The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1915-03-27
PLAYGROUND || | EXPERT i:
!. At uN|0NMEET.| in
T. s. Settle Of New York Talks
Before Federated Trades On =
Supervised Play.
SAYS SUPERVISED PLAY : =:
NEEDED IN PLAYGROUND
Misdirected Play Leads Child, to
Juvenile Courts Give 49,
Children Square Deal

Children Square Deal !;
Friday March 26, Thomas S. Settle
the playground expert who is In Du-
luth to perfect a comprehensive play
ground system for the city spoke be-
fore the Federated Trades Council
on the need of supervised play and
outlined the proposed playground
system of Duluth. i
The officers of the Duluth recrea-
ton committee under whose direc-
ton Mr.. Settle is working are as fol-
lows. Chairman Mayor Prince, vice
Watson s. Moore, w. E. Nc
Even, F. A. Brewery, R: B. Knox, F.
A. Cokefair, and Bishop James McGol-
rick; secretary, c. E. Wade; assistant
secretary, Miss Dorothy Olcott. A
composed of the forego-
ing officers and superintendent Of
schools r. e. Denfeld and superin-
tendent of parks Henry Cleveland are
working in cooperation with Mr.. Set
tie in planning an adequate recreation
system for the city.
Recommendations Made.
The first Recommendation made by
the committee is to have the system in
in operation throughout the year in
stead Of only during the summer
months. It is hoped that system can
be placed in operation so that play
grounds, public baths; swimming pools
municipal music and other matters
of public recreation can be carried out
under proper supervision.
The second recommendation made
is to have public play grounds proper
ly supervised in operation from June
Is to September at Lester park,
Portman Square IN Lakeside, Chester
Park, Franklin school neighborhood,
Radisson school neighborhood, Wash
ington school yard, Emerson school
hood, Lincoln Park, Merritt school
park. 52nd Ave. West and Traverse
street, New Stowe school at Gary and
New Duluth, Lowell school neighbor-
hood and the Paramount park bathing
beach.
1t is further proposed to operate the
Fairgrounds after p. m. from Sep
tember list to November list and from
May Is to June Is. Social centers
are provided for at practically all the
schools and public band concerts are
arranged for in the several parks.
During the winter months it is pro-
posed to operate free skating Kinks
and make arrangements for hockey
contests and other ice sports.
To Train Supervisors. -
Normal training classes will be con-
ducted4 under the proposed system at
the Armory, which is also to be a
recreation center, by the supervisor
Of recreation for those who desire to
take up playground supervising. -
The financing Of the system is to be
handled Jointly by the city commission
and the board of education and the
system is to be administered jointly
by the public welfare department of
the city and committee from the
board of education. The executive
work about the Fairgrounds will be
handled by a supervision Of recreation
who shall have one trained man as
sistant and one trained woman as
sistant, these three persons to be
hired throughout the year. Addition
al assistant supervisors are to be ar
ranged for at the several Fairgrounds
during the operation of the recreation
periods.
What Other Cities Spend.
) The question uppermostin the minds
of many people is what will this sys-
tenn cost. In touching upon the money
cost of playground and recreation sys-
TENS the expenditures of other cities
was touched upon. Schenectady, N.
Y, with a population of 1885 spends
Savannah, Ca, with a population of
$1,000 spends $11,500. Other figures
cited for cities much smaller than
Duluth. the expenditures varied from
$1,000 to $33,S78. The proposed bud
get for Duluth amounts to $12,665, the
greater amount of which is given for
supervisors salaries.
Supervisor Necessary.
"The greatest emphasis, in the
whole plan of civic Fairgrounds,
should be placed on adequate super
VISION declared Mr.. Seettle.
It is for this reason that a large
part of the budget recommended in
the playground plan for Duluth is
given for supervisors salaries.
Trained supervision is the most i'm
ton. problem-the need Of a person
endowed not only with a spirit Of
play, but with a keen social sense,
who shall rigidly direct the energies
and impulses of children and young
people. When many children, are
playing together, experience has
shown that q play leader is necessary
if we are to keep the playground
from falling into - the hands of a
gang, and prevent it from becoming 4
public nuisance through noise and
disorder. Experience. has also shown
that many more children will come to
a playground, when once a good play
leader is provided. There were in one
of our large cities two Fairgrounds
one ground with good play Lead
| ers, was used by about 1000 children
day; and another ground, manned
by poor. leaders (who were in reality
only .caretakers) though much larger
and better equipped. had an attends
ance, of only 200. ~. j &
I Joseph Lee tells us that the play
Il orrs M 1,n 1,ov -