The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1915-08-14
OF
PLAY PLOTS
ANSWERED
Work Not Offset BY
Few Broken Win
d0ws, Says Jayne
SAYS DISORDER
is VERY SLIGHT

Does Detroit want to give up the
hnest experiment In self-govern-
ment that has even been tried, Just
because a few windows have been
broken?"
That is part Of Supt Jayne's reply
to critics of the playground system
who complain OF vandalism BY those
who use the Fairgrounds. The 9TH
er part of his answer is that the van.
dalism is for the most part imagin-
airy.
Since the Fairgrounds were open
ed. only two reports Of windows
broken In private houses adjacent to
the play spaces have come to me-"
said Supt. Jayne. I'm both those
instances, the boys who broke the
windows paid for them. The only
complaints that have come to this
ONCE were from people whose win
dows were broken before the recrea-
ton commission took over the play
grounds, and who have not been
compensated. The boys on many of
the play grounds have formed win
dow clubs with small dues which
go into fund to recompense own
ers Of private property for any dam
age done.
1T is true that some windows
have been broken In the school
buildings. but this was foreseen. An
appropriation Of $4,000 was obtained
to screen the windows which were
In danger. understand the con-
tract has been let. The use of the
playground ball instead OF . hard
base ball has cut down the number
of broken windows this year.
"A great many of the broken win
dows in the schools were not brok.
en- By playground boys. but by other
people. am told that 1t IL no un-
common thing for q gang Of half
rowdies to begin throwing
stones through school-house win
dows. They have even been known
to break into the building. But these
incidents do not occur while the
supervised work of the play
grounds Is under way.
THE engineer of one Of tn,
schools. where the neighborhoot
complained of disorder late at night
reported to me that the disorder wal
caused by some of the neighbour
themselves, who invaded the play
ground at 10 and IL o'clock at night
and used the bumpy slide and the
swings. We found a method of lock
ing the apparatus and putting o stor
to this practice.
But what Is this disorder com
pared to the lessons in self-govern
ment which the boys and girls and
young men are receivingf Take the
Majeske playground, for instance
When we opened II, the boys didn't
want to leave when closing time
came. They were rough and unruly
We picked out the leaders and ex
planned to them that 1t was up tG
the boys themselves to keep thu
playground In order. We told then
that II the rules we're not obeyed
we would have to close the play
ground. After that. there was nc
more trouble. When closing time
came, the boys. marshalled by theiI
leaders, departed.
1.-The boys who Use the Majeskt
playground at night are mostly fac
tory workers, speeding all day un
der an efficiency system, and look
ing for relaxation. believe that II Il
worth while to teach those fellow
to be responsible for their own con
duct at play. 1t Is lesson In good
citizenship.
"If we we're to close the night
Fairgrounds, we would lose ouI
held on just this class OF people
The youngsters use the Fairgrounds
during the day time. but after
o'clock the older people come on
We intend the Fairgrounds fol
everybody. Certainly the presence
of an occasional drunk Is not COINS
to make us give up the experiment
II an intoxicated person wanders
upon the playground. he Is soon dis
covered and made to get of.
Playground clubs have been or
ganized in many cases, and we hope
that these organizations will be per