New-York tribune., 1918-08-28
Urges Landlords
To Give Children
Playground Space
DR.. Baker Demands City
Youth Have Backyards
to "Heart's Content
Play w e e k Sept. 2
Special Programmes to Aid
Youth Culture Are
Planned

AS part of the Federal Children s
Year campaign TO save 100000 baby
lives during 1918 New York City will
observe 2 Patriotic Play Week, be-
ginning Monday, September 2-Labor
Day. The activities of the week, which
include an elaborate programme for
each day, VIII be under the special
supervision of DR.. s. Josephine Baker
head of the bureau of child hygiene Of
the Health Board and chairman of the
children's year committee of the
Mayors Committee of Women on Ma
'tional Defence
The slogan of the committee is, "a
child without playground IS like a
man without job"
In commenting upon the educational
and character building value of play in
the life of the child. Dr. Baker yes
terday at her Office in the Board of
Health Building laid special stress on
the increase Of juvenile delinquency in
the tlrSt two years of the war'in Eng
land. due to the breaking down Of
standards in labor and education. A
tendency in the same direction was
plainly visible in the bills presented to
the Legislature at Albany at the last
session which were vetoed by Governor
" hltman. DR.. Baker remarked.
Urges Child Protection
$50 far, however, she continued
there has been no terrifying increase
here in Juvenile delinquency .If we
uphold our standards of education, if
we protect children in labor, Il we de-
vote our utmost efforts to conserving
and improving their health ther we
TINS War without having TO face the
.amentable conditions that prevailed
for while in England
But IN order to fulfil our duty to
the full toward tho next generation
one more element is needed. and that
lS little brotherly love among land
lords.
Years ago survey was made of the
acreage below Fourteenth Street, east
OF Broadway, and the number of chill
dren counted. 1t was estimated that if
al the ground were given to the chill
dren there would be a space four feet
square for each-not very much room
to play tag in.
These children should be taken care
Of in some way to keep them off the
dangerous streets. Fairgrounds are
few and expensive That leaves two
solutions roofs and backyards.
Our roofs are of unequal heights.
They offer at best only a small space
for each playground. They need shad-
ing; Ihey need safeguards to keep the
children from falling into the street.
lhese things cost good deal of money
And the noise of children playing on a
roof is very disturbing to tenants on
the top floor. Unless roof play
ground is planned for at the time build
lngs are put up, Il does not seem an
economlcal or practical solution Of the
problem
Would Use City Backyards
THAT brings us to the backwards.
lhese are usually an eyesore-a rub
olsh heap. Each one is walled off for
the special use Of the house it belongs
tto-and then not used. Most of our city
backwards have no real value.
The plan would like to see put into
practice is the turning of all the back
yards in each block into one big plav-
ground for the children on the block.
Inc fences should be knocked down. a
ilttIe cheap apparatus nstalled-chil-
aren have much imagination that II
is surprising what cheap and common
things viii give them pleasure-and
they will have space as broad as the
street and nearly as long, safe from
traiilc, where they can be watched bv
.nelr own parents, or perhaps jani-
tress, who would take turns with the
other mattresses on the block in super
vlslng their play.
III landlords could only see the feast
hlllty of the plan they would realize
.haO tnls would not be a drawback, but
an ald 10 them. 1t would eliminate the
mouse, and prove help instead of a
flndrance in renting apartments.
This | believe IS the real solution
o. me playground problem in New