The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1914-05-12
MAYORS ADVISORS
START MOVE FOR
CITY PLAYGROUND
Cabinet Suggests Opening of
School Yards and Vacant
Lots to Children After Rec
itatiOn Hours.

A discussion on the need of more
play grounds for children in this city
featured the May meeting of the may
or's cabinet at the city hall last even
ing.
The direct result of this discussion
will probably be the establishing of
municipal play grounds in every Sec
tion of the city The board of public
works will also make representations
to the school board, recommending
that every school yard be made pub
lie play ground and open for the use
Of the children every afternoon after
school hours and all day on Saturdays.
1t will also be suggested to the
school board this afternoon, when the
mayor, board of works members and
superintendent of the municipal plant
meet with that body to discuss plans
for coal purchases, that if the school
city will properly equip all school
grounds for play purposes and have
them properly supervised. the city will
prepare properties in various parts of
the city where the older children can
play their games
Starr Offers Ground.
The city officials last night were
favorably impressed with the sugges-
tion of Controller McMahan that the
West Seventh street park be made
into a play grounds. 1t was also
pointed out by Clerk Bescher that the
Starr Piano company had dedicate1
land for play grounds purposes on
South Second street, for a term of
years. of which generous offer the city
and the school board had never taken
advantage. Mayor Robbins said that
it was particularly desirable to secure
play grounds site in the north end,
north OF the railroad, and that he
thought some vacant ground could be
secured for that purpose.
The east end already has a play
grounds, equipped by the school board,
but the boys in that section of the
city are now taking advantage of Park
Superintendent Ford's offer to use
Roosevelt field. Glen Miller, as a base
ball diamond. He was prompted to al
low the boys the use of that part of
the park when they told him the police
had driven them off the vacant lots
and streets. Mr.. Ford knew that base
ball was as necessary to an American
boy as three square meals a day. so he
came to their rescue.
Play Grounds Bavis' Hobby.
Mr.. Bavis, Of the board. states that
he has two pet projects; adequate play
grounds for children and a memorial
for the veterans of all American wars.
Encouraged by the support given the
play grounds movement at the mayor s
cabinet meeting he today entered en-
Enthusiastically into the work OF formu-
lating plans of ways and means of car
rying out this project.
81 want to get the thing started at
once" he said. This year it will be
possible only to throw open some land
in the various sections of the city
where the boys can play their baseball.
The ground can be leveled for them.
the grass kept cut and backstops erect
ed to stop the balls the young catchers
let get by them. The school board can
help by throwing open to the younger
boys and the girls the school yards.
There is nothing sacred about these
plots of land about school properties
and there Is no reason why the chill
dren should not use them any time
they have an opportunity to do so. OF
course the school board would have to
provide proper supervision. The
school board could also gradually
equip these school yards with neces-
sary play paraphernalia."
A play grounds for Fairview chill
dren is also being considered and a
baseball diamond near the power
plants in the river valley is a possi-
bility