The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1918-06-12
TO HOLD A MASS I
MEETING At THE
OPERA HOUSE
PLAYGROUND AND RECREATION
COMMISSION TO GET HELP IN
LOCAL WORK FROM M. A. c.


Belding has recently placed itself
in the rank with other progressive
cities and towns in the country by
establishing a Recreation commission
with the idea of developing system
of municipal recreation. Through
the cooperation of the extension de-
partment of the M. A. C. the work
will be under the direction of train
ed social worker who will arrive
some time before the first of July.
Interest in this phase of social
service was aroused last December
when representative of the Play
ground and Recreation association of
America spoke before the Ladies
Literary Exchange club. AS a re-
suit of her visit the club voted to in
vite the national association to help
in establishing the work in Belding.
The Playground and Recreation
association of America was organized
in 1906 when the recreation move
ment was in its infancy in America
Since then, due in no small measure
to the work of the association, the
idea has spread until there is hardly
a city of any size or Importance
that does not point with pride to its
Fairgrounds and social centers as
important adjuncts to its educational
system.
In Michigan. a short time ago, a
fund was raised to enable the Ma
tional association to put on a three
year campaign in some Of the smaller
cities towns that would like to
avail mselves of the services of
its field workers but could not afford
to pay the fee of $136 week that is
generally charged. Because of this
fund, Belding was able to have a
worker here this summer for four or
five weeks.
Under the Michigan law, either the
city council or the school board has
the right to appoint recreation COM
mission and appropriate funds for
the work. 1t was explained that
the state Agricultural college would
undoubtedly give some help in the
matter and the matter was taken to
the school board.
In the meantime, Mr.. c. E. Linde-
mann, state leader of the Boys and
Girls clubs organized under the
auspices of the college offered to send
a trained worker here for six months
provided that there were some def
mite organization with which she
could work.
Because they felt that this offer
was altogether too valuable a one to
be rejected, together with the fact
that they were genuinely interested
anyway, the school board passed the
resolution creating the commission.
And incidentally in making their APP
pointments they did good work as it
of people for the purpose. The
commission is composed of A ID.
Fristoe, #. w. Howard, Henry Up
holt, Mrs. +. w. Little and Mrs. VIM.
Ward
So before very long under the aus
pices of this commission there will
be some playground activities started
for the boys and girls together with
some canning, garden, poultry and
home economics clubs for the older
ones. These new activities in con-
nection with the work already started
by the Scout and Campfire groups
will solve the leisure time problem
that the city has been facing.
A mass meeting of the people in
terested in the matter above will be
held in the opera house Friday even
ing, June Ia at 7:30 o'clock at which
time the matter will be further taken
up and the following program will be
rendered:
Music by the Belding band.
Campfire Girls.
Boy Scouts.
Junior Red Cross.
Senior Red Cross.
Community singing led by Mrs.
Merton o. Blakeslee Ionia, chairman
Department of Music, Michigan
State Federation of Women's clubs.
Address by G. f. Lindemann, state
leader of Boys and Girls clubs or
ganized under the auspices of the
State Agricultural college.