The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-05-07
NATIONS BIG MEN
! LEND VOICES TO
PLAYGROUND IDEA
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spaces for play and knowledge OF
how to play. Amusements they must
1t is certainly In the interest OF. the
welfare of our communities that they
should be assisted to obtain those
amusements which are both good and
refreshing. -
Il take genuine pleasure in thus ex-
pressing my hope that the associa-
ton may meet with the greatest en-
plete success
Roosevelt Believes In Play.
Former President Roosevelt sent a
somewhat longer message. which |aB
received With fully as much acclaim
as was accorded the letter from Presi-
dent Wilson. Mr.. Roosevelt said:
II sincerely regret that It Is i'm
and to say how thoroughly 1 believe
|. In the work you are doing.
II IL becoming moro and more evil
dent that life really Is more than
meat Wtth the enormous increase
In material wealth there has not come
corresponding Increase in fullness of
Life. Happiness and possession do not
go hand IN hand. BY work being
made increasingly scientific we have
reached sum OF production sufficient
Tor comfort. Our task now il to Sc
cure q better distribution of comfort
without weakening the springs of m
dfvidual Initiative and responsibility;
and also TO make the extra hours
over and above the time given to earn
Ing living, productive OF moro and
better life.
Every man and every woman
should have the recreation which will
enable him or her properly to attain
the high purpose for which life liz
given. Through the whole of life, from
chlldhood to old age. there should be
opportunities for the practice Of those
forms of recreation which renew, life.
and which make for the Joy of living
therefore, consider such work as
that or your association in establish
Ing the best forms of play and in
guiding tho expressions of recreation
among our people to be an essential
factor In our national life"
Lee Heads Association.
The activities OF the first day ended
With business meeting a 1890 o'clock
last night, which re- elected Joseph
Lee. of Boston. president of the asso-
citation. Tho other major officers for
the ensuing year are: Theodore Roosc-
welt, honorary president; Harold F. Nc
Mccormick, Chicago. first vice-presi-
dent; William Kent, Kentfield, Gal,
second vice president; Robert Garrett.
Gustavus T. Kirby, New York, treas
urer.
Directors for the three-year term
ending In 1916 were elected as follows:
Vincent Aston, Mrs. Joseph Auerbach,
Grenville NJ. Clark. Henry p. Dawson.
John II. Finley and Marie Louise Har-
rlson, of New York; Dwight F. Davis,
st. Louis: c. NJ. Goethe, Sacramento.
Cal; Mrs. Howard Ives, Portland. Me-;
G. NJ Landers, New Britain, Conn:
Harold f. Mccormick, Chicago: Mrs.
TAPER Sibley. Rochester, N Y; Har-
OLD H. Swift. Chicago; Edith Watt,
Montreal, Canada, and Evelyn Sears,
Boston.
Before adjourning for the day the
convention carried resolution author
izing the next annual convention to
change the name of the organization
to The Play and Recreation Associa-
ton of America" The delegates yoaed
also TO recommend to the board of d.
rectors the selection of city on the
Pacific Slope as the associations meet
ing point Tor 1915
Playground Administration.
Two other speakers at the opening
session dealt with the problem of play
ground administration. Otto T. Mall
lery. secretary OF the board OF recrea-
tion of Philadelphia, discussed the va
rious methods of control worked out
| by different American municipalities,
and described in detail the board sys-
tenn adopted by his own city.
George w. Ehler. director of the de-
partment of physical training In the
University OF Wisconsin. compared the
merits of school board and park COM
mission control of Fairgrounds: and
! found them both more or less defec-
tive. The hest solution. he thought,
WAS the control OF Fairgrounds by a
department of recreation under the
direction of the city government, and
bearing the same relation to it as the
departments of public school, parks.
health and similar civic divisions.
| j.. NICK. Judkins, of this city, de-
tailed Richmond's long fight for play
grounds and recreation centres, and
traced the steps by which the Council
was won over and induced to mako
an annual appropriation for this pur-
pose. The afternoon session closed
with stories from Uncle Remus" and
a general lecture on the place of story
| telling In recreation work. by Richard
T. Wyche. of New York, president of
the National Story-Tellers' League.
Parks Built for People.
| Parks that are built and maintained
on the artistic plan that calls for a
H.