The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-04-28

nearly every instance offenders in our juvenile court are there simply be- cause they have followed a racial in stinct to throw, and in throwing stones have. broken windows. They want to be chased. and have done something to got the policeman to chase them. In some cities boys are arrested for playing baseball on the streets. If these children were given opportun- ity to play under good conditions I am sure that they would prefer 1t.
 An ideal recreation system would furnish opportunity for small chil- dren to play within a short distance from their homes, it will furnish op- portuntties for baseball for the older boys. play space for the older girls- public swimming pools and baths and neighborhood recreation centers, pre- ferably believe in connection with the school houses.
 PLAY DIRECTORS NEEDED.
 Some cities with large equipment have made failures of their recreation work because of a lack of trained leadership. Every man and every wo- man on each individual pIaygrounu. must have the characteristics of a leader, We might just as well open our school houses without any teach CTS as to open p1aygrounds without pIay< directors. The aim of both schools and p1aygrounds isasto build character and make for good citizen- ship. Good character is made more through playing of games, and the manner in which they are played, than in the scchoo1 houses Bad use Of leisure time always makes for bad character. The boy without a play ground is father to the man without a job. On a. recent visit to Newark I made an inspection of their play ground system. All of their play grounds with the exception of one, were very we'll attended, and there was a fine spirit displayed by the children. The playground where there were but few children in attend ance and these not doing much but sstandinE round, was one Of the best equipped playgrounds in the city--bqt the right leadership was lacking. There was to be a change in play directurs the next day. The super visor told me that it was the lead ership which made all the differ ence. He spoke of one man who was full of enthusiasm and a fine play ground director. This man he told nne. had built up the attendance of three hundred pIaygrounds.
 Phfladelphia few years ago, at cost Of one million dollars, tore down the buildings from one entire square and put in playgrounds. A friend of mine who was interested in play 50nS day pointed to this playground and asked a policeman, What is that thing qver there?' The poIicen1ah re- piled that it was a playground, and when asked what it was for he said: sIt is a. place for the children to play, and you ought to come here when school is out, about half an hour later. If you could have seen this place before we had the play ground this would do your heart good, This was one of the worst sections of the city. On that side was a negro settlement, and on this side over Mere was an Italian settlement and they quarreIed and fought all the time. It took two or three policemen to look after this section of the city. Now we have got a wonder of man run ming this playground. But come around in half an hour when the chiI- dren are out of school and see.'' My. friend returned Just as the school was closing, and was met by the policeman .-sSee them come said he as he di- rected my friends attention to the road on one side and the other filled with the children trouping to the playground. The playground soon filled, and in few minutes the chil- dren were busy, some with one activ- ity and some with another. The po- liceman said That man is worth a dozen policemen. don't see how he does it but he does.''
 HEALTH REQUIRES PLAY
 GROUNDS.
 We need pIaygrounds to build up the health of our children. sitting still as they do for so many hours at school desks, they need very active play to counteract this sedentary occupation. With the increased time required by them in the school houses and the
 
 used to have to do, some active form of play must be promoted to keep their bodies in a good physical bal ance.
 We need playgrounds to assimilate the large number of children Of va rious nationalities which we have in our commonwealth. When the first ed, we noticed that in choosing up for a game of baseball, a Swede would choose all Swedes, an Italian all ItaI- fans irrespective of their ability as ball players. But if you visit there now you will find two Irish boys choosing Swedes,, Germans. Poles, Italians and other nationaIities accord ing to their ability to play the national game, and as far as dividing into groups goes it is according to ability only The playground is the greatest leveler of nationalities and caste that I know of
 We need p1aygrounds to develop all those aItruistic aspects of character which it iss not possible to develop in the schools. We have many restric- tive laws to promote the welfare of our children, but it Is time that something should be done along con structive lines towards the formation of character and good habits. The children of OUT crowded tenements are d.of inc only ones that need play- grounds They are needed byAevery child in our community, Just as much as our public schools are needed.
 CHILDREN ADDICTED
 TO SWEARING
 All children should have the ben eft of playing with their fellows Many children are kept at home to