Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1919-12-17
Reclaiming Backwards.
By Frederic ]. Haskin

of the Fast Side is now busily rehearsing
for it's greatest annual event, which is TO
occur the night after Christmas, when,
st,nding about briliantly-lighted ever
green tree, il will sing and speak OF the
hcn,voIepcr of Santa Claus, and of the
sovs of Christmastidc- matters with which
II has slight acquaintance but Tor which
IL posscsscs houndlcss enthusiasm.
Every afternoon, the clubrooms oil
the BACKYARD Playground ASsociaton,
which il planning this gala occasion, arc
crowded with shabby little girls, who
speak their pieces and sing their songs
proudlv and dramatically Little Ems
Spadowskv has never owned n doll IN her
yonnr life. but she can show you exactly
how ono should bc croonCd to sleep SO
that II will not see, and IN seeing destroy
the generous intentions OF old ~. NICK
Pale little Maria Giovanni can throw back
her head and speak SO cmotionally ot
MIR and Mrs Claus that you would I'M
ag inc they were personal friends OF hers
Now not quite so dramatic the back
v ard dramatic coach had TO caution her
1 he other dav. as the little girl raised hcr
ewes hcavcnward. claspcd her hands
tightly to her throat in n gesture she had
evidently borrowed from Ihcda Bara ana
smoke IN shrlll rhvmC of an apron she had
made Tor Santa Claus.
.rhcv INST love II said the coach when
thr rehearsal was over. and the last
sh,lbv little child had rushed out to the
backward playground 1t IS the romance
winch appeals to them the chance 10
prctcud for the tune beng that they are
somebody else and Aot tenement young
stcrs really think they ENJOY this
prrlad ol preparation almost rs much
as thrv do the actual celebration and toys
", manage 10 have for them.
lie. tovs are not now. 10 bc sure
Th,I are contributed hy various schOots
tlrsurhout Che citv, aud the city police
mon buug them 10 us IN thcir patr"l
yacouS You see, the parents ot these
,h,lI-rn cannot afford to buy them TOYS;
M, cannot even buy them enough 70
,at not always This IS one Of the oldest
aud most dllapidatcd tenement districts
III New York
Nrt tho room in which the rehearsal
Eal ltl~t l,ccn held Was cheerful. neat end
attractive sunlight strcancd N "
larrVlnd0Ws rl- logs burned m an archcd
tretlacc. AMI window boxes containing
hrrh green cvrErccus added 70 thc
,h.,ffiil atuosrhcrc ot tho room )" dld
~, rrrtounc curtains which draprd ltS
WrdoWs and doolvaVS. although The
,.Hur E.dl ri charge explained that they
LAD cost very Little hc rest 81 the
Furnishings were obviously cheap, hut
u,e.ul thr ,l~ua chairs, j small table
with howl 81 yellow chrysanthcmumS
and an old lint gallant sofa
WHAT u MEANS
.pur object. sand tllc secretary Of the
a.Sortation. Miss l.lScttc Trunk, opening
i uhitc- painted door and leading tho way
lnto srm.atlN furnished club-room,
~ kccp thc placc as surlc n possible
ard uucil lkc the average tchtWcht room,
IS that tile people 81 tue nCChhoThood
ull icrl II home hero We want them
IL fr,l that il belongs ~ them this
pla> grnud center We q" not want 7"
lfayla, thctn With the things thCN have
uot baf ~ teach thcm 10 make the best
u>c III tho things thcy have
These Club-rooms arr on tho first floor
az one af two houses 81 3l2 last Thirty
first street, which the ASSOCIATION has
leased paInted repaired and pmmhCd 70
a great cNteut with 4 ViCw gradually 70
turning them INTO model trncments.
Thc ASSOCIATION WIS compelled 20 lease
itn houses m order iii retain the back
wards winch form thr playground
tn tho last >ldc, hackNardS arr not
TIM common Institutions thCy ere IN most
communities They arc rare All about
t,nl every inch oi space Is worn shabby
a.aass#.tlv sacred spots. carefully re-
st5r;t4 ly tenement landlords 10 all
,axe alol ca;> and Jaaior> The East
Se!,r IS permitted ~ gaze WSttuIly ont
ou tie Backward 81 hls tenement, Int
there the intimacy ends Ilc may not
p.scc . hammock ~ IT. his children may
No, plaN tult hl~ wife Il forbidden 10 hang
the family wash il il lvcn IN the sum
mtr. the backyard Leads an idle, lazy
htc. while the front steps and pavcmcnts
srk and crack under the heavy burden
T.:ecd upon them
Mn till, should H. 50 IS a mystery
known onlt Il tho tenement landlords,
hut il i responsible iur the existence of
the Backward Playground Association,
winch IS now carving IN a subtle cam
palcn for tie gradual reclamation Of
backwards FOR Last side communities.
j. has already opened Ip four backward
plaVcroI!ud cciterS, where the children OF
Tn, hast SIDE are invited 10 come and play
a. loudly and IS frequently as they want
t.. uuchallcngtd tv lanItorS
Ihc playground IS the principal thing.
II consists of two or more backwards
thrown together with play apparatus,
benches flooring Tor dancing ana an avn
Iug ID tie summer tune There are
sWlnC.. sce-sawS. basketball equipment
and basket swings itT talHfS. II Is open
t. the children Of the nclghborhood when
ever school - not IL session with the eXCcp-
ton 81 sundays In Ia, evenings when
the weather is warm il Is thrown open TO
their elder SISTERS and brothers for dancing
aud other social diversions.
CIUBROoM- ARR PopUtAR
In the winter when the East Side
vastly prefers IL remain indoors, the club
rooms established IN connection with three
of the playground centcrs are much more
popular. Herr the children flock around
the warm gas-ioGS and learn 10 do many
useful thlngS to sew, 20 cook, To knit
- folk-dance and 70 cobble cobbling
class II held every Saturday when the
small bows Of tho neIChborhood learn to
mend their own shoes and those Of the
other members OF their families This
class which was formerly conducted b.
hred instructor, II now conducted by
tho Italian Janitress Of tho house on Thirty
first street. known TO everybody us
Mamie. who also acts as the supervisor
of the playground and an interpreter
whenever one is needed.
ON two days cach week. the rooms
arc converted INTO clinics, on one occasion
general coinic being held for the chill
drcn and nu the other d maternity clinic
for then mothers Dr Thomas Darling
ton. and Or q g. Darlington Of New
NorE roudIrt tile general clinic while