Norwich bulletin., 1915-04-14

John B. Stanton. Secretary Arthur
Z. Peale read the call for the meeting
which should have been held during
subject to the call of the president.
Secretary Pea1e then read the min
utes of the last annual meeting held
during March. 1914. and the report
was accepted and ordered placed on
file.
Treasurer Lees Report.
The treasurer, John NJ. Lee. present
ed his report, which covered the pc
Rod from March ]. 1914, to March 1,
1915. as follows:
Receipts.
Balance on hand March list, 1914,
$96.37; contributions, $138; sustain
ing membership, IS; penny fund: $751;
"A; membership campaign. s3I4.5O; to-
tai receipts. SSO5.61.
Expenditures
Supervision. s506.3O: janitor service.
SIS; equipment. $1o9.07; printing,
$2317: postage, 81; incidentals, $685.:
municipal Christmas tree, $40; total
expenditures, $743.S9; balance on hand,
March list, 1915. $61.72
What Was Done.
Miss Mary F. Mckay, the play
grounds supervisor. presented her re-
port which proved very satisfactory
and which was accepted and placed on
file
In her report Miss Mckay said that
the total attendance was 1851. The
attendance by grounds was: West
Thames street. 2,126; Falls, 1914;
Greeneville. ATOP; Pearl street, 5.547;
Lake street. 10. 562. Miss Mckay spoke
Of the equipments on the grounds and
told of the various games provided
for the amusement of the children. In
concluding her report Miss Mckay
made the following suggestions.
1t will be necessary to build store
house on Lake street ground. We
were obliged at the close of each day
20 chain up the apparatus to keep it
from destruction during the night and
this proved very unsatisfactory
method. At the end OF the season the
could be stored in this storehouse.
1t might be a good plan to have Lake
street playground open under super
vision, during the early part of the
evening for the benefit of the boys and
girls who are employed during the day
and who would greatly enjoy the adj
vantages of this ground
Most of the apparatus has been in
use for three seasons and although re
paired, it is nearly all worn out and
will need to be replaced next season.
Additional equipment would be great
ly appreciated by the children.
Lake street and Greeneville grounds
an ideal playground, although rather
hard to reach demonstrate the adyan-
tage of an open lot for playground
use. Here there is plenty of space for
all children, boys and girls, large and
small. The boys have an opportunity
for baseball which is their chief pas
time.
A playground like this centrally To-
Gated on the West Side would prove
a great success. In this locality the
school yards are used and although ex-
cellent grounds, there is not the free
dom that could be had in a larger
place.
If impossible to secure such place
it would seem a good idea to estab-
fish a playground on High street for
the small children who are not able
to attend Thamesville or Pearl street
and who play in the street.
If it were possible to pay more
money for supervision we would not
need to make so many changes in in
structors. The success of each play
ground depends in a large measure on
the instructor and if we could hold
those who have the greatest interest
in the work much more could be ac-
complished.
President Stanton's Report.
The final report heard was that of
President Stanton. which follows:
To the Directors and Members of the
Norwich Fairgrounds Association:
The various reports presented have
covered the work of the past year SO
fully and completely that only a brief
report is necessary from your presi-
dent.
During this. last year as in previous
years the problem that has confronted
the executive committee and the board
of directors has been one of ways and
means.
Special attention has been given to
the problem of supervision for which,
with the necessary repairs to appar-
atus and the purchase of supplies for
games, etc. most of our funds have
been expended.
From the organization of our as
| ISOLATION the grounds at Lake street
have seemed to be the place that
should be developed first. The i'm
| provements made there have been
most noted The city appropriation
made it possible to improve the sur
face of the diamond and courts; to
| construct a wading pool, to purchase a
| tent fly for shade. and to make
way for the thirty trees this spring
This work was done under the diree-
| ton Of the public works committee
of the common council Apparatus
/ formerly used at the Hobart Avenue
| School grounds was transferred tC
Lake street as the Hobart Avenue
School building was closed for repairs
| during the summer.
The limited funds caused the eve
l.
/ try to open other needed grounds but
i to provide additional supervisors fol
/ the grounds now opened and ATTENDED
/ by such large numbers of children. Al
l both Lake street and Pearl street two
I teachers were in regular attendance
/ while at Lake street Horace Coyle
i had charge of the games and work fol
the older boys.
Miss Mary Mckay our playground.
director. has had charge of the details
of the whole work and has developed
! it in a pleasing and satisfactory man
ner.
4 In my report one year ago sug-
gested that effort should be made t
! place the work Of this association OF
i a permanent basis. This we tried t.
do following the suggestion of F1elt
Secretary North of the Playground
and Recreation Association of Ameri
ca. but we were not successful il
getting a hearing before the town
meeting. Mr., North was somewha
anxious to have the matter pushe,
further lest we lose the cumulatiol
effect of our work up to this time bu
to the executive committee it scenes
better to wait until business condi
tons should have improved and tn
outlook became brighter. TIL
| carrying on of this work does not re
quire the expenditure Of large sun
of money though very much could b