El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-08-17

LAY has been the mother OF edu-
! u cation. The methods Of that
4 happy mother are preserved and
disclosed in the antics Of every young
normal animal, or child Play has ad-
vanced its teachings beyond the les
sons necessary for survival which one
can see given still to the young cat.
ar dog. or child and man advanced
thereby to some higher stage OF devel-
opment and the Fairgrounds were born.
Throughout the United States play
grounds are being built Every city Of
any importance in the country is build
ing Fairgrounds for its future citizens.
F0ur hundred cities in this country
have now established Fairgrounds.
Previous to 1908, only 90 cities had
Fairgrounds. IN 201 cities there are
TODAY 1924 Fairgrounds
Chicago. New York, Boston, Los An
aeIes. Baltimore, St Louis, DAYTON
Pittsburg, Rochester and other cities
have now arranged for play leadership
the year arOund-winter as well as
summer.
Natural Fairgrounds Here.
FL Paso has been slow to respond to
the movement for Fairgrounds. But
this fact is largely due to the reason
that there are many beautiful parks
and numerous vacant lots in the heart
of the city where the boys and girls
can seek recreation But the public
spirited citizens Of FL Paso realize
that IL is only the question Of a few
years until the city viii be almost built
solid and there viii be few, OF any,
vacant lots for the children to play on.
Then. IL they wait too long, they real
ize they will have to do like Chicago
did. spend vast sums Of money for city
property to establish Fairgrounds The
Windy City has spent millions buying
property, tearing down large buildings
in the heart Of the business district
to erect Playground
Plans are now being made by q
chamber OF commerce. the Woman's
Civic league. Of which Mrs. Burt Orn-
dorff is president. and other organi-
cations and public spirited citizens TO
build a number Of Fairgrounds in FL
PasO during the coming spring. Some
time during the fzll a representative
Of the Fairgrounds Association Of
America will come here for the pur-
pose Of addressing those interested
in the movement on the subject OF
Fairgrounds how TO organize an asso-
ciations equip the grounds and conduct
them The chamber Of commerce has
already appropriated a sum of money
to cover the expenses Of this work
While here the representative Of the
association viii make thorough study
Of FL Paso and submit recommends
tions on what is needed and can be
accomplished in the way OF play
grounds for FL Paso.
The Example Of Wheeling.
Wheeling. W Va, launched a play
ground campaign in 1909. when a
number Of public spirited citizens held
a meeting Lee F. Hammer Of New
York. field secretary Of the Play
grounds Association Of America. ad-
dressed the meeting and at the conclu-
sion Of his talk the Wheeling Play
ground association was organized and
the recommendation OF Mr. Hammer
carried out Today Wheeling has six
fully equipped Fairgrounds. Juvenile
crime in that city has been decreased
IS per cent according to recent state
ment issued by judge Alan Robinson
of the juvenile court He attributes
this entirely TO the playground move
ment
The organization started with a
membership OF 100 and It now has over
800 members The association has
employed competent directors and in
structOrs TO supervise the Fairgrounds
They have been kept open from early
spring until late in the fall and are
patronized by thousands OF children
from the whole city. The great ad-
vantases and benefits have been recog-