The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1916-06-06
For A Playground.

The Parent Teacher Association held
a meeting in the High school auditor
ium Friday afternoon to discuss the sub
iect of summer playground for the
children. 1t was decided to ask per-
mission to use the court house grounds.
There is tennis court there now and it
is desired to put up swings and other
forms of amusement in order that the
youngsters of the town may have a
place where they may have innocent
pleasure during the summer months.
The subject of public Fairgrounds has
become one that every community is
interested in, and there are not many
places that do not provide such grounds.
Why should Mount Holly be behind the
times?
There is one little item that hampers
the scheme slightly and that is the lack
of funds. The Parent-Teacher Associa-
ton is supported entirely by the yearly
dues of its members with what contri-
buttons may be given. The dues amount
to the enormous sum of 25 cents year,
and as the membership is not large it
may easily be reckoned how much there
is to spend for outside work. Some of
the young ladies Of the town kindly
gave an entertainment last week which
will turn in about $50 towards the play
ground, but that will be but drop in
the bucket. 1t is proposed to give sup
per on the court house lawn if it can be
secured for that purpose, and the date
selected is June %. 1t is hoped the
Board of Freeholders will grant the use
of the court house grounds not only for
the supper but for the Fairgrounds.
The meeting on Friday discussed the
question very freely and it was decided
to make start. Mrs. John E. Whitman
was appointed manager of the grounds,
and Miss Mary Flynn was appointed to
look after the purchase of necessary
playground apparatus. Miss Flynn is
very earnest in this work and has devot-
ed much Of her time to the improve
ment of the young people. She was
very energetic in the recent Junior
Chautauqua program, and this work is
more commendable from the fact that
Miss Flynn is busily engaged in school
work and devotes her spare moments to
the special labor.
While there were not large number
of the members present on Friday en-
thusiasm made up for lack of numbers.
Holding meetings in the daytime posi-
bly, accounts for small attendance. A
statement was made that Commissioner
Kend had suggested that the Mount
Holly Association appropriate 800 to
send teacher to the Normal School to
become an educator. This provoked
some discussion, but the opinion pre-
vailed that the time had not arrived for
this association to aid the state in any
of its work. If New Jersey has reached
the point where it has to beg money
from the various communities it would
seem time for the state to retire from
business. This proposition is on par
with that made to the State Federation
of Boards of Education when it was
suggested that the latter body appropri-
ate money toward the summer school
for teachers. This was promptly and
properly squelched. The idea prevailed
that New Jersey should take care of all
projec6s of that kind. The results OBJ
tanned from the Normal School are not
such as to make it an object of extra.
ordinary interest to the people of the
state. 1t is an impossibility to get grad
yates from that school to take High school,
positions, and yet there are those who
find fault because the schools OF the
state 60 outside for their High school
instructors. If Mount Holly has any
spare cash it can do more good with il
providing summer Fairgrounds than by
sending 100 teachers to the Norma
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