The Washington times., 1919-05-02
PLAYGROUND NEED
INCREASED BY WAR

Whfle the general effect Of the war
upon Fairgrounds is still an open
question, there Is no doubt that this
country has osen awakened by the
war to 4 keencr sense of the impor-
tAnce OF recreation centers, according
TO the 1918 Year Book Uf the Play
ground and Recf eaCfcL. Association of
america, Just issued. The demand,
Tor opportunities 10 play after work
hours is as Widespread as il is en-
cour3ging. There has been a marked
increase during the year both in the
eenters for evening recreation and
the attendance there.
UnquestionEbly the fact that 35 per
cent of the men in the FIRST draft werS
rejected as physically Unnt has made
Americans realize how essential is up
building exercise and recreation under
the guidance Of trained leaders. The
statistics collected after correSpon-
denee Ndth l.7OO cities Indicate
healthy ana steady progress in recre-
alton work. The report Of the associa-
ton Shows that more than $50 play
grounds were open the year round
and evening recreation work was con-
Quoted IN more than 700 schools of
1o1 cIries- More C1Is7 5000 trained
men aIo women were engaged in di-
recting play al recreation centers
through0uG Cus country.
COIOrea Children Benefited,
For coIored children alone more
than 100 Fairgrounds were main
tatned. Three hundred swimming
pools. 400 public baths, and 200 pub
lie bathing beaches were used by
thousands Of persons.
The effect OF the war upon play
grounds and recreation was reported
by 277 cities, 1T2 of which give the
result as Unfavorable. The decrease
IN attendance is attributed to the fact
that many Of the older children were
working in factories. Moreover, It
was hard to get trained, competent
leaders because Of the number of men
who went into the service of their
country and Of women who engaged
In war work. In many cases, appro- |
priations were cut down, playground !
funds were devoted to war garden ac-
tiVities, ano the Fairgrounds them /
selves were use BY war agencies.
Stimulated In Others.
But los cities reported that the war
30 far from euUeking recreation work, I
had stimuIzteo It. The attendance of /
small children increased, as did that |
OF their elders at the evening sessions. /
=
mere cenleFs established. The num-
ber Of cities initiating such work was
smaller thzs IL, 1917, being reduced to /
twenty, but those cities which con- 1
tiuued the WUrK called for a greater
number Of leaHers to conduct their
greater activities.
On the whole the year 1918 shows
many gains. Everywhere community
leaders and citizens participated in
community singing, pageants and spe-
bcial community gatherings. Especially
were they brought to realize what !
recreation, directed by trained lead
ers, meant to the men in Uniform
This realization has given momentum
TO the recreational movement all over
Xhe United States.
The association reports that com
piete returns from S96 cities show that
they maintained 3,S71 Fairgrounds and
neighborhood centers under paid lead
ership. In 2S1 Of these cities the work
was administered wholly or in part by
some department Of q municipality, /
that is, 70.9 per cent Of the total and
an increase of 10 per cent over 1917.
In addition to municipal activities,
centers were maintained by play
ground and recreation associations
and leagues, civic clubs and associa-
tions, Improvement clubs. parent
teachers associations, and home schoO:
leagues, the Y. n. c. A and Y. w. c.
A, playground committees, social
service leagues, welfare and relief as
sociations, settlements. .Chautauquahs-
sOciations, art clubs, athletic leagues,
associations, and coun-
ellis of defense.