Evening journal., 1915-07-09

The chllQren OF Wliminhtoh are
happy bunch these days. The city
Fairgrounds have opened OF course.
10 you "grown-ups" perhaps. that
statement does not mean so much. but
"a thousands of children Of this city
who previous TO the opening OF the
Fairgrounds had only the dusty and
dangerous streets in which to play,
the statement is alive with meaning
Though the Fairgrounds were open
Cd only this week they are taxed 10
their capacity and each playground
director reports hundreds Of children
as heing already registered with
more coming in every day. Among
the FIVE Fairgrounds visited Icy the
writer yesterday a rough estimate
places the average daily attendance
OF these Fairgrounds as being about
1900 children. And there are eleven
Fairgrounds throughout the city.
Think Of that and then consider how
splendid a thing it is that the chll-
dren of the city are able TO play
healthy. wholesome and happy games
under healthy wholesome and happy
conditions
OF the many features Of the play
ground work. none Is proving more
popular or IS being better pauonized
than the swimming pools. There are
three swimming pools in the city for
children. One at Cool Sprink Park
nne at Delamore Park and one at
Kirkwood Park All are showing 4
daily register Of between fTe and
six hundred children.
The pools of Delamore and Kirk.
wood Parks are thoroughly equipped
and up-to-date. with numerous batf
houses, shower baths and electric
lights The one az Delamore Park Is
fifty feet square and varies in deptf
from two 10 six feet The pool al
Kirkwood Park is triangular and va
ries in depth from two and one hal
to eight feet The water In ea,n poo
Is let in fresh twice a week at which
times the basins are thorough.
cleaned. There are guards at eacl
pool, men guards for the boys anS
women guards for the girls. The boys
days are Tuesday. Wednesday. Fri
day and Saturday, while Mondays ant
Thursdays arc set aside for the girls
Herbert Hartman. one of the di
rectors Of the Delamore Park play
ground, is arranging 10 start swim
ming classes next week. Will Mis-
Elizabeth Downward. also a dlTecto
at this playground. will start givini
swimming lessons to a class OF III
teen girls IN next Monday morning
The pool at Delamore rs open ever
evening except Saturday from Z un
til $50 o'clock. for men on the boys
days and for women on tie girls
days As a proof OF the fact tha
this pool is being well patronizet
the register for the month Of Jun
shows that b,3l1 persons enjoyed dip
there
A line Of about 1856 boys stood wait
ing for the director to open the poe
al Delamore Park yesterday when
representative of THE EVENtNl
JOURNAL arrived there. Each bo
had his trunks. and towel wit
him and a livelier bunch Of younl
stors was never seen anyhere. Whe
the gate was finally opened. the
surged through and with Indian wa
Hhoops they piled into the bat
hoHsesg n was not long before n
pool was literally alive with bobbin
heads and wildly waving arms an
legs. One boy. however, hesitate,
about entering the pool al once II
knew the water was cold and so
cautiously started doFvn the sion
steps that lead into the water, nu
ting first one foot in only to dra'
Il ont quickly. then putting the othg
foot in with the same result He ha
gotten down two steps when his prl
cautions were noted by red hare
freckle faced voungster. who had bee
In once but who had come out 20 div
He suddenly spied Carl tauto,dsl
descending into the water. II was Il
much. "Reddv" flashed down u
steps gave Cautious Carl a viPOrol
shove which tumbled him into 4
water head first Carl gasped al
came up splutering but once in d
fun began in earnest.
Water Fights a Pastime.
All sorts cf aquatic stunts we
done. Water battles were constant
being waged and il was apparently
lot Of fun TO push a boys head und
the water and then wrestle with hi
Fancy dives we're boldly attempt
which either called forth admirati
or ieers from the lusty crowd
b'fr d''NiuiAA TO whether the NtHll
pant was successful in the attempt
dive or not.
Red(y' gtood poised on the ste
coping around the edge Of the DC
ready to dive
on. YOU Annette Kellerman." ga
out = crony ~ his from across
pool. who Immediately got what v
coming 10 him. Swimming uni
water is also a favorite pastime Z
Is one feature in the art OF swinm
that is the most bitterly contested.
which the following conversation
erheard az Delamore yesterday is s
6cient proof.
Gee whiz. fellers. did chew all
that Wasn't that some swimmi
Under water. too. shrilled the ex,
ed voice Of a ten year old boy v
had Just como up after a rather SD
lacular underwater swim.
"Aw. fer goodness sake That al
nothin'. Bet chew I could swim eli
acrost the pool and back an
AXE my head out Of the water ono
volunteered one boy who had watcl