Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-01-05
BUSINESS Of PLAY
NOW FAIRLY WELL
ESTABLISHED
Several Hundred Cities Of
United States Expanding
Millions Of Dollars on Public
Recreation Grounds.

faY MOANING goUsNAl SPECIAL LEASED wREl
New York. Jan 4--The business Of
play Is now fairly wcll established in
several hundred cities u the United
states and Canada and is carried on
az an expenditure Of millions % dol
lars. The extent Of the movement 10
provide Fairgrounds and leaders 70
make play and recreation wholesome
and efficient is revealed IN the an
nuai census just taken by the Play
ground and Recreation association
of America whose report was made
public today. Every community q
ever 5000 inhabitants In this COIN
try and Canada was reached By let
ter and over a thousand cities rec
sponded with specific reports on what
"a or what is not being done to aid
children and atults in their play and
recreation.
Six hundred and forty-two cities re-
ported themselves active IN the play
ground movement and many others
said they were alive to needs OF this
sort and were working to establish
play centers. one Of the most salts
factory phases OF the report is the
showing Of growth Of municipal sup
port Less than ever is left 20 pri-
,ate philanthropy. for in III cities
the support is now entirely munici-
pal There are lis cities in which
the support is divided between muni-
elpal and private funds and 10 IN
which the work is supported wholly
by private benefactors
The census IL for the year ending
November /. 1918, and shows a total
expenditure u Ss,'00.0ee in the
342 cities where playground and rec
reation work is under paid supervl-
sion. This is q gain Of over Sl,500.-
GOO as compared with the year 1912.
In sight for further funds authorized
bond issues are reported IN twenty
cities 20 the total OF S2.35S.000. The
report shows that children IN SEVENTY
titles have been given new play
grounds during the past year. The
titles which became converts 20 the
movement in the previous year had
numbered only forty-three
Play leaders appear to be now pro-
fessionally recognized the couniry
ever Twenty-four hundred play
grounds and recreation eenters are
under regular paid supervision and
more than 5000 persons are making
it their profession to serve as lead
.trs uf play and general recreation.
Il is an enlistment OF a thousand new
workers in this line during the past
year, and efficiency Is so generally
demanded ~ these leaders that train
ing classes for them are being main
talned. and IN thirty-five OF these
centers 1855 students are reported.
Leadership Is regarded as the crux
of the playground ana recreation
movement Almost invariably the
communities which have reported
failure in the work started have ex-
planned il by The report that they hal
no leadership. The point Is becom-
ing so generally appreciated that the
playground and recreation association
says that supervised work is certain
10 be widely extended during the
coming year. The playground or
recreation center without a competent
leader has proven TO be as inel-
fective as a school without a teacher. ."
the report adds. and it is further pre-
dieied that SEQ cities nov active In
play ground ANA recreationai work are
likely go meet Encouragement unless
they bring themselves &c realize the
value * supervision
The work IS hy no means confined
20 vocational periods In over sixty ci.-
les 325 centecs were open ail year
round last year. and evenings are utH-
.zed more ami more for recreation
work in the school houses. Altogether
the wider Use Of public schools was
seen IN i37 cities aud results we're
shown iH many WAYS The fact that
So per cent Of all offeuscs against
society are committed ia The leisure
time hours between II and D. M.
has prompted MANY communities to
open their playground and recreation
Ceniers after industrial workers had
been released from their days toll
end last year I54 cities reported ca
Centers Of various kinds open in the
evening. The total average attend
ance tn twcnty-one cities was sage.
a gain Of over t5,0ee as compared
with the previous years ayerage.
In the establishment Of Fairgrounds
by Industrial plants there has
also been substantial gain durins
the year. In thirteen cities play
ereund and recreation eenters have
been maintained by Industrial estab-
lishments az their own expense or
in conjunction with other agencies.
The leaders in the recreation move
ment. aside from the playground
report SO workers employed through
oui The year ia seyenty-One cities
throughout the country. The aetvi.
ties iaiade not ons games ard
athletics tv5 gardening. woodwork
arts. crafts. singing. skatiug. dramat-
ISIS folk dancing. story telling. pa
gcAnts swimming. Nading ever
thing that viii bring JOY and happs
seif-expresslon--and always wit.s
sympathetic heppy free play lsal-
ers to ada b the fun and draw evea
aa ..1a