The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1913-01-08
Playground Progress.

The Importance of ourdoor recrea-
! ton has come to be recognized by all
who are engaged in any branch of up
lift work A great deal of very valu-
able and inter esting information may
be found in statement issued by H.
s. Braucher. Secretary of the Play
ground and Recreation Association of
America. The statement or report
bears the caption "a Years Growth
in the Play Movement" the period
covered being that ended May /, 1912.
1t appears from the information thus
given that there has been gratifying
progress in this direction. During
the year in question forty cities open
ed supervised Fairgrounds for the
first time. Forty-eight cities report
ed that they were using school
houses as recreation centres. Edu-
cation for the work is making head
way, and the University of California
had more than 1000 students in its
summer playground course. In Cleve
land, Ohio, and Atlanta, Ga, move
ments were started looking to the cx-
penditure of $1,000,000 in each place
for public recreation. Portland, Ore,
and Oakland, Cal, arranged prelimi
naries for $2,000,000 bond issues in
each city, the proceeds to be used in
providing Fairgrounds, recreation
centers. parks and school buildings
that may be utilized for community
purposes. In nineteen cities bond is
sues for recreation purposes were
authorized to the amount OF $4,445,-
TEA nnn axnnnAnA Inv
ing the year for administration of
Fairgrounds. Boston voted more than
1000, 900 for municipal gymnasium
Fairgrounds, parks, band concerts,
swimming pools and other recreation
al facilities These are some of the
more notable features, and there are
other details quite as enlightening as
to the growth of sentiment in favor
of public Fairgrounds and places
where the people can meet for consul
tation, instruction and entertainment.
No part of Secretary Braucher's
report is more suggestive than that
which shows how private philan-
thropy is aiding the recreation move
ment. During the year twenty-five
cities in twelve different states re-
ceved Fairgrounds donated by public
spirited citizens, or by corporations
which sought to improve conditions
| in the community. The greatest of
these gifts in a monetary sense was
| plat of twenty acres, valued at
| $4,000, in the city of Philadelphia
| Various others ranging from a small
space to thirty acres and in value
from nominal sums to $4,000 are
mentioned, including the donation of
one kindhearted citizen who did the
best he could by converting his yard
into a playground, lifting il with
seats and a sandplle and providing
a wading pool. 'hus giving pleasure
| happiness and health to twenty or
thirty little ones who daily enjoyed
the advantages offered In another
case church turned an adjoining lot
into a playground for the children.
There is much else in Secretary
B.aucher's report worthy OF serious
attention The need of organization
and of adequate oversight of play
grounds is pointed out. and il is men,
toned that several such places. with
out play leaders, have been closed as
public nuisances, thereby discredit-
ing the play movement in that vicini-
ty. But there is a tendency to form
in each city recreation association
and to secure supervision by the
municipal authorities. This, with
the trained leadership that is being
developed in playground operation. is
giving greater stability and uniformi-
ty to the movement. The work is
freed as much as possible from all APP
pcarance of charity, for boys and
girls scorn TO enter recreation centers
maintained by private charity, though
glad to spend their leisure hours in
places maintained by the municipal
ty or under its direction, just as they
are glad to attend the public schools
The work is developing efficiency
engineers" and cooperation with all
the agencies for promoting healthful
activity, encouraging athleticism
among the young and doing good in
manifold ways.
Troy. which has the playground
nabit may congratulate itself on the
prominence II has attained in illus
trating the value of the movement
and Ia futhering the progress Of the
admirable work.--Troy Times.