Norwich bulletin., 1916-12-07


 built there as two thirds of the dump is out of the fire limits.
 Labor Union President Speaks William J. Fitzgerald, president of the Central Labor Union and author of the resolution presented to the council favoring the retention of the playgrounds, said he was there to pro- test against the taking of the play grounds from the children. He said the Central Labor Union has always given the playgrounds its moral supp port He talked with several mothers ground was a Gpd-send for they know that when their children are there, they are properly cared for. He said the p1aygrounds movement is not new one. He said the taking of the Lake street grounds would drive the children into the streets, possibly down to the railroad track and the river bank.
 Mr. Turner was next heard. He said he was owned property in that section for years. He spoke of. the wooden buildings increasing the fire hazard. He said the risk is bad enough at present and that the rates have been increased 25 per cent. He thought a piece of property changed l from sewer ground to a playground ought to be let alone.
 GreeneviIIe Pastor For Fairgrounds. Rev. Charles H. Ricketts, pastor of 1 the Greeneville Congregational church, | spoke of the support he has always given the playground moveWent. 1 Some years ago when -he play ground movement was started I did ! what I could to foster the movement. ] There are some sections where there is no place for the children but the i street. The street is no place for 1 was great Today it is far greater 1 because of the automobiles. Every | ones child is worth something, far | more than all the barns this city can erect. He hoped the council would | not pass the resolution.
 Care for the Children. Following Rev. MT. Ricketts. Rev. ! way Congregational church, spoke a few words. He said no one could speak more heartily than he on the re- l moval of the ash carts and oil wagons
 street alongside the city barn, but
 that the taking of the Lake street
 grounds would be returning the chil- dren to the streets. Let us care for
 the children by all means.
 Should Consider Rising Generation.
 Charles D. Moves spoke briefly ir favor of the retention of the play
 ground. He said he has always had
 the interest of our. playgrounds strong
 Iy at heart. MT. Moves said the coun-
 ciI was doing something for the city's
 good by removing the barn from 1tf
 present location, but that they shoIlc
 pay due heed to the needs and require
 ments of the rising generation. Int boys and girls of today are the mer
 and women of tomorrow, he continued
 Tn concluding his remarks he said ht
 knew of no place as good as Lake 1 street for a playground.
 Norwich ought to have civic pride l ,eI,f fn ttn1d fn Iyh a hq Sa
 Rev. c. A. Northrop city missionary
 and that he would regret exceedingly
 as a citizen to have this good worl
 killed.
 No Place to Play
 Miss Mary Mckay, supervisor of thu l local playgrounds, said that Iak'
 street was the largest and most sue , eessful of the play grounds. It is To cated in very .thicllly settled part O the city. The children nave no yard
 and must play somewhere. SEe ss1t
 they go to the playground early in tn
 morning and return after dinner, stay ing until late in the afternoon through i out the season. It is the only plac where baseball can oe played. Mis- l Mckay said the records show that Ih daily attendance averages 120 chil dren. Mohegan park, she said, is to- far away, for the attendance at tn !, ground is made up of children betWee1
 the ages of and F years. She sai'
 there had been no complaints of dam , age received. The association, Sh : said, would he very glad to receiv complaints and to repair damage. Il
 closing she said she hoped the play . 1 ground would be left for the children Speaking in favor of the play | ground, Robert McNeely said: I am tn , father of four children and I wouldn' give any of them for all. the dunn a | carts or watering carts in the city l. 1I1o 1,Ia Ia f hoped the facts related at the hearin
 would be given due consideration. !. Would Be Detrinent to Property. James P. Sheridan spoke of tn X p1aygrounds movement grea
 thing. He said he has three childre1
 two old enough to attend the play Q | ground, and he said he did not wan . he thought the erection of a city bar :, on Lake street would be a, detrimen a l to the property there.
 :, Dr. P. J. Cassidy said he always ha :. an interest in the playgrounGs fror . their beginning and he spoke of shei . educational value.
 Edward J. Graham, superintendent c n public schools, said it seemed to hir . that as there is no other ground avail h l able for playground that it would b e too bad to give up the present groun p for the purpose in mind. He said yer  s given the question and he hoped tn . measure would not be passed. 2 Arthur F. Libby said he did no a think the playground association . asking too much when they ask tn . city to devote about two acres c = = ground for the children.
 In his opinion it would be a seriou mistake to try to build a city barn i ; what is really a residential section. T : be sure it is not Broadway, but V am proud to say that I have friend . living in that section.
 . Norwich has so far only one singl I, playground. There is not city tn e size of Norwich that is not maintain II ing it's playgrounds- We do need tha s playground because play is an elemer :. of nature: play is as necessary to U child as food.
 1T Judge Brown Favored Resolution.
 Judge Lucius Brown spoke in fave o of the passage of the resolution. Fl n said the city barn as it now exists T. nuisance. It is at the front door ( d1 Broadway church. It Is extremely in n efficient. There is an immediate de d mand that this nuisance be remove e and now Is the opportune time.