The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1914-06-26


boxing, swimming, fencing. basketball
and regular gymnastics.
And that was such fine country for
ice sports and things of that sort, too, :
I suggested
Yes: we introduced many novelties in
that line said Mr.. Nespor. Hockey
was added to the list and fancy skating
and the largest toboggan slides ever seen
In the west were directly the result of
Gun work"
Three years ago I left the west said
Mr.. Nespor, land have been connected
with the Birmingham Athletic club until
accepting the position of superintendent
OF recreation for the city of Birmingham
last APRIL
What is the status of playground work
here now?" | asked
1T is practically In its infancy as yet
said Mr. Nespor, but | can say with inn
punity that in my Judgment 1t is going
to be the biggest thing that Birmingham
has ever SEEN You see last year was
really the initial season of playground
work, Behrens park, East park and Avon
dale being among the largest Fairgrounds
opened A $1,000 budget by the city of
Birmingham was the first financial step
provided for playground supervision AS
soon as a playground raised 500 for equip
ment a supervisor was furnished
What particularly must be the qualifi-
cations of a supervisor for playgrounds?'
| asked.
''rhey are supposed to be organizers
said Mr.. Nespor, primarily, and to under
stand human nature. especially child ma
ture, and they must have a thorough
knowledge of all games for children.
The lady supervisors take charge of the
young children. Arranging the sand boxes
and the different ring games, teaching
IT, i. IL.
spirit of the work, and it takes level
head and sound Judgment to back it up if
it is successful"
"At the present time" Mr.. Nespor con-
tinued, Miss Virginia Henry is the in
struetor in folk dancing, and we have a
Victor machine which we use in the diff
ferent Fairgrounds to furnish the music.
Later we hope to provide each playground
with machine of It's own. We want to
make social dancing a great feature in
our work. Dancing in the parks instead
of indoors will be featured, and the pa
rents. as well as the children, we want to
enjoy it. OF course for this we need pa
vilons. These, in fact, are necessities to
further our aims in this direction.
What else is NEEDED especially?" !
asked.
'Wading and swimming POOLS" said
Mr.. Nespor, giant strides see-saws
to install now
The playground movement is very
strong all over the country a present"
I suggested, land I'm glad to see Bir-
mingham quite abreast with the times
Just to show you how fully ARREST
with the times Birmingham really
is" Mr.. Nespor said. IT can ci.e
view Fairgrounds. We started out to
raise 500 there. At the first meeting
there was so much enthusiasm that
somebody suggested we make it $1,000,
| Pretty soon somebody else suggested
$4,000, and so the playground was
launched under those flattering cir
cumstances. East Lake started with a
| tag day They decided on a very
unique scheme. They have started out
to raise mile of nickels to go around
the playground. Each youngster is
supposed to raise foot of nickles, for
his space in the playground. When this
! Is done there will be about $4,000 in the
treasury for the East Lake playground
West Park has 500 to it's credit now
but by fall will have fully $1,000 East
park, which is the happy hunting
grounds of what is known as the Ter
minal Gang is making splendid
showing. Some of the finest citizens
that Birmingham has ever had will
come right out of this crowd of boys
They have "a people on the board OF
governors for this playground; six
business men, six ladies' six boys (rinn
leaders,, six girls. When l went about
organization at East park I was TOLD
that I'd never be able to accomplish 1t
but I'm proud to say it is one of tho
finest in the entire city. I could cite
,you II different cases just like this
which would include all our play.
grounds so far, but it would take too
much time however. I must tell vol
of how Behrens park started off las
year. There was a big flourish, bu
very little accomplished, all because
of the fact that there were no ladies
on the board. That is one point I wan
especially to make--that the ladies o
Birmingham can help us more thai
they realize if the will only lend thei
influence and cooperation to thi
work. We've reorganized the Behren
lpark Fairgrounds with 26 chairmen II
alphabetical line, each taking those IL
their neighborhoods whose name come
under their letter, thus enlisting tn
lattention and interest of every lady"
birmingham has become quite wei
known through it's playground work II
the past year I'm told" 1 observed
with Birmingham as an example
26 other southern cities have come int
lline," said Mr.. Nespor, and we fire.
Iquently get letters from these differen
places asking for our plans and gu
manner of conducting our playgroun,
work."
Tn five years." said Mr.. Nespor II
conclusion, III the good citizens of Biz
mingham will lend their help, we will
have a second Chicago in playground
work, and that is the highest compli
ment that could be paid to any city
for Chicago has the most perfectl
lappointed and the most effectively or
ganized playground system In thi
icountry."