Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-03-11
Civic Department VIII
Drcp City Beautiful Work


land Woman's club has decided to drop
for the summer, the city beautiful work
and give special attention to the Dlay-
grounds movement begun with such
good prospects two years ago. Such
was the decision announced Yesterday
at a meeting of the department held
in the parlors of the Masonic temple
the new chairman. Mrs. V. O. Van
Calder, presiding for the first time
since election. Three committees were
announced: the program committee
with Mrs. C. A. Hoge, chairman: Mrs.
/ K. T. Anderson and Mrs. S. c. TAYLOR,
members; the street vigilance commit
tee with Mrs. E. B. Kreis, chairman:
Mrs. Z. NJ Sala and Mrs. F. r. Pollard.
members, and the publicity committee
with Mrs. n. P. Tucker, chairman. and
Misses Agnes Abrahamson, Catherine
Robb and Gotta Bartholomew, men,
bers
Mrs. II. A. Weld at the business ses-
sion presented resolution to be acted
upon at the next meeting, suggesting a
change in the bylaws to accommodate
two tickets in the field at the annual
election of officers.
| The department was given a real
treat in the program of the afternoon
when J. R. Richards, superintendent of
Fairgrounds and sports of the south
side parks in Chicago spoke on "Recre-
alton as a Public Function" Mr.. Rich
ards is no idealist, he deals in facts
and shows conclusively that he knows
whereof he speaks, shows that he has
given the subject careful study and
consideration from all it's viewpoints.
Mr. Richards at the outset made his
position sure with the women of the
I club by stating that the salvation of
the democracy lies with its women and
that through them, organized into
| clubs, must come the movements for
social and moral uplift The trouble
with most people, he said, is that they
know enough but do not do enough !;
that they eliminate the personal re-
Sp0nsibility is a movement and with
with that elimination there will be no
real reform MIR. Richards said that
one of the greatest problems Of the
time is that dealing with the leisure
hours, that time when culture is de-
veloped and those things that pertain
to character are formed. He divided
the problems of public recres ton into
three groups. according to th&ages Of
the people to be served: the play of
children, the period of adolescence and
the adult. Children, he said, become
delinquent and fight because they do
not know how to play and this is
where the playground movement has
| been a great benefit in all communities
Not is it good simply because there
is provided a place in which children
may spend their time out Of school,
but they are there given instruction in
/ how to play under trained supervisors
! it is place TO learn something. Dur
ing the adolescent period is the time
when the child should be instructed in
( operative, collective games and right
here he spoke in strong support of the
dance. Mr. Richards does not believe
in the promiscuous, socalled municipal
dances because of the fact that people
/ of all classes are thrown together in q
way that he believes not to the best
good of the child. He does believe
strongly in the group dance confined
to certain localities where the crowds
are better acquainted one with anoth-
er. The adult, he said, must know how
/ to play, must know how to develop 9
civic consciousness. He spoke in sup
port of social centers in school build
ings where parents can get in touch
with the channels that increase efic-
iency. Mr.. Richards gave many help
/ full points in the work Of carrying or
Fairgrounds and greatly pleased his
/