The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-27
SHOOK NOW PRESIDENT
OF CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Smith. Mrs DUPONT Thompson. Mrs. EN-
NETT Smith, Mrs. ]. M. Han<ins, Miss
Lilly I.ykes and DR.. W. c. Gewin.
.'On December l the board employed
Carl H. Milan, secretary of the Indiana
public library commission. us director of
the public library system.
During the last few weeks additional
space has been secured in the city hall,
and with this space. the library now has
fairly satisfactory quarters. 1t has a cir
culating room large enough to accommo-
date books and borrowers for sometime
to come. a childrens room that will ac-
commodate several thousand books and
two dozen children at reading tables and
reading and reference room 81 by "a
feet that can. be made to seat 100 or
more people. There are branches in East
Lake. Ensley, West End, Avondale ana
Woodlawn, three i'm good Carnegie build
ings, and the others in the city halls
"rhe library board proposes to make
a campaign early in the spring for
$4,000 book fund and your committee
on public library recommends that the
Chamber of Commerce get behind the
board in this proposition and help to
make the campaign success
Your committee recommends, there
fore, that the Chamber of Commerce
not only morse formally the work and
the plans of the library board but
that it join forces with said board In
securing the money 1t needs for books.
Respectfully submitted,
HENRY r.. HOWE,
chairman"
Parks
Report of r 5. Settle, southern field
secretary Playground and ReeI cation
Association of America, February !,
1913. to January 81. 1914: In February,
1913, the Birminghsnr Chamber of
Commerce appropriated $1,000 In order
to establish the southern headquarters
of the Playground and Recreation As
sociation OF America in Birmingham
/ and to have the services of a southern
| field secretary to assist in starting the
playground and recreation system in
Birmingham.
The field secretary came to Birming-
ham in April. He spent one week in
attendance upon and making addresses
at the Alabama SOCIOLOGICAL congress,
and in a preliminary survey of recrea-
tion facilities He returned to Rich
mond to arrange for and assist in con-
ducting the National Recreation con
| gress. He returned to Birmingham,
May IS. and began a survey OF recrea-
ton conditions. He completed this sur
vey in June and recommended first to
the Birmin CHAM Playground associa-
ton, and later to the city commission
ers. the immediate opening of IL play
/ and recreation centers, and making
permanent improvements in three other
centers.
After many conferences the city COM
mission opened, on July /, three play
grounds: Avondale park, East park and
| Behrens park. The commission placed
male supervisor and a female as
| sistant in charge of each play center.
Each local community was required to
provide equipment and perishable sup
| plies.
| In August the city commission added
| to the above mentioned Fairgrounds,
| lWauhouma, Neighborhood House and
Juvenile court
The playground system has cost the city
| OF Birmingham, from the time of its in
ception, July !, 1918, to January 81. 1914,
| for supervision, S22S6. 25 The total attend
ance on these Fairgrounds has been 94.oS2.
| The cost to the city per child per day on
the Fairgrounds, $.0243. Local oommuni-
| ties have spent about $500 for equipment
and $50 for supervision.
| In addition to the amount the city has
! spent for supervision. the city has also
| spent about $1,000 in putting into Wood
! lawn and West End parks permanent
recreation equipment. such as wading
pools and bandstands 1t has also pur-
chased in Pratt City, a playground at
a cost of 5000. These Improvements and
this purchase were recommended by the
field secretary in his report In June.
| The attendance and cost to the city,
by months, of the present playground sys-
tenn, has been:
July: Attendance, 1881; salary s46S. 75;
cost per day per child, s.03
August: Attendance, 1s439; salary, $3.50;
cost per day per child, $.02s.
| September: Attendance, 1921; salary,
1887 so; cost per day per child, $.02.
October: Attendance 14,13S; salary, $225;
| cost per day per child, S.016.
November: Attendance, 9641; salary, s225;
cost per day per child, s.024
December: Attendance, 5s97 salary,
s225; cost per day per child s.059.
January: Attendance, 11,315: salary,
sos; cost per day per child, $.02.
Totals: Attendance, 94,os2; salary,
$22s6 %; cost per child per day. $.0245.
| Operation of % Fairgrounds. thus giv-
ing the playground to every child in Bir-
mingham the year around, estimated cost
s1O.0
Evening recreation, including moving
pictures in the parks. estimated cost. sf600.
Appointment of a superintendent of rec
reation, giving his entire time to directing
the recreation activities of the city, esti-
mated salary, $500 to $500.
At a hearing in November the city COM
missioners were besieged by petitions
from each of the proposed % play centers
urging the commission to provide them
with Fairgrounds. Petitions totaled over
| 5000 names. Each community was also
| represented by delegation.
The critical condition of the city's
finances prevented them from adopting
| the full budget mentioned above. They
did agree, however, to keep the present
| system intact
The budget agreed upon by the COM
missioners for the year is as follows: Sal
airy for superintendent of recreation, 1880
| to $500; operating present Fairgrounds
/ 1pi, Of aeaio ut
operating present Fairgrounds three
months at $4s0, sl470; total budget between
5000 and $5770.
| Respectfully submitted,
| T. s. SETTLE.
Vocational Training
Report of the committee ON vocational
| training:
! Your committee has held seveRal meet
| ings aud has in tentative way mapped
l 4ial4l