney feel, now
exer, like big manufacturer who
finds ii necessary 10 invest. nearly a
half million dollars in one branch OF
his work. They feel That Insurance.
that this investment shall not be lost
is necessary. II the children outside
of school form habits which make
their school training useless the in
vestment of the city in its schools has
been largely lost
IT has often been pointed out that
sightodness which is only plain. COM
mon sense with individuals. The av-
orage intelligent individual looks TO
the future and provides for the future
by insurance. Many communities
have lived ir hand -to-mouth"
way. making provision only for i'm
forese the needs that come with a
mediate needs and not attempting to
forcsee the need that come with grow
ing city.
The friends Of Fairgrounds in
Richmond feel that this and similar
appropriations for such work are but
examples of tho community farsight-
ednass which all tho more progressive
cities throuehout the country are
finding necessary