The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-05-04
BIG PLAY CONGRESS
WILL HOLD FORTH
HERE ALL THE week
Thirty-nine Meetings and
Scheduled Activities to
Crowd Five Days
PRACTICAL. PEOPLE
ON PRACTICAL TOPICS
First Public Meeting in City
. !. Auditorium Tuesday Night
and the Annual Ban
quet on Thursday

Thirty-nine meetings and scheduled
the Recreation congress at the JEFF
ferson hotel and City auditorium from
May 9Th to 10th in Richmond.
Richmond people are invited to any
or all the sessions. There is no
charge for admission or for registra-
ton. The only activity which costs
anything for the person attending Is
the big annual banquet Thursday,
May Sth. at TAO, which is a Dutch
treat" where each will pay So for his
own dinner.
These are evidently practical peo-
pie, these playground folks. Their
program does not discuss the neces-
sity for play. but what kind of play
and games are appropriate for chill
dren and adults of various ages. No
time Ia wasted In proving that play
grounds are needed; the whole aues-
ton is how TO surface, fence. equip,
conduct and finance them. At all the
sessions there will be only brief
pointed talks. followed by open dis
cussions. in which exactly those ques-
tons will he answered which people
who are starting or conducting play
grounds want to ask.
An InSeiffSh Work.
remarkable characteristic OF this
play congress Is the fact that no one
Is paid for taking part In IL Here
are assembled the country's leading
experts I'm recreation. who have spent
many years and dollars In acquiring
the knowledge which they are now
giving freely to all who arc inter
ested. Even the travelling and hotel
expenses are paid. not by the com
gress. but by the delegates themselves
or by the associations they represent
in the various cities.
what struck me most forcibiy.'
raid a business man who attended last
years congress In Cleveland. was the
fact that SO many big business men
people whose time means money and
important responsibilities. are ready
to spend three or four days attending
and participating In congress or
play. tell you. II sent me back fr
my own city with q new and large
willingness To give my own time &c
our recreation movement"
He Awakened Chicago.
When city spends $4,000. 900 fr
be doin'-" The world has opened its
ak years for parks. Something mus
eyes at the standard Chicago has SCI
and r. 81. DcGroot. who appears or
the program Tuesday afternoon has
been responsible for some of this tire.
mendous outlay. Parks for the PEG.
pie or people for the parks sounds like
the deathknell to Keep OFF the grass.
which still adorns many of the park.
In our cities.
Last year over four millions were
spent on recreation. How to handle
this big business, So that there will bs
NO waste, only efficiency, will be told
BY Otto T. Mallory. who Is in charg.
OF the Philadelphia system that spend.
$4,000 annually.
? This wonderful movement is world
wide. year ago Korea established 8
school for playground work, while In
far OF India a similar institution 1.
under considerations r. C. Conrad
OF the T. NJ. c. A. Is Uruguay. viii
be here to tell of that and more.
Mrs. Belmont Coming.
MRS. August Belmont, who charmed
thousands in that delightful play
Merely Mary Ann some years ago
when as Eleanor Robson she ere.
eted this part and many others equal
~ as original and charming, has con.
eented to come and explain how i'm.
portaut dramatic play Is as form o,
community recreation. The stage /.
the greatest social force of the age
one must learn to use its possibilities
Seumas MacManus the big sympa.
thetic Irish story teller. will show
tAat story telling Is not lost art. Hi,
quaint old tales OF famous Donegal
ne place replete with folk lore ant
ausic. fascinate the nearer. Ever
me stones talk in Donegal"
richard T. Wyche. who has helped
70 develop love for American foil
lore and song. will explain the vita
and upbuilding value OF story telling
Usually in speaking OF play one ha.
~ 81
{ can see, hear and speak visit to thu
pennsylvania State institution for tn,
Blind, at Overlook. Pa. will revea
the happiest group of young people
playing all kinds of delightful game.
and indnigfng in varied sports Blind
ness here Is not calamity An IL
Illustrated address on Tuesday evenins
ny Mr.. e. II. Burrit. superintendent O.
the institution. will show what sym
pathetic teaching and training can do
Beers on Program.
The old conception that the insan.
] must be watched and locked up /,
clearly disproven by a visit to an,
modern insane institution. As won
derful AS are the effects OF play ans
recreation on the normal group, ever
more remarkable are the results nov
accomplished by treating the insan n.
through play and occupational diver
sion. Clifford w. Beers secretary O
the National Committee for Menta
Hygiene. N. ", has some new things
TO say. Farms and the rural com
munities in the Middle West con
tribute over half of the inmates t,
the insane institutions. because coun
try life has been ceaseless toll arc
monotony.
Many papers and much discusso,
Will be given to the great lack OF rec
. reation In the country and practica
solutions suggested.
one hears much of clubs. This 1
the age OF clubdom. Just what the,
\ can do for boys and girls. and why
club - the natural grouping. will b.
carefully put before the public.