New Britain herald., 1915-09-01
MORE FAIRGROUNDS
 NEEDED, SAYS EAD|E
Supervisor Submits Annual Re-
 port to Public Amusement Com.


 playgrounds. The report contains in ducted at the grounds. It also speaks in a fattering manner of the folk dancing and of the clever work of Miss Marion Roberts, who conducted it. An idea may be formed of the increasing popular rity of the playgrQunds when it is seen that over Il, 1000 more chil- ."dren attended the sessions of the diff ferent grounds during the season than last year.
 The following is the complete re- port of MT. Eadie:
 Best Season City Ever Had.
 "I beg to present the following re- port on the past seasons playground activities
 Tn my estimation this has been the t,biggest and the best season that the New Britain playgrOunds have ever had, and this in spite of much bad weather and other attractions. One of the outstanding features Of the sea- son has been the excellent work done by the corps of directors. They have entered into the work enthusiastical- ly and conscientiously and this has helped largely in making the season 8 decided success. The attendance has been the largest in the history of the grounds, beating last years record by over ,000. The spirit and con- duct and extensive use made of each playground has been very encouraging and tends to show the strong hold the playgrounds have among the children and with the city. To one working on the inside a steady upward growth in spirit and a feeling that the play ; grounds are really wanted can be felt and seen more and more every year. The work would appear to be very much worth while and meeting the needs of children during the long summer vacation The grounds which have been in the same locations as last year, have all been in good shape this season. The adding of park benches and tents for shade on the two hot grounds has helped to make the equipment very complete. As in other years the season has lasted nine l weeks and the hours have been the l same. The seasons program has been | full of activities. The daily program l of free play, games, athletics, folk dancing, and occupation work has l been carried on as in other years as ] have also the game leagues and high
  These latter have been run on a slightly larger basis this past season. The occupation work has also been done on a bigger scale and many use- full articles have been made. A A successful new feature this year has been the placing of a new special director in charge of the folk dancing. Miss Roberts, the director has worked faithfully and well. and has put vim into this part of the program. The girls have learned a greater number of dances this year and have taken more interest in them, and have also accomplished more in performance. ..: Outdoor Baseball.
 Another good feature has been the starting of outdoor baseball for boys at Walnut Hill park, in charge of special director. Two leagues for playground teams and one for junior city teams have been run at the park. The playground leagues did not work out quite as we'll as was expected a difficulty being found in getting teams to show up regularly and on time. Most of the games scheduled, however, were played. The Saturday afternoon league for junior teams known as the ! been perhaps the biggest successful new feature on the seasons program The teams have entered into it en- enthusiastically and have played good clean ball and have provided sport for at least 500 people on Saturday after moons. It has won a great deal of favorable comment in the city. It is to be hoped it has come to stay, as the results have been gratifying Athletics as usual, have been a prom inent activity. The, weekly athletic meets have been run very successfully as in other years. These, perhaps bring out the individuality of the child as nothing else does and where two summers ago the children had to be asked several times before they would enter now they not only enter of 1 their own accord, but eagerly ask for the events to be put on
 Credit for "Jack'' RourIze.
 The athletic efficiency tests run by the National Playground association were pushed a little more this year. These were run during August and the work of training and taking the tests put in the hands of a special athletic director. MT. Rourke, had charge of this and while only sixty six children passed, yet it speaks well for the standards are quite high. Among the features of the seasons | program two celebrations or demon- strations were held, one on the tenth of July the Independence Day cele- bration postponed from the fifth and a final three day closing play-festiva1 The first was run off very we'll and had a good attendance of people. It consisted of a street parade of 500