El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-01-22
ORGANIZED PLAYGROUND WORK
FOR SUMMER RESTS WITH CITY
Committee Calls on Mayor and Council and Are Told the
City Wishes to Aid but Must First Look Into Its Abl
ity to Supply Money Required; School Playground
Work in the Fall and Winter Will Not Suffer.

playground committee was made per-
manent organization
II was the plan OF the committee
that the school board should exercise
control over the system and that plan
was adopted The committee desired
$4,000 with which to pay the first
years expenses and called upon both
the city and the school board to sup
agreed to appropriate 81 for every =
appropriated by the city. The city
council finally appropriated $4,000, and
the school board $500
Once the money was assured. the
next move was the employment OF q
supervisor OF Fairgrounds, and after
a thorough investigation Of several ap-
plicants. J. H Stine, Of Seattle, was
employed
Prior to Mr.. Shines arrival. some
work had been done in playground
work at the Beau school, under the
direction OF r c. Jackson, q teacher
in the public schools The work was.
therefore. fairly well organized when
Mr. slime arrived, and when the schools
closed the SKINNER activities were tax
en- up
Eight Playground Cenfers Selected.
In the absence Of gymnastic equip
ment. the activities OF the summer were
confined largely to games Eight
playground centers were selected with
a supervisor in charge OF each The
centers were at the Bailey, Lamar. San
JacintO. Franklin. Beail. AOy, sunset
and Douglas schools. Activities IN
cluded basket ball. voley ball. new
comb, tennis. baseball, indoor baseball
fplayed in the OPEN, and numerous
other outdoor games A number OF
short tournaments were carried out
and occasionally teams al one center
played teams OF another center, re-
sulting in a friendly rivalry that ere
ated much interest in the playground
work by the children
Two Used as social Cenfers.
Two Of the centers were run partly
as social centers during the summer
Because Of lack Of playground room ar
the Franklin school. two rooms were
made available for children and adults.
where table games were provided and
a photograph installed IN the even
ing many Of the young people gath
cred at the school to dance Swings
were provided in the court in the rear
OF the building, and here the little
ones played feature OF the equip
menr was a shower bath. which was
literally patronized- Soap and towels
were provided by the recreation depart
ment At the Beau school two showers
were available for the children Here,
however. towels were not supplied
st the Lamar school play centers
were maintained three evenings per
week. where the children engaged in
singing, dancing and the playing OF
games
WlLLe CuASl4cLaD-t AAArEE1l vs.
manifested in the summer work. the
attendance was not up to expectations
which is accounted for by reason OF
the newness Of the playground plan
in FL Paso- Nr. Slime also became con-
WINGED that the more strenuous out
door activities should not be conduct
ed during the heated. term and he ad-
vOcates wading pools and evening
games. He also recommends that the
Fairgrounds be fenced to prevent boys
- arHrr
hours
The fund OF $500. appropriated last
spring. viii carry on the work until
the coming spring.