Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1915-01-14
PLAYGROUND WORK
OF YEAR Reported
Supervisor Submits Her An
nual Report TO the Park
Commission
CHILDREN HAVE
HAPPY TINE OUTDOORS

Miss Jennie NJ Weaver. supervisor
Of Public Fairgrounds. submitted her
annual report to the Board of Park
Commissioners at their annual meet
ing yesterday. The report as adopted
follows:
ITO the President and Members Of
the Wilmington Board of Park
Commissioners:
"Gentlemen. hereby submit my
report for the playground season of
1914
1.-TWO new centers having been es-
tabished, park Fairgrounds now total
seven; namely. Pine. kirkwood, Wal
nut. Chapel and Landlith east or
Market street; Conrad and Delamore
west of the dividing line AS in the
past daily supervision has also been
given TO Fairgrounds maintained by
the Playground Association and other
sources. thus making in all ten public
centers In which the activities are of
like character.
"Of the park grounds, Kirkwood
and Delamore offer the best oppOr-
tunities for promoting play in that
each Is provided Will q swimming
pool a baseball diamond and plenty
OF shade and space. Each has al
ways We'd with the other for first
place in attendance This year Kirk
wood leads with a count of 1920.
However. Delamore stands first place
in athletics and won the 1914 pen
nant for the inter playground base
ball series.
Activities at Walnut. Pine and
Conrad were more or less unsatisfac-
tory because of grading and other
improvements which we're being
made during the entire season.
The Walnut playground, from
now on, promises to be a large cen
ter With its splendid now swimming
pool, baseball diamond. tennis courts
and playground apparatus il Is offer
ing, during the day time, to the col
ored people of the city. the best ia
ciliiies for wholesome recreation This
park. however. should be policed and
well lighted at night time The swim
ming pool was formally opened Satur-
day. June %. Appropriate adj
dresses were given by the Councilman
of the ward and out of town speakers.
A flag was presented by the Sons of
Veterans and the Odd Fellows band
showed civic interest and pride in
volunteering services for the after
noon
pine and Conrad Fairgrounds are
IN congested neighborhoods and the
problems of conducting the work ia
the best advantage are quite similar
Because of its limited space, the
Pine street ground should be an en-
closed ground and strictly for the use
of little children and girls.
AS yet. here in our city. we have
not made that distinction which Is 81
desirable for effective playground
work. between the terms. park ant
playground For obvious reasons
Pine and Conrad should be distinct!
for playground purposes and use'
only under supervision and direction
Conrad. with its recently acquires
land. offers a wonderful site for tn
establishment of a model playground
AS the ground Is now, II will be year
before there will be grass or shad
sufficient for its use as park purposes
The area Is not large enough to per
NIT ball playing. and. because of tn
many children in the neighborhoo
II Is going TO be uphill work TO beau
tIfy the ground unless something
provided to direct the superior
energy of those i'm this generation
With a field house. including gym
nasium. of regulation size all bal
games could be managed indoor an
also all year activities would be pos
sible. In turn more children an
L.. t.I ..
there would be a greater respect fo
city laws and city property.
"Landlith and Chapel as cpnducte
This year are quite adequate for III
time being.
THE attendance for each groun
was as follows:
"Kirkwood. 1920: Delamore. II
1855; Walnut. 11.096; Conrad. 1925
Chapel. 1851; Landlith, 5,60S; Pins
1894. Total 74975.
Three whole days we're lost o
account Of rain.
"All grounds were open from 9 {
m until $50 p. M with the eXcer
ton Of Saturday when the hours wer
a. m. to - m.
"All grounds we're in charge Of tw
play leaders, a principal and an as
sisiant Those holding the positio
we're FIVE men of practical eXperienC
and nine young women of previou
playground or teaching experience
Nine we're reappointed from the 19l
stan.
Formal organized activities. sue
as baseball leagues, athletic test
meets. swimming tests we're give
more attention tlan ever Girls wei
taught swimming at Delamore Kirl
wood and Walnut pools Manu
training in some form was taug
daily on each ground to both DO,
and girls.
New Features.
ION six successive Saturday afte
Moons in the spring and on three
the fall, municipal hikes were co
Quoted for adults. Each trip was
a different direction and afforded
opportunity to become acquaint
with the beautiful country surrour
Jig the city.
"A permanent camp was establi.
ed one mile above Rockland. by /
Playground Association for the Oh
dren of all city Fairgrounds. II
was used by one hundred childI
during the month of August. 7
parties went for one and two-t
trips. The over night parties W,
limited TO ten in number. includi
the play leader. Week-ends were
served for boys and mid-week
girls. Cooking and eating in
open, swimming and vigorous wa
ing constitute the daily program
In many cases this proved 10 BE-
only outing during the summer for
tain children, on the other hand il r.