Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1914-07-01
Many Children Visit Wash
ington School Grounds
Today at Opening.
COMMENDABLE WORK
Parents and Teachers Association
Accomplish Good Results in Their
First Endeavor-Plans for Future.

On the grounds of the historic
George Washington School, the first
public school erected in America,
the first playground for children in
Virginia was opened in Alexandria
today
Despite the threatening weather
large number of children gatherei2i
on the grounds and enjoyed the day
in playing and romping.
The work was inaugurated by the
Parents and Teachers Association of
Alexandria, (which was organized
several months ago.
The chairman Of the committee Of
the association which will supervise
the playground is Mrs. T. Clifton
Howard. Mrs. r. Marshall Jones is
secretary and Taylor Burke is treas
urer. Mrs. Howard Beall, whose,
work at the Grover Cleveland School
of Washington had attracted wide
attention, is the director.
The playground opens with little
equipment. This will be installed
gradually. Mrs. Beall will lay stress
upon industrial work. She will teach
the girls sewing and crocheting, while,
the boys will help make the play
ground their own by helping in the,
actual construction of the swings
and benches and sand boxes for the
younger chill l3ren.
AT large field adjoining the school
there will be baseball diamond and
basketball. goais also viii Dc erected.
The new playground will not only
6c 4 place for play but community
centre. For mothers will be invited
to bring their babies and Mrs. Beall
will undertake the instruction of
these mothers in simple matters of
hygiene and the care Of their young
during the trying warm months. Pa
rents also will be trained to keep
their, older children well,} and health
talks will be given to the older chill
dren.
Later in the summer: the dramatic
work which has formed such an in
teresting portion of the work at the
Grover Cleveland ( School : will be
adapted to outdoor presentation, and
p2geantry will be a portion of this
icd of effort. = -,
High tribute to the women of Alex
an'ria: for their successful efforts in
getting the playground is paid by
Mrs. Beall.
"The women of the Parents and
Teachers Association deserve credit
for their efforts" the director said.
They have broken the ice for a
hEoader use Of the public school
property in their city.
The spreading Of the playground
idea. even to smaller cities, is an en-
couraging sign. A campaign of edu-
cation IN this direction has been car
rled on by the United States Bureau
OF H-ucation, and it is pleasing to
see the fruits being borne by a city
so near our own"
opening Of the new playground has
aroused interest in the history of
'the old building which is a monument
to free schools in this country. In
vestigation by the Alexandria citi-
2ens has shown that George Wash
ington was deeply interested in the
free school idea. During his life
time he gave so pounds for free
school for the education of ":he sons
Of widows" 90 g
But George Washington soon saw
mat there should be no favored. class
IN free eaucation, and in his will he
noodied the following clause:
10 the trustees of the Academy ir
the town Of Alexandria, / give ir
truse $4,000. or, in other words
twenty Of the shares I hold in the
Bank of Alexandria, toward the sup
2ort OF a free school,"