El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-10-20
INSTINCT
IN ALL PEOPLE
A. A. Fisk, of Fosdick Com
mission, Suggests Plan for
Public Recreation.

Speaking OF community recreation
to the teachers. patrons and pupils
[ OF the Grandview school Friday after
noon. a. a. Fisk, Of the Fosdick ma
tional recreation and welfare COM
mission at army training camps, said:
In our endeavor to build a city
on a solid rock foundation, so to
speak. there is grave danger that we
shall overlook some forces that play
a very important part in community
building. The vigorous and healthy
environment OF every community is
the safeguard Of society. Every
community must organize to protect
the character CT the leisure hour The
play instinct was born with the in
dividual and he never outgrows it
This instinct IS just as truly one OF
the senses as is that of hearing or
sight We cannot, nor is il safe, to
try 10 ignore ii. We see the outward
expression OF this instinct on every
side II is this same energy which
is badly directed which is the cause
Of many Of our social evils. The
manner in which We employ our la
sure time is to a marked degree, a
matter Of habit The manner in
which these habits are fashioned de
ponds so largely upon the recreative
Institutions TO which We have access
1 am sure that FL Paso. as a com
munity. is no different from any 9TH
er American community.
should Have Defined Head.
1T is very important that public
recreation be headed IN under some
organization which is in thorough
sympathy and accord with the broad
est Interpretation Of this work This
is very important, for no institution
can thrive in an atmosphere OF an
taEouism- We find in some cities
that this work is headed up under
the public school system In some
cities special recreation committee
is appointed In others the park
commission has assumed the re-
spOnsibility for all public recreative
Institutions. There are communities
in which we find all OF these branches
OF the municipal government giving
attention TO these matters.
Recommends One Organization.
IN general, 10 F. PasOr IL Will be
much better TO make one Organiza-
ton responsible for this work Such
organization should cooperate with all
other local institutions whose facil-
tiles can be used in any way for the
public good The public school
grounds, as well as the school build
ings, should be used 20 their capacity.
tiles do not interfere in any way with
the regular school work The public
library can play a very useful part
by the establishment OF branch
Libraries at various points in the city
and the dissemination OF good litera-
ture. The parks also play a very i'm
portant part.
Suggests Form of Commission.
IN this connection I would suE-
Eest a park and recreation commits
sion. Such an organization, while
assuming responsibility for this work,
would cooperate with. and enlist the
service Of all other municipal depart
ments wherever possible. Under such
an organization the widest possible
scope could be given to this work
comprising those facilities, the ma
ture Of which would render recrea-
tive facilities TO all adults. as well as
to the boys and girls Of the con-
Gives Idea OF Cost
There IS no fast rule relative to
the amount Of money which any city
should eXpend for the maintenance
Of = park and recreation system. &
Available statistics indicate that
$1,000 dollars Der thousand population
viii be about adequate to meet the
requirements Another system that
Is often used to arrive at an appro-
DriatiOn is to take the full assessed I
value Of the city. and appropriate
$1,000 for every 81 100000 in assesse-I
circumstances which might indicate !
that these rules could not be followed I
IN detail. But the main object IN 4
any such system is to adopt some I
plan that will automatically increase !
the appropriation as the city grows. I
and the occasion for public service .
Increases"