Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-11-18
Y STREETS MAY
BE TRANSFORMED
INTO FAIRGROUNDS
lew York'8 Method Fa-
yored by Director Porter,
Who Says He Lacks
Needed Authority.

Philadelphia, even With its splendid sys-
teh OF school and municipal Fairgrounds
foF children, is still one point behind New
Nofk city In providing play spaces where
fht Riddles may be safe at their games
n6 6m the dangers Of the automobiles, mo-
tottrucks and heavy drays.
IN New York city several public streets
ere closed every afternoon from to
o'clock, and slgnboards reading, Street
ciosed for Play" swung from the ropes
At either end Of the blocked thorough
fare
Within the closed highway the young
eters gather for play in safety, while po-
hcemen guard the enclosed area from In
srusion by vehicles Of traffic.
PORTER FAvoRs PLAN.
Director Porter, of Philadelphia's De-
phrtment Of Public Safety, asserts he
uould gladly give the children here the
same protection and opportunity for safe
play II some one would convince him that
ID has the authority to do so. Now
York has a different problem" says Di-
fector Porter. MANY OF its side streets
are walled on either side by apartment
exacting as they are in Philadelphia.
''lf every resident between designated
blocks Of a city street came to me and
say they are willing that their street shall
be roped or for certain hours each day
that the children may play in safety, then
could probably close that street.
but suppose one OF the residents In
The block objects and insists upon unin-
terrupted use OF the street for traffic or
Delivery of material to his home then
where do my powers come in? Can
close that street? In tho thickly popu-
Jated areas in industrial sections any Of
Fort to close street would bring united
Protests from the teamstors. I am FOR
the children and their play, but such ac-
zion. think. must have cooperation and
complete Endorsement of every affected
Resident.
tThe number OF children injured and
Killed on citys streets are everywhere
too high and every effort should be made
TO reduce It,"
" THE C1TY'S FAIRGROUNDS.
During the summer months the problem
II less acute than in the fall months
shortly after the opening OF the schools.
There are 116 public school Fairgrounds
and 25 Board of Recreation Fairgrounds
open in the summer months.
But in the fall, after the schools close
their sessions for the day. the streets be-
come the chief Fairgrounds of the chill
drnn; for only % of the public school
Fairgrounds and II of the Board OF Re-
creation play centres remain open in the
winter months.
Agitation has been begun in various Sec
tions to have streets roped OF for play
spaces for the children, and 1t is ex-
pected that before long some of Phlla-
delphia's small side thoroughfares may
echo with the shouts of youngsters free
from school with ropes and policemen
guarding against intrusion by motor cars
and other traffic vehicles as in New York
THINKS SCHOOLYARDs AMPLE.
William. A. stecher, director of physl-
cal education in the public schools and
a member OF the Board of Recreation,
says:
aside from any question of legality.
1 do not believe that the closing OF
streets to permit children to play with
out the hlndrance of traffic is necessary
in Philadelphia. In this city there is
ample space. II we will only permit the
little folk to use IT,
1--WE have several hundred school
yards, each OF which can be used as
matter of fact, only 20 are used as per-
manent Fairgrounds, because the Board
of Education has appointed supervisors
for that number The board is not GER
tain that the public is anxious that its
money should be spent for the main
tenance of several hundred Fairgrounds.
But II Philadelphia definitely dem
onstrates that It is willing to pay for
the organized play of its child popula-
tlon the board will soon appropriate
enough money to keep all of the school,
yards open all OF the time. hope that
the public will at some time demand
such an Improvement. The schoolyards
of this city represent an immense finan-
cial investment. AS a matter Of busi-
ness policy, IT appears to me unwise and
wasteful to use them for no more than
an hour or two each day.
1.-THE streets are not the ideal place
for play. The highways were intended
for traffic and not for public recreation
II we close the streets for this purpose
we, may be doing considerable harm to
the Fairgrounds movement, because the
parents OF the city may become satisfied
with such accommodations.
"Of course, in New York the problem
is a different one. The majority of
schools there have no yards at all. The
entire city is SO built that even the
roofs must be used as play places; but
in Philadelphia, where the space is
available, II only the necessary legisla-
tion is obtained, such a radical move as
the 'roping or of streets would be without
good cause"