El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-12-22
MAYOR PLEDGES HIS SUPPORT FOR
FAIRGROUNDS ANDSOCIALGEN
Plan For Establishing Recreation Parks Throughout
City Is Outlined by Subc Ommittee and Estimated
Cost of the Entire Project Submitted
by T. S. Settle

ments and activities providing proper
recreation for the people of the city.
This department is to be under an eX-
pert supervisor and conducted under
the board of education. 1t is proposed
that an adequately supervised play
grounds should he established upon
each of the y grammar school yards
to be conducted for the use of all the
children, youths and adults Of the com
munity in which the school is located
as the operation OF these recreation
centers would place playground with
in half a mile of every man, woman
and child in FL PasO.
WadinE Pools for Children.
In addition to the school play
GROUNDS. which would be equipped with
apparatus, the use of the parks for GER
tain purposes is suggested In the
Bailey school neighborhood' the appa-
ratus for the children's playground,
part of which has already been IN
stalled by the school patrons, VIII be
available Houston Square park could
be used for band concerts or story tell
ing for the children, and the unused
fountain bed be filled with water for
a wading pool in the summer for the
children.
The former Catholic Athletic asso-
citation grounds, which having been
leased by the school board for the high
school gymnasium, would provide a
place LOT DdStDdll anu AOOLDdAA games
and similar sports with tennis courts
for the older people, and the tennis
courts in the high school grounds
would be open to the use of the public.
In the Villas school neighbOrhOOd the
apparatus for the playground would be
upon the school grounds. but Mundy
park, near by, could be used for the
story hours and a portion of the rock
cry could be converted into a wading
pool for the children.
VIII Not Interfere With Parks.
At Washington park the city council
has already planned the reOpeninS OF
tho swimming pool and the committee
endorsed tbs action. In no way would
the establishment of these Fairgrounds
dismantle the present parks, whose
plots of green grass and trees form
such attractive spots during the sum-
mer time, but by bringing added at
fractions to the parks il would in
crease the use of them by the public.
In the San Jacinto school neighbOr-
hood, in addition to the use Of the
school grounds, the offer OF the play
field near J Y in Cotton addition would
afford a place for games and sports,
and similar ARRANGEMENT in cOnnec-
ton with the AOy school was proposed.
Suggests Social Centers.
Besides the use of the school yards
as municipality supervised Fairgrounds,
the committee recommended the opera
ton of social centers in connection
with night schools, one on the south
side of the city and one On the south
side of the city to be Used five nights
in the week during the winter, and the
use of the other 10 schools as social
centers for public meetings and enter
tainments at least once month during
the winter, all of these entertainments
and recreatiOnal activities to be ar
ranged with the cooperation of private
organizations and public spirited citi-
zens.
Estimated Cost Of Project.
Following the outline of the recrea-
ton system, Mr.. Settle presented the
estimated cost Of the project and the