Arizona republican., 1915-02-28

play grounds by the Junior depart
 ment of the Drama league of Ameri- ca. l At Scranton an interesting pa geant was given by 1000 children depicting the history of the city. The
 most striking tableau being a con
 trast between alley and play ground
 sports. typical alley with boys
 chooting craps, playing cards, smok-
 ing and fighting was shown. Into
 this came a banana peddler with pust-cart. The boys stole the ba
 nanas, tipped over the push-cart
 and represented as realistically as
 possible the atmosphere of play
 alley. The next tableau showed the
 same alley-a play ground in one
 corner showed girls sewing, big
 brothers playing volley. ball and in
 dulging in clean sports. During the
 tableau boy carried placard
 across the stage which said will
 you have an alley or a play
 ground?'"
 The use of school buildings as recreation centers shows steady de ,velopment. In New York. Washing ton, Wisconsin, oklahoma, Califor-
 mia and many other states the cam paign for Wider use of the school | plant has borne good fruit. Of the
 numerous recreation centers in New
 York City. Superintendent Maxwell l
 says, Wherever recreation centers !,
 have been opened they have proved | formidable rival to private dance i
 halls. To suppress them and other resorts even more vicious for the
 young seems impossible. The only way to meet the evil is to provide
 counter attractions of irreproachable character They may most easily
 be furnished in the school building In addition to opening up the schools as recreation centers, many ) cities have developed the pOssibili ties of other buildings. Cleveland has 3 purchased an old hospital and the grounds for a recreation center. How saloon buildings in dry territory may be remodeled into municipal re C creation centers is a question often | asked and has been answered by one enterprising play ground worker
 who suggests that they be converted r into neighborhood center gymnasiums n in charge of an energetic, friendly V manager and operated on paying u basis
 - One of the greatest hindrances to y a more rapid spread of the play II movement is the initial cost of the l, grounds and buildings and equip
 ment also expense of maintenance, T including care and supervision. Those 'l responsible for action must be con- IT vinced that they are justified in d ordering the expenditures and very e often this is not easily dane. There d has, however come into the race h consciousness change regarding, It what are real necessities. The view T. point has changed somewhat. New
 ideals have been ushered in and 'e the question now becomes Does a it movement minister to real human le needs or make for better citizen ar ship instead of does it pay in dollars le and cents?" It has been truly said ic that the recreation movement is an 'h expression of the modern struggle SC between materialism and spiritual T. ideals.
 r. From an editorial that appeared r. in a recent issue of The Republican b. We learned that Russell Sage ex- at perts were invited to investigate CT conditions in Springfield Illinois. and
 to make a report of their findings eo and their report concerning recrea ,d ton will apply with equal force t' e all communities. They call atten- ill tion to the fact that recreation w every place is good and bad. It i: of in part bad for the same reason that + much of modern industry is evil be ar, caus it is largely commercial Any of thing commercial is apt to lool 7. more for profits than for human t. welfare. At least. emphasis is pu tn on. profits. All communities are cd however much more interested il re the wholesome development of al cy the people than they are in profit! e. so there is hope that something 'e- constructive will result The ex rt- perts urge that all school building ct be opened twice a week and tha he voluntary neighborhood association as be organized to develop the best us ell of the buildings They further re ids commend that home, school an' an church cooperate in bringing pub Of lie opinion up to the point wher mt it will demand that adequate pro on visions be made for properly equip ,ry ped and supervised play grounds an athletic fields and recreation center Ire for the youth of the city. om In conclusion let us again recon he slider some of the main points:
 1t l. Thay play is necessity. p ft,ct of a eh
 life should be devoted to physica ids education.
 Inc g. That adequate space and pro rly per equipment are necessary
 of f. That organized play develop Ire character.
 g. That proper supervision o nal recreation is an important factor. md 6. That play grounds make fo TX. better health, better morals and bet ng, ter community spirit.
 md That properly conducted recre joy ation centers lessen crime, promot
 good citizenship and make for great en- CT industrial efficiency
 1m S. That the support of public rec lite reation is truly municipal functio
 md that the expenditure is justi be- fled from the standpoint of econo ual my and social progress.
 cir Bearing all these thinge in minC