Omaha daily bee., 1916-01-02
PUBLIC RECREATION
WORK Is ADVANCING
Parks, Beaches and Schools Used to
Great Advantage for Super
vised Amusement.
MADE LAST MAY

AhD NNbaAN AAlthN VI bbhliN htNlNdNheh
was created by the city council and ap-
pointments made by the mayor last May
The members Of the recreation board
are: J. B. Hummel. w A. Foster. q.
D. Clark. ]. p. Connolly and C. C. Eng
lish, the last mentioned being superin-
tendent. The chairman Of the board. Mr..
Hummel,. is head of the park and boule-
ward department and as matter of
fact, the work Of the recreation depart
ment and the park department is so
closely associated that at times it Is diff
ficult to see the line of demarcation.
Mr.. English came here July 20 from
Chicago and entered at once upon pro-
gram of supervised recreation. lie in
troduced supervised play at kountze.
Miller, Fontenelle, Bemis, Hanscom and
Riverview parks, also at the Municipal
field at Thirty-fourth and Leavenworth
streets and at the City mission. During
the play season there were S9,S0S at
tendants at these recreation centers.
A playground base ball league was
formed and a girls volley ball tourna-
ment was among the features of the sea-
SON. During August seventy-five boys
and nineteen girls were awarded medals
for having passed athletic tests.
statement of Recreation Work.
In connection with the work of the six
months of his incumbency superintendent
H1nglish offers the following statement:
Summing UP the summers work in
the Fairgrounds, one was impressed with
the increased interest displayed by the
lchildren in the parks because of new
manner of supervision All the super
lvisors took an active interest in the well
fare of the children. Their idea was not
repression, just keeping children from
getting hurt or breaking the apparatus;
but preventing rowdies from monopolizing
the Fairgrounds, exercising control over
all classes. creating a democratic spirit;
a spirit of fair play and to merge all
the groups of children into spirit Of
active participation.
I'VE issued during the summer season
S67 permits for base ball games, 1t is
safe to say that there were over 1900
ball players participating and taking ad-
vantage Of public park base ball fields
during the summer. It would be hard
60 estimate the thousands of spectators
witnessing these amateur ball games
although the season was not par
ticularly favorable for swimming there
was an increased interest and particlpa-
ton by the people enjoying bathing and
It became necessary to construct another
bath house at the Carter Lake Beach.
Even this added facility was taxed to
the limit on several occasions. The at
tendance at the Carter Beach from the
18th Of July to tho closing OF the Beach
was 1926
Big Attendance mt Beaches.
with the annexation of South Omaha
we came into control of the Spring lake
swimming pool which was operated about
thersame length of time as the Carter
beach. During the season there was an
attendance of 1859, making total at
tendance of bathers at public swimming
places 81, 1905. As far as our records show
there was total attendance at the play
grounds and beaches of 1918. 1t must
be borne in mind that the attendance at
the Fairgrounds does not mean specta-
tors and other groups using the parks
in places other than the playground To-
cation"
During the last of October social cent
ers were established at Kellom, CASTELAR,,
Monmouth Park, Central Park and Mil
Ter Park schools, with a paid super
visor for each center. In addition to the
local supervisors, directors OF music and
athletics were engaged for the entire
the social centers embraces such activi-
ties as athletic and gymnasium work,
orchestra drills, choruses. musical and
literary programs. mass meetings and inn
pTovement club meetings. Eighteen must
clans have started a series of forty-siX
concerts at the social centers, the last
70 be given early in April Supervised
dancing has been opened at Hanscom
park pavilion. Skating will be provided
during the season at all bodies of water
owned by the city and several tracts will
be flooded from time to time.
The following additional information IS
offered in report which has been pre-
pared:
The total amount set aside by the city
commission for recreation purposes was
$1SOOO,O 900. $S,S5O.OO OF which was used in
the construction of the Riverview swim
ming pool and the balance for super
vision of Fairgrounds and bathing
beaches.
The golf course at Elmwood Park was
constructed by Mr.. Hummei of the park
department. and with funds out of his
department, which was a great assist
ance TO the board, as they did not have
money to carry out this work this year
This course is pronounced by experts as
one OF the finest in the country. and
It is the aim OF the board to have it
maintained in a first class manner.
1t Is the wish OF the board to establish
three or four Fairgrounds in the south
] end of town and also two in congested
districts in the city. provided that funds
are available the coming year.