The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-02-17
Fairgrounds Make
Better Children, Is
Opinion Of Expert

ANY child can play all day long with
children who have been in he reform
school n it won't hurt him a bit"
according to Miss Minnie Wagner. as
sistant supervisor Of Memphis play
grounds, but l can't say the same il
he sits out 10 minutes in their COM
pany."
Miss Wagner is a delicate-featured
young woman who comes nearer re-
sembllng in looks a society girl rather
han a playground worker. She is very
modest and although there is no regu-
lar supervisor she prefers to cling to
her title of assistant rather than to
be known as the whole Cheese"
Having been in the work for the last
five years and had much plain prac-
teal experience, Miss Wagner saws
the one thing that is absolutely neces-
sary in the bringing up of children is
believes implicitly in the old adage
that Satan and idle hands are always
IN communion. Counting herself, she
says there are 10 paid playground work.
ers and none of us ever leave children
die for a minute. The idea Is to start
them to playing and to keep them
busy.
Nobody outside Of the work knows
the children which are kept off the
street by means of the Fairgrounds.
And nobody knows, unless they have
been in the playground business, how
few city children actually know how to
play. When new Riddles come to our
parks we often find that they have
never heard of some of our simplest
games and as for owning a baseball
or a bat, their widest dreams don't
ever cause them to picture it. We take
really truly toughs and start them play
ing and soon they turn into tame little
lambs who actually pick up better Eng
Ash and some semblance of manner
from just a few afternoons at the
parks.
Good wholesome basket ball which
We have in the summer and fall times
for the girls, improves them mentally
and physically, because while they are
playing they forget all the foolishness
of parading Main street and powdering
and painting their faces. They get
genuinely interested in the games and
come back afternoon after afternoon,
Sometimes they bring along a little
brother or sister and the wading pools
always afford simple amusement for
the llttlest youngsters.
"Oftimes I've thought of DR.. R. B.
Maury, who first fostered the Mem
phis playground idea and I've wondered
If he ever realized before he died what
a benefit he was doing for Memphis
future men and women. In the summer
and fall. time n on Saturday after
noon, When the weather permits, an
average OF 1000 children are being
wholesomely and interestedly enter.
tanned on Memphis Fairgrounds. We
have fuses or fights and yet we
deal with the number of children men
toned and our Fairgrounds are eight in
number.
1.-THE city allows us $12,0 900 for SAL
aries and expenses, but like everything
else this isn't quite adequate and we're
asking for a larger budget. Our play
grounds are now at the following places;
Forrest, CASTOR, DeSoto, Bickford,
Wills and Overton parks; Market
square and the Rozell school. Each
playground worker remains on duty
from five to six hours a day during
the summer and fall. In the extreme
winter pl~aygrounds are closed save upon
pleasant Saturdays.
Recently a training class has been
formed for the instruction Of girls who
wish to become playground workers.
The only requirement made outside of
character, etc, is that each would-be
worker be possessed Of a high school
diploma"